--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Better to join in with humanity than to…" description: "\"Better to join in with humanity than to set ourselves apart.\" — Pema Chodron" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83f/pema-ch-dr-n-327_feeling-lonely_better-to-join-in-with-humanity-than-to_953437.png" --- # Better to join in with humanity than to set ourselves apart. ![“Better to join in with humanity than to set ourselves apart.” quote by Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83f/pema-ch-dr-n-327_feeling-lonely_better-to-join-in-with-humanity-than-to_953437.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83f/pema-ch-dr-n-327_feeling-lonely_better-to-join-in-with-humanity-than-to_953437.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83f/pema-ch-dr-n-327_feeling-lonely_better-to-join-in-with-humanity-than-to_953437.png) > “Better to join in with humanity than to set ourselves apart.” [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Emphasizes the value of connecting with others rather than isolating oneself, fostering compassion and shared humanity. **In simple terms:** Being with people is better than being apart. Key Takeaway Seek community over isolation. Themes compassion community interdependence Mood empathetic reflective Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - volunteering - team projects - support groups - family gatherings Key Concepts Buddhist ethics social cohesion Questions to Reflect On - How does community support your growth? - When might solitude be beneficial? A Different Perspective Isolation can also protect personal boundaries and mental health. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Better Join](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-join-1715157/) [Feeling lonely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feeling-lonely/) [Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity/) [Humanity Set](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity-set-1715158/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Join Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/join-humanity-1715156/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Loneliness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loneliness/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Set Apart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/set-apart-774555/) ## Related quotes > [I often tell people I don't care whether they join the NAACP or some other group, but you better join something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-todd-jealous/i-often-tell-people-i-don-t-care-whether-they-join-the-naacp-or-some/) [Benjamin Todd Jealous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-todd-jealous/) > [The proper focus of holiness is not on being set apart from something (i.e., the world), but on being set apart for something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/the-proper-focus-of-holiness-is-not-on-being-set-apart-from-something/) [Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/) > [“Set yourself apart as an expert in your field and draw people to you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/set-yourself-apart-as-an-expert-in-your-field-and-draw-people-to-you/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [In a sea of millions of people, you really have to set yourself apart to make a statement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-berk/in-a-sea-of-millions-of-people-you-really-have-to-set-yourself-apart/) [Bobby Berk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-berk/) > [We are not set apart to rule, but chosen and set apart to serve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-m-burton/we-are-not-set-apart-to-rule-but-chosen-and-set-apart-to-serve/) [Theodore M. Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-m-burton/) > [“In some ways, he was just like the rest of us: lonely, ambitious, a son, a father, a lover, never truly content. Where he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-goodman/in-some-ways-he-was-just-like-the-rest-of-us-lonely-ambitious-a-son-a/) [David A. Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-goodman/) > [I think not having come from the DJ world was an asset to me at first because I didn't have some of the habits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/porter-robinson/i-think-not-having-come-from-the-dj-world-was-an-asset-to-me-at-first/) [Porter Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/porter-robinson/) > [I have so much to do today that I must set apart more time than usual to pray.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/i-have-so-much-to-do-today-that-i-must-set-apart-more-time-than-usual/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [You really do have to be different. You really do have to set yourself apart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelsea-ballerini/you-really-do-have-to-be-different-you-really-do-have-to-set-yourself/) [Kelsea Ballerini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelsea-ballerini/) > [“There is something wonderfully sacred that happens when a girl chooses to realize that being set aside is actually God’s call for her to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysa-terkeurst/there-is-something-wonderfully-sacred-that-happens-when-a-girl/) [Lysa TerKeurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysa-terkeurst/) > [Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremiah/before-i-formed-you-in-the-womb-i-knew-you-before-you-were-born-i-set/) [Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremiah/) > [Enrique Muricano isn't afraid to try something new, to take risks, to possibly fail, and in turn, set himself apart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lela-loren/enrique-muricano-isn-t-afraid-to-try-something-new-to-take-risks-to/) [Lela Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lela-loren/) > [How I set myself apart is by creating the sort of real and honest music, which is who I'm also trying to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bay/how-i-set-myself-apart-is-by-creating-the-sort-of-real-and-honest/) [James Bay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bay/) > [The best thing you can do to set yourself apart is just be yourself. If you're fake, you know people find out who you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-archuleta/the-best-thing-you-can-do-to-set-yourself-apart-is-just-be-yourself/) [David Archuleta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-archuleta/) > [“Jeremiah 1:5: “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you; before you were born, I set you apart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-russell/jeremiah-1-5-before-i-formed-you-in-the-womb-i-knew-you-before-you/) [Alan Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-russell/) ## More by Pema Chodron > [“LIFE’S work is to wake up, to let the things that enter into your life wake you up rather than put you to sleep.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/life-s-work-is-to-wake-up-to-let-the-things-that-enter-into-your-life/) [Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [Since death is certain and the time of death is uncertain, what is the most important thing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/since-death-is-certain-and-the-time-of-death-is-uncertain-what-is-the/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [Buddhist words such as compassion and emptiness don't mean much until we start cultivating our innate ability simply to be there with pain with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/buddhist-words-such-as-compassion-and-emptiness-don-t-mean-much-until/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [The essence of generosity is letting go. Pain is always a sign that we are holding on to something - usually ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/the-essence-of-generosity-is-letting-go-pain-is-always-a-sign-that-we/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [“If the object of meditation were something concrete, something solid and graspable - an image or a statue or a dot on the floor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/if-the-object-of-meditation-were-something-concrete-something-solid/) [Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [It's a transformative experience to simply pause instead of immediately fill up the space. By waiting, we begin to connect with fundamental restlessness as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/it-s-a-transformative-experience-to-simply-pause-instead-of/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [“The essence of life is that it’s challenging. Sometimes it is sweet, and sometimes it is bitter. Sometimes your body tenses, and sometimes it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/the-essence-of-life-is-that-it-s-challenging-sometimes-it-is-sweet/) [Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [If we run a hundred miles an hour to the other end of the continent in order to get away from the obstacle, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/if-we-run-a-hundred-miles-an-hour-to-the-other-end-of-the-continent/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [“But in this meditation technique, we are with the out-breath; there's no particular instruction about what to do until the next out-breath.