Explanation Quote by Milan Kundera
“People derived too much pleasure from seeing their fellow man morally humiliated to spoil that pleasure by hearing out an explanation.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera, 1984
People enjoy humiliating others, but hearing a reasoned explanation can diminish that enjoyment.
In simple terms: Humiliation loses its appeal when explained.
Key Takeaway
Seek understanding over mockery.
Themes
ethics
human behavior
empathy
Mood
thoughtful
somber
Type
philosophical
observational
When to use this quote
- online debates
- classroom discussions
- media commentary
- personal conflicts
Key Concepts
moral psychology
social dynamics
Questions to Reflect On
- Why do we find pleasure in others' humiliation?
- Can rational explanations always reduce such pleasure?
A Different Perspective
Explanation may not always change attitudes.
![“They [scientists of centuries past] call on God only from the lonely and precarious edge of incomprehension. Where they feel certain about their explanations, however, God gets hardly a mention.” quote by Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0b0/neil-degrasse-tyson-143_century_they-scientists-of-centuries-past-call-o_12921.jpg)
![“[Barack Obama] will spend long periods of time explaining to people why he won't use it. At the end of the explanation, nobody knows why he still won't use it because the explanation is no good. And I mean, honestly we have a president that in my opinion really doesn't know what he's doing.” quote by Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/eb3/donald-trump-18_barack_barack-obama-will-spend-long-periods-of_29283.jpg)
