--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Understanding is always harder than plain…" description: "\"“Understanding is always harder than plain hatred. But it expands your life. You will feel less alone.”\" — Nathan Hill" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a7/nathan-hill-11918_learning_understanding-is-always-harder-than-plai_1170428.jpg" --- # Understanding is always harder than plain hatred. But it… ![“Understanding is always harder than plain hatred. But it expands your life. You will feel less alone.” quote by Nathan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a7/nathan-hill-11918_learning_understanding-is-always-harder-than-plai_1170428.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a7/nathan-hill-11918_learning_understanding-is-always-harder-than-plai_1170428.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a7/nathan-hill-11918_learning_understanding-is-always-harder-than-plai_1170428.jpg) > ““Understanding is always harder than plain hatred. But it expands your life. You will feel less alone.”” [Nathan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-hill/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Understanding others is more challenging than hatred, yet it broadens perspective and reduces loneliness. **In simple terms:** Understanding is hard but expands life. Key Takeaway Seek deeper empathy. Themes empathy loneliness growth Mood thoughtful hopeful Type psychological inspirational When to use this quote - friendships - conflict resolution - mental health counseling Key Concepts philosophy social connection Questions to Reflect On - How can we practice understanding daily? - What barriers prevent empathy? A Different Perspective Hatred can be a simpler emotional shortcut. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Harder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harder/) [Hatred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hatred/) [Hatred Expands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hatred-expands-3390326/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) [Understanding Harder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding-harder-1910762/) ## Related quotes > [“Whereas if you choose to see people as puzzles, and if you see yourself as a puzzle, then you will be constantly delighted, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-hill/whereas-if-you-choose-to-see-people-as-puzzles-and-if-you-see/) [Nathan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-hill/) > [The greater our level of understanding, the harder the tests become.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/the-greater-our-level-of-understanding-the-harder-the-tests-become/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [If readers understand that they do not understand what they are reading then they must possess an understanding which is superior to the meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlo-guthrie/if-readers-understand-that-they-do-not-understand-what-they-are/) [Arlo Guthrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlo-guthrie/) > [Thoroughly understand what it is to understand, and not only will you understand the broad lines of all there is to be understood but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-lonergan/thoroughly-understand-what-it-is-to-understand-and-not-only-will-you/) [Bernard Lonergan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-lonergan/) > [In recent years my understanding of God had evolved into increasingly remote abstractions. I'd come to think of God in terms like Divine Reality,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/in-recent-years-my-understanding-of-god-had-evolved-into-increasingly/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [ \[Our understanding is\] not intellectual, but instinctive. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-richards/our-understanding-is-not-intellectual-but-instinctive/) [Ann Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-richards/) > [“. The understanding that what is good supports basic human rights and anything that threatens it is bad. We do not need a supernatural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/the-understanding-that-what-is-good-supports-basic-human-rights-and/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [I'm not going to pretend that bad things don't happen. I just hope my daughter has enough understanding that when they do, just give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-krasinski/i-m-not-going-to-pretend-that-bad-things-don-t-happen-i-just-hope-my/) [John Krasinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-krasinski/) > [Grace is the wonderful spirit that imbues every fiber of our being when we practice the fruits of the spirit: kindness, patience, understanding, forgiveness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-cayce/grace-is-the-wonderful-spirit-that-imbues-every-fiber-of-our-being/) [Edgar Cayce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-cayce/) > [The language may be different, but the understanding is always the sam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwesi-darko/the-language-may-be-different-but-the-understanding-is-always-the-sam/) [Kwesi Darko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwesi-darko/) > [Faith is the avenue to salvation. Not intellectual understanding. Not money. Not your works. Just simple faith. How much faith? The faith of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/faith-is-the-avenue-to-salvation-not-intellectual-understanding-not/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [I've always been a believer in research. It's great to have an instinctual human reaction to a character, too, of course, but it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/i-ve-always-been-a-believer-in-research-it-s-great-to-have-an/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) > [Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding. Even