---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Distance is where people get really…"
description: "\"Distance is where people get really confused. If you stand really far away from someone you're like, \"That's not me. I'm so far away from that person. ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f7/ottessa-moshfegh-8200_confused_distance-is-where-people-get-really-conf_952329.jpg"
---

#  Distance is where people get really confused. If you stand…

![“Distance is where people get really confused. If you stand really far away from someone you're like, &quot;That's not me. I'm so far away from that person. That person is so different from me.&quot; It's easy to forget that people - refugees from Syria, for example - are exactly like us.” quote by Ottessa Moshfegh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f7/ottessa-moshfegh-8200_confused_distance-is-where-people-get-really-conf_952329.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f7/ottessa-moshfegh-8200_confused_distance-is-where-people-get-really-conf_952329.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f7/ottessa-moshfegh-8200_confused_distance-is-where-people-get-really-conf_952329.jpg)

> “Distance is where people get really confused. If you stand really far away from someone you're like, "That's not me. I'm so far away from that person. That person is so different from me." It's easy to forget that people - refugees from Syria, for example - are exactly like us.”

[Ottessa Moshfegh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ottessa-moshfegh/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Physical distance creates false perceptions of difference, obscuring shared humanity.

**In simple terms:** Distance distorts empathy.

Key Takeaway

Bridge emotional gaps.

Themes

empathy identity humanity

Mood

reflective thoughtful

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- travel
- immigration
- community building

Key Concepts

psychology of perception social distance

Questions to Reflect On

- How can we maintain empathy across distances?
- What actions foster genuine connection?

A Different Perspective

May oversimplify complex refugee experiences.

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[Away Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/away-person-281189/) [Confused](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confused/) [Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) [Distance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distance/) [Distance People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distance-people/) [Easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easy/) [Far away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/far-away/) [Forget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forget/) [Forget People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forget-people/) [Get real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/get-real/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Refugee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/refugee/) [Syria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/syria/)

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