--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If there was less sympathy in the world…" description: "\"If there was less sympathy in the world, there would be less trouble in the world.\" — Oscar Wilde" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04e/oscar-wilde-16_sympathy_if-there-was-less-sympathy-in-the-world_856367.jpg" --- # If there was less sympathy in the world, there would be… ![“If there was less sympathy in the world, there would be less trouble in the world.” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04e/oscar-wilde-16_sympathy_if-there-was-less-sympathy-in-the-world_856367.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04e/oscar-wilde-16_sympathy_if-there-was-less-sympathy-in-the-world_856367.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04e/oscar-wilde-16_sympathy_if-there-was-less-sympathy-in-the-world_856367.jpg) > “If there was less sympathy in the world, there would be less trouble in the world.” [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Sympathy reduces conflict; lacking empathy leads to more trouble. **In simple terms:** Less empathy, more problems. Key Takeaway Cultivate empathy to ease conflict. Themes empathy conflict human nature Mood reflective thoughtful Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - personal relationships - community building - conflict resolution Key Concepts social psychology ethical behavior Questions to Reflect On - How does empathy change outcomes? - When is empathy insufficient? A Different Perspective Empathy alone cannot solve systemic issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Sympathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sympathy/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“My world began falling apart with the death of my sister, and hasn’t stopped since. And it’s not just my world that’s in trouble;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/my-world-began-falling-apart-with-the-death-of-my-sister-and-hasn-t/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“The trouble with the world and the trouble with you and me is that we don't love each other enough. And if we do,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjorie-pay-hinckley/the-trouble-with-the-world-and-the-trouble-with-you-and-me-is-that-we/) [Marjorie Pay Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjorie-pay-hinckley/) > [We have always felt the sympathy of the world, but we would prefer the respect of the world to sympathy without respect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anwar-sadat/we-have-always-felt-the-sympathy-of-the-world-but-we-would-prefer-the/) [Anwar Sadat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anwar-sadat/) > [Sympathy with joy intensifies the sum of sympathy in the world, sympathy with pain does not really diminish the amount of pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/sympathy-with-joy-intensifies-the-sum-of-sympathy-in-the-world/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [America is a beacon of hope for the world. And yet we are in so much trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-cameron/america-is-a-beacon-of-hope-for-the-world-and-yet-we-are-in-so-much/) [Kirk Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-cameron/) > [“You can have all the sympathy in the world," she said, "just don't feel like you have to wrap your life around it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-reene-singer/you-can-have-all-the-sympathy-in-the-world-she-said-just-don-t-feel/) [Judy Reene Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-reene-singer/) > [To be without sympathy is to be alone in the world--without friends or country, home or kindred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-nestell-bovee/to-be-without-sympathy-is-to-be-alone-in-the-world-without-friends-or/) [Christian Nestell Bovee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-nestell-bovee/) > [“When I meet cases, as I frequently do, of such unfortunate and misguided young men as I have described, I cannot but feel the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/booker-t-washington/when-i-meet-cases-as-i-frequently-do-of-such-unfortunate-and/) [Booker T. Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/booker-t-washington/) > [September 11th was a moment when America had the sympathy of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-ford/september-11th-was-a-moment-when-america-had-the-sympathy-of-the-world/) [Tom Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-ford/) > [“Sometimes I think that's the trouble with the world: too many people in high places who are stone-cold dead.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/sometimes-i-think-that-s-the-trouble-with-the-world-too-many-people/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [We are living at the moment in revolutionary times. Argentineans probably are more aware of it than anybody else, because they tasted it several…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zygmunt-bauman/we-are-living-at-the-moment-in-revolutionary-times-argentineans/) [Zygmunt Bauman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zygmunt-bauman/) > [If there's no meaning in it," said the King, "that saves a world of trouble, you know, as we needn't try to find any.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/if-there-s-no-meaning-in-it-said-the-king-that-saves-a-world-of/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [“The world’s too full of trouble to adopt those that don’t belong to you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-khaw/the-world-s-too-full-of-trouble-to-adopt-those-that-don-t-belong-to/) Cassandra Khaw > [How can the mind take hold of such a country? Generations of invaders have tried, but they remain in exile. The important towns they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/how-can-the-mind-take-hold-of-such-a-country-generations-of-invaders/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [World is in trouble. Anytime Buju Banton come. Batty bwoy get up an run. At gunshot me head back. Hear I tell him now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buju-banton/world-is-in-trouble-anytime-buju-banton-come-batty-bwoy-get-up-an-run/) [Buju Banton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buju-banton/) ## More by Oscar Wilde > [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The books that the world calls immoral are the books that show the world its own shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-books-that-the-world-calls-immoral-are-the-books-that-show-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Bachelors should be heavily taxed. It is not fair that some men should be happier than others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/bachelors-should-be-heavily-taxed-it-is-not-fair-that-some-men-should/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Who, being loved, is poor?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/who-being-loved-is-poor/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Basil my dear boy puts everything that is charming in him into his work. The consequence is that he has nothing left for life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/basil-my-dear-boy-puts-everything-that-is-charming-in-him-into-his/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Anybody can be good in the country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/anybody-can-be-good-in-the-country/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I don't at all like knowing what people say of me behind my back. It makes me far too conceited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-don-t-at-all-like-knowing-what-people-say-of-me-behind-my-back-it/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Alles Populäre ist falsch.