Empathy Quote by Michael Greenberg
““If Sally had been in an accident or come down with some overtly physical disease, I would not hesitate to tell him about it, confident that his sympathies would flow in my direction as a matter of course. But psychosis defies empathy; few people who have not experienced it up close buy the idea of a behavioral disease. It has the ring of an excuse, a license for self-absorption on the most extreme scale. It suggests that one chooses madness and not the other way around. (86)””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Unbearable Lightness of Being, by Michael Greenberg, 2022
Psychosis is often misunderstood, seen as a choice rather than a disease, leading to lack of empathy and stigma.
In simple terms: People think madness is a choice, not a medical condition.
Key Takeaway
Recognize mental illness as a real disease, not an excuse.
Themes
stigma
mental health
empathy
misunderstanding
Mood
frustrated
hopeful
reflective
Type
advice
educational
inspirational
When to use this quote
- clinical practice
- public education
- support groups
- policy advocacy
Key Concepts
psychosis
behavioral disease
social perception
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we change the narrative around mental illness?
- What role does personal experience play in fostering empathy?
A Different Perspective
Empathy can be limited when illness is invisible; societal myths persist.
![“That is another theme in the book [Dreams from My Father]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we get the black to see through the eyes of the white? Or the citizen to see through the eyes of the immigrant? Or the straight to see through the eyes of the gay? That has…” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/00d/barack-obama-17_black_that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams_10185.jpg)