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/but-in-this-meditation-technique-we-are-with-the-out-breath-there-s/) [Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [“Nothing ever goes away until it has taught us what we need to know. Nothing ever really attacks us except our own confusion. Perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/nothing-ever-goes-away-until-it-has-taught-us-what-we-need-to-know/) [Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [So even if the hot loneliness is there, and for 1.6 seconds we sit with that restlessness when yesterday we couldn't sit for even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/so-even-if-the-hot-loneliness-is-there-and-for-1-6-seconds-we-sit/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [If you have rage and righteously act it out and blame it all on others, it's really you who suffers. The other people and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/if-you-have-rage-and-righteously-act-it-out-and-blame-it-all-on/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [“When we realize that the path is the goal, there’s a sense of workability. Trungpa Rinpoche said, “Whatever occurs in the confused mind is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/when-we-realize-that-the-path-is-the-goal-there-s-a-sense-of/) [Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [Every day is a new opportunity to work with what you have inside toward enlightenment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/every-day-is-a-new-opportunity-to-work-with-what-you-have-inside/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [If someone comes along and shoots an arrow into your heart, it’s fruitless to stand there and yell at the person. It would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/if-someone-comes-along-and-shoots-an-arrow-into-your-heart-it-s/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) [Explore all 664 Pema Chodron quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) ## More Feeling lonely quotes > [The worst feeling is not being lonely, sometimes it is being forgotten by someone you cant forget.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-worst-feeling-is-not-being-lonely-sometimes-it-is-being-forgotten/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You should never feel lonely, neglected, fearful, or defeated when you remember that there are the shining ones. They are watching with keen interest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flower-a-newhouse/you-should-never-feel-lonely-neglected-fearful-or-defeated-when-you/) [Flower A. Newhouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flower-a-newhouse/) > [I used to receive virtual smiles, sweet morning and night greetings. Now all I have is silence, and a blistered heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/i-used-to-receive-virtual-smiles-sweet-morning-and-night-greetings/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [People think being alone makes you LONELY, But I don't think thats true. Being surrounded by wrong people is the loneliest thing in World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-think-being-alone-makes-you-lonely-but-i-don-t-think-thats/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don't feel alone, because there is always someone out there who loves you more than you can imagine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/don-t-feel-alone-because-there-is-always-someone-out-there-who-loves/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [Dear God, thanks for being there when no one else was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myah/dear-god-thanks-for-being-there-when-no-one-else-was/) [Myah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myah/) > [There's nothing worse than feeling lonely in a relationship, its time to move on...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-nothing-worse-than-feeling-lonely-in-a-relationship-its-time/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Loneliness hits the minds of those that thinks they are single and alone. There's always someone out there waiting patiently for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/loneliness-hits-the-minds-of-those-that-thinks-they-are-single-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Once you're back on your feet - if you ever make it back on your feet - that's the ultimate achievement. I remember I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rihanna/once-you-re-back-on-your-feet-if-you-ever-make-it-back-on-your-feet/) [Rihanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rihanna/) > [The worst feeling: Being in a room full of PEOPLE & still being lonely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiana-j-wilson/the-worst-feeling-being-in-a-room-full-of-people-still-being-lonely/) [Kiana J Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiana-j-wilson/) > [I never feel lonely in the kitchen. Food is very friendly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-child/i-never-feel-lonely-in-the-kitchen-food-is-very-friendly/) [Julia Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-child/) > [Lonely isn't a feeling when you're alone, lonely is a feeling when no one cares.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/lonely-isn-t-a-feeling-when-you-re-alone-lonely-is-a-feeling-when-no/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You'll never love yourself half as much as I love you, youll never treat yourself right, but I want you to, if I let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/one-direction/you-ll-never-love-yourself-half-as-much-as-i-love-you-youll-never/) [One Direction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/one-direction/) > [People used to talk bad about you,i defended you and told them they were wrong.stupid me.i finally see what they see](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/punkinhead-abhishek/people-used-to-talk-bad-about-you-i-defended-you-and-told-them-they/) [Punkinhead Abhishek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/punkinhead-abhishek/) > [Too much to ask for may leave me feeling lonely. Too little leaves me nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-loeb/too-much-to-ask-for-may-leave-me-feeling-lonely-too-little-leaves-me/) [Lisa Loeb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-loeb/) [Browse all 500 Feeling lonely quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feeling-lonely/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Better to join in with humanity than to set ourselves apart.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Pema Chodron" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/better-to-join-in-with-humanity-than-to-set-ourselves-apart/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Feeling lonely" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/better-to-join-in-with-humanity-than-to-set-ourselves-apart/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83f/pema-ch-dr-n-327_feeling-lonely_better-to-join-in-with-humanity-than-to_953437.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83f/pema-ch-dr-n-327_feeling-lonely_better-to-join-in-with-humanity-than-to_953437.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83f/pema-ch-dr-n-327_feeling-lonely_better-to-join-in-with-humanity-than-to_953437.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Better to join in with humanity than to set ourselves apart.” — Pema Chodron", "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": "Pema Chodron", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Better to join in with humanity...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/better-to-join-in-with-humanity-than-to-set-ourselves-apart/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/better-to-join-in-with-humanity-than-to-set-ourselves-apart/#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 } } ] } ```