--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sympathy: That self-delusional feeling of…" description: "\"“Sympathy: That self-delusional feeling of assuming that someone you know, who is ignorant, depressed, frustrated, and losing much in life, and maybe e..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d3/robin-sacredfire-1159_compassion_sympathy-that-self-delusional-feeling-of_1734958.jpg" --- # Sympathy: That self-delusional feeling of assuming that… ![“Sympathy: That self-delusional feeling of assuming that someone you know, who is ignorant, depressed, frustrated, and losing much in life, and maybe even terribly lonely and feeling abandoned by society, deserves your compassion, help or understanding, while in fact what they really want is to…” quote by Robin Sacredfire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d3/robin-sacredfire-1159_compassion_sympathy-that-self-delusional-feeling-of_1734958.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d3/robin-sacredfire-1159_compassion_sympathy-that-self-delusional-feeling-of_1734958.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d3/robin-sacredfire-1159_compassion_sympathy-that-self-delusional-feeling-of_1734958.jpg) > ““Sympathy: That self-delusional feeling of assuming that someone you know, who is ignorant, depressed, frustrated, and losing much in life, and maybe even terribly lonely and feeling abandoned by society, deserves your compassion, help or understanding, while in fact what they really want is to self-destroy themselves and take you along in that airplane of delusion before they finally crash and burn.”” [Robin Sacredfire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sacredfire/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote describes a misguided form of sympathy that enables self‑destructive behavior rather than genuine help. **In simple terms:** False sympathy fuels self‑destruction. Key Takeaway Recognize and set boundaries with toxic empathy. Themes empathy self‑destruction boundaries misunderstanding psychology Mood concerned reflective Type advice psychological When to use this quote - relationships - mental health crises - support groups - counseling - online communities Key Concepts codeination delusion help compassion Questions to Reflect On - How can you offer support without enabling self‑harm? - When should you seek professional help for someone? A Different Perspective Such sympathy may overlook underlying issues that need professional intervention. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Delusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delusion/) [Delusional Feeling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delusional-feeling-1465861/) [Feeling Abandoned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feeling-abandoned/) [Self Delusional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-delusional-1465860/) [Sympathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sympathy/) [Sympathy Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sympathy-self-1461676/) ## Related quotes > [All art is an intensely vulnerable gesture, and it is made with no small amounts of risk, and fear. 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Well, maybe with the exception of Hollywood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-malkin/there-is-no-other-industry-that-is-more-self-congratulatory-and-self/) [Michelle Malkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-malkin/) > [Will never have sympathy for anyone who 'self harms' sad, attention seeking pathetic people...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/will-never-have-sympathy-for-anyone-who-self-harms-sad-attention/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I suppose in antique Marxist terms we are lavishly paid because we are perfect tools for the class even higher up, those who own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-harrison/i-suppose-in-antique-marxist-terms-we-are-lavishly-paid-because-we/) [Jim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-harrison/) > [“The sex was good in itself, but when it was over it was over. It left me feeling abandoned. I'd sooner masturbate, at least…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fabian-black/the-sex-was-good-in-itself-but-when-it-was-over-it-was-over-it-left/) [Fabian Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fabian-black/) > [“Maybe the kid gravitated to Zeb for the same reason children like dinosaurs: when feeling abandoned in a world of forces beyond your control,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/maybe-the-kid-gravitated-to-zeb-for-the-same-reason-children-like/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [If you're feeling abandoned by the world, interact with anyone you can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-beck/if-you-re-feeling-abandoned-by-the-world-interact-with-anyone-you-can/) [Martha Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-beck/) > [“Be honest with the Lord. If you’re afraid, say so. If you’re feeling abandoned, tell Him. He already knows every sin you’ve committed and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-sorenson/be-honest-with-the-lord-if-you-re-afraid-say-so-if-you-re-feeling/) [Toni Sorenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-sorenson/) > [Basic human contact - the meeting of eyes, the exchanging of words - is to the psyche what oxygen is to the brain. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-beck/basic-human-contact-the-meeting-of-eyes-the-exchanging-of-words-is-to/) [Martha Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-beck/) > [I believe you can't be an actor if you haven't had the feeling of being abandoned as a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabelle-adjani/i-believe-you-can-t-be-an-actor-if-you-haven-t-had-the-feeling-of/) [Isabelle Adjani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabelle-adjani/) > [“While others might feel manipulative, I feel powerless. Sometimes I just hurt so bad from the mean things that people do to me, real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-t-mason/while-others-might-feel-manipulative-i-feel-powerless-sometimes-i/) [Paul T. Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-t-mason/) > [One response to feeling abandoned is to abandon yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-millon/one-response-to-feeling-abandoned-is-to-abandon-yourself/) [Theodore Millon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-millon/) > [“Newton was born on Christmas Day, 1642, so tiny that, as his mother told him years later, he would have fit into a quart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/newton-was-born-on-christmas-day-1642-so-tiny-that-as-his-mother-told/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [I guess this is growing up, tears stained pillows every night, staring naked at yourself in the mirror, waiting for the a text that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kayla/i-guess-this-is-growing-up-tears-stained-pillows-every-night-staring/) [Kayla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kayla/) > [“Sometimes you must embrace the feeling of being abandoned, until your deepest self warms to the thought of you being its closest companion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-tyrone-jones/sometimes-you-must-embrace-the-feeling-of-being-abandoned-until-your/) [Curtis Tyrone Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-tyrone-jones/) ## More by Robin Sacredfire > [“Sugar is for the body as narcissism is for the soul. Both pleasures kill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sacredfire/sugar-is-for-the-body-as-narcissism-is-for-the-soul-both-pleasures/) [Robin Sacredfire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sacredfire/) > [“A soul that moves raises his awareness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sacredfire/a-soul-that-moves-raises-his-awareness/) [Robin Sacredfire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sacredfire/) > [“God has made the world in such a way that even the atheist need faith to do anything in life and especially to accomplish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sacredfire/god-has-made-the-world-in-such-a-way-that-even-the-atheist-need-faith/) [Robin Sacredfire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sacredfire/) > [“What happens when you give people a 2nd chance? They blame you for it. What happens when you give people a 3rd chance? They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sacredfire/what-happens-when-you-give-people-a-2nd-chance-they-blame-you-for-it/) [Robin Sacredfire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sacredfire/) > [“Everything that you want in life, is possible. But the reflection in the mirror will always show who is reflecting. One can’t change the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sacredfire/everything-that-you-want-in-life-is-possible-but-the-reflection-in/) [Robin Sacredfire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sacredfire/) > [“Every single person I met and that knew I wrote books, made fun of me. And, most of my teachers said I don't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sacredfire/every-single-person-i-met-and-that-knew-i-wrote-books-made-fun-of-me/) [Robin Sacredfire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sacredfire/) > [“The most scary word most people ever hear is “truth". Many tell me that truth is subjective. But is your reality a subjective experience?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sacredfire/the-most-scary-word-most-people-ever-hear-is-truth-many-tell-me-that/) [Robin Sacredfire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sacredfire/) > [“Despite what you might think, NORMAL people do NOT cause problems, misfortunes, conflicts, distress or accidents. And when they do, they CAN apologize and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sacredfire/despite-what-you-might-think-normal-people-do-not-cause-problems/) [Robin Sacredfire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sacredfire/) > [“