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/alles-popul-re-ist-falsch/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“If these elements of beauty are real, the whole thing simply appeals to our sense of dramatic effect. Suddenly we find that we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/if-these-elements-of-beauty-are-real-the-whole-thing-simply-appeals/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [To love one's self is the beginning of a life-long romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/to-love-one-s-self-is-the-beginning-of-a-life-long-romance/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated. For these there is hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/those-who-find-beautiful-meanings-in-beautiful-things-are-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Men always want to be a womans first love. Women have a more subtle instinct: What they like is to be a mans last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/men-always-want-to-be-a-womans-first-love-women-have-a-more-subtle/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Why is it that at a bachelor's establishment the servants invariably drink the champagne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/why-is-it-that-at-a-bachelor-s-establishment-the-servants-invariably/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Moderation is a fatal thing. Enough is as bad as a meal. More than enough is as good as a feast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/moderation-is-a-fatal-thing-enough-is-as-bad-as-a-meal-more-than/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Beauty is the only thing that time cannot harm. Philosophies fall away like sand, creeds follow one another, but what is beautiful is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/beauty-is-the-only-thing-that-time-cannot-harm-philosophies-fall-away/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) [Explore all 3,343 Oscar Wilde quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## More Sympathy quotes > [“If it makes you feel any better, he’s been all sad doll lately too.” “What are you talking about, Chels?” Chelsea stopped walking and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-derting/if-it-makes-you-feel-any-better-he-s-been-all-sad-doll-lately-too/) [Kimberly Derting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-derting/) > [I want the municipality to be a helping hand to the man with a desire of sympathy, to help the fallen when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burns/i-want-the-municipality-to-be-a-helping-hand-to-the-man-with-a-desire/) [John Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burns/) > [“Just because she doesn't talk about it, doesn't mean she isn't feeling it. She hurts, but she won't wear it on her sleeve. She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfa-h/just-because-she-doesn-t-talk-about-it-doesn-t-mean-she-isn-t-feeling/) [Alfa H](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfa-h/) > [When you lose a person you love so much, surviving the loss is difficult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristiano-ronaldo/when-you-lose-a-person-you-love-so-much-surviving-the-loss-is/) [Cristiano Ronaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristiano-ronaldo/) > [Extremist perspectives win sympathy and recruits because they offer narratives that claim to identify deep injustices and enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonas-gahr-store/extremist-perspectives-win-sympathy-and-recruits-because-they-offer/) [Jonas Gahr Store](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonas-gahr-store/) > [“George's hand lifted and fell away again. It seemed an insult to imply that anything so small as a touch could stop the raw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mette-ivie-harrison/george-s-hand-lifted-and-fell-away-again-it-seemed-an-insult-to-imply/) [Mette Ivie Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mette-ivie-harrison/) > [In all disappointments sympathy is a great balm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gaskell/in-all-disappointments-sympathy-is-a-great-balm/) [Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) > [I'm not looking for sympathy, just understanding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-not-looking-for-sympathy-just-understanding/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sometimes I'll go for something more because of the story, or more because of the director. But, generally, I have to feel like it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-pearce/sometimes-i-ll-go-for-something-more-because-of-the-story-or-more/) [Guy Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-pearce/) > [The novelist must look on humanity without partiality or prejudice. His sympathy, like that of the historian, must be unbounded, and untainted by sect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goldwin-smith/the-novelist-must-look-on-humanity-without-partiality-or-prejudice/) [Goldwin Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goldwin-smith/) > [When men are arrested without any legal basis and for political reasons, it's merely a routine, everyday occurrence in Russia, and hardly anyone has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexei-navalny/when-men-are-arrested-without-any-legal-basis-and-for-political/) [Alexei Navalny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexei-navalny/) > [even those who call themselves 'intimate' know very little about each other - hardly ever know just how a sorrow is felt, and hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/even-those-who-call-themselves-intimate-know-very-little-about-each/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [“I don't have sympathy for people who wrap themselves in injury caused by their inability to deal with personal inadequacies and refusal to learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-mills/i-don-t-have-sympathy-for-people-who-wrap-themselves-in-injury-caused/) Nikki Mills > [in certain crises direct expression of sympathy is the least possible to those who most feel sympathy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/in-certain-crises-direct-expression-of-sympathy-is-the-least-possible/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [“Sympathy from strangers can be ruinous.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/sympathy-from-strangers-can-be-ruinous/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) [Browse all 1,332 Sympathy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sympathy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If there was less sympathy in the world, there would be less trouble in the world.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Oscar Wilde" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/if-there-was-less-sympathy-in-the-world-there-would-be-less-trouble/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Sympathy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/if-there-was-less-sympathy-in-the-world-there-would-be-less-trouble/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04e/oscar-wilde-16_sympathy_if-there-was-less-sympathy-in-the-world_856367.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04e/oscar-wilde-16_sympathy_if-there-was-less-sympathy-in-the-world_856367.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04e/oscar-wilde-16_sympathy_if-there-was-less-sympathy-in-the-world_856367.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If there was less sympathy in the world, there would be less trouble in the world.” — Oscar Wilde", "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": "Oscar Wilde", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If there was less sympathy in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/if-there-was-less-sympathy-in-the-world-there-would-be-less-trouble/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/if-there-was-less-sympathy-in-the-world-there-would-be-less-trouble/#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 } } ] } ```