as the stone of the fruit must break, that its heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/your-pain-is-the-breaking-of-the-shell-that-encloses-your/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [It's difficult for people to come to the understanding that only a small minority of the people ever really get the word about life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-nightingale/it-s-difficult-for-people-to-come-to-the-understanding-that-only-a/) [Earl Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-nightingale/) > [The size of a man's understanding might always be justly measured by his mirth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-size-of-a-man-s-understanding-might-always-be-justly-measured-by/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) ## More by Nathan Hill > [“In the story of the blind men and the elephant, what’s usually ignored is the fact that each man’s description was correct. What Faye…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-hill/in-the-story-of-the-blind-men-and-the-elephant-what-s-usually-ignored/) [Nathan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-hill/) > [“There are some mysteries of the universe that ought to remain mysteries.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-hill/there-are-some-mysteries-of-the-universe-that-ought-to-remain/) [Nathan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-hill/) > [“But now? Being a sellout is the authentic thing. When”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-hill/but-now-being-a-sellout-is-the-authentic-thing-when/) [Nathan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-hill/) > [“He’s like the most dangerous species of American there is: heterosexual white male who didn’t get what he wanted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-hill/he-s-like-the-most-dangerous-species-of-american-there-is/) [Nathan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-hill/) > [“Whereas if you choose to see people as puzzles, and if you see yourself as a puzzle, then you will be constantly delighted, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-hill/whereas-if-you-choose-to-see-people-as-puzzles-and-if-you-see/) [Nathan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-hill/) > [“But such was the way with people – they loved the things that made them miserable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-hill/but-such-was-the-way-with-people-they-loved-the-things-that-made-them/) [Nathan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-hill/) > [“He’s looking for people he can be himself around. Aren’t we all?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-hill/he-s-looking-for-people-he-can-be-himself-around-aren-t-we-all/) [Nathan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-hill/) > [“Empathy. Most people think empathy is like understanding someone else or relating to them. But it's more than that. Real empathy is the actual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-hill/empathy-most-people-think-empathy-is-like-understanding-someone-else/) [Nathan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-hill/) > [“I saw the northern lights once. In upper Alberta. I booked a trip with this outfit called See the Northern Lights! I had wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-hill/i-saw-the-northern-lights-once-in-upper-alberta-i-booked-a-trip-with/) [Nathan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-hill/) > [“A dormitory was a hopeless idea. Whoever thought of encasing two hundred girls in a concrete box?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-hill/a-dormitory-was-a-hopeless-idea-whoever-thought-of-encasing-two/) [Nathan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-hill/) > [“There is not one true self hidden by many false ones. Rather, there is one true self hidden by many other true ones”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-hill/there-is-not-one-true-self-hidden-by-many-false-ones-rather-there-is/) [Nathan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-hill/) > [ “Everyone loves a prodigy \[...\]. Prodigies get us off the hook for living ordinary lives. We can tell ourselves we're not special because we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-hill/everyone-loves-a-prodigy-prodigies-get-us-off-the-hook-for-living/) [Nathan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-hill/) > [“In case you haven't noticed, the word has pretty much given up on the old Enlightenment idea of piecing together the truth based on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-hill/in-case-you-haven-t-noticed-the-word-has-pretty-much-given-up-on-the/) [Nathan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-hill/) > [“What do you do when you discover your adult life is a sham?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-hill/what-do-you-do-when-you-discover-your-adult-life-is-a-sham/) [Nathan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-hill/) > [“he functionally remembered the desire to quit Elfscape, but there was no part of his brain actively telling him to do so, plus”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-hill/he-functionally-remembered-the-desire-to-quit-elfscape-but-there-was/) [Nathan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-hill/) [Explore all 57 Nathan Hill quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-hill/) ## More Harder quotes > [Some people give you that motivation to work harder simply to get the hell away from wherever they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dane-cook/some-people-give-you-that-motivation-to-work-harder-simply-to-get-the/) [Dane Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dane-cook/) > [It's a lot harder to play football when you haven't got the ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gray/it-s-a-lot-harder-to-play-football-when-you-haven-t-got-the-ball/) [Andy Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gray/) > [Politics only makes the difficult challenge of marriage even harder, with the demands of the job and the public spotlight it casts on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mckinnon/politics-only-makes-the-difficult-challenge-of-marriage-even-harder/) [Mark McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mckinnon/) > [We've all seen talented young players who get to a certain level but there comes a point where that talent will only take you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-gatland/we-ve-all-seen-talented-young-players-who-get-to-a-certain-level-but/) [Warren Gatland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-gatland/) > [Forgive me for noting that conservatives seem to believe that the rich will work harder if we give them more, and the poor will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-j-dionne/forgive-me-for-noting-that-conservatives-seem-to-believe-that-the/) [E. J. Dionne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-j-dionne/) > [Fossil fuels, including oil, are running out and supplies are getting harder to find. If we do nothing, prices will continue to rise and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-powell/fossil-fuels-including-oil-are-running-out-and-supplies-are-getting/) [Lucy Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-powell/) > [Kids, if anything, are harder to write for because they are a more discerning audience. They will not stay with you if you go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/kids-if-anything-are-harder-to-write-for-because-they-are-a-more/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [It is easy to take a photograph, but it is harder to make a masterpiece in photography than in any other art medium.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ansel-adams/it-is-easy-to-take-a-photograph-but-it-is-harder-to-make-a/) [Ansel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ansel-adams/) > [Harder to get in than out, like so little else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/harder-to-get-in-than-out-like-so-little-else/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [A hardback's harder at Christmas time because that's a good hardback buying time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/a-hardback-s-harder-at-christmas-time-because-that-s-a-good-hardback/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Indifference is harder to fight than hostility, and there is nothing that kills an agitation like having everybody admit that it is fundamentally right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crystal-eastman/indifference-is-harder-to-fight-than-hostility-and-there-is-nothing/) [Crystal Eastman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crystal-eastman/) > [There's nothing harder than making a mellow, clean record. It's really scary. I can see why people would never want to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ty-segall/there-s-nothing-harder-than-making-a-mellow-clean-record-it-s-really/) [Ty Segall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ty-segall/) > [I met Tyler Perry and we did 'House of Payne' and a movie. We've done a couple other films since then, but it all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-gross/i-met-tyler-perry-and-we-did-house-of-payne-and-a-movie-we-ve-done-a/) [Lance Gross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-gross/) > [God puts you where God needs you. You are where you are supposed to be. The job you are doing may not be any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-kushner/god-puts-you-where-god-needs-you-you-are-where-you-are-supposed-to-be/) [Lawrence Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-kushner/) > [What is needed, however, isn't just that people working together be nice to each other. It is discipline. Discipline is hard--harder than trustworthiness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/what-is-needed-however-isn-t-just-that-people-working-together-be/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) [Browse all 3,695 Harder quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harder/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Understanding is always harder than plain hatred. But it expands your life. You will feel less alone.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nathan Hill" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-hill/understanding-is-always-harder-than-plain-hatred-but-it-expands-your/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Harder" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-hill/understanding-is-always-harder-than-plain-hatred-but-it-expands-your/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a7/nathan-hill-11918_learning_understanding-is-always-harder-than-plai_1170428.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a7/nathan-hill-11918_learning_understanding-is-always-harder-than-plai_1170428.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a7/nathan-hill-11918_learning_understanding-is-always-harder-than-plai_1170428.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Understanding is always harder than plain hatred. But it expands your life. You will feel less alone.” — Nathan Hill", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Nathan Hill", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-hill/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Understanding is always harder than plain...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-hill/understanding-is-always-harder-than-plain-hatred-but-it-expands-your/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-hill/understanding-is-always-harder-than-plain-hatred-but-it-expands-your/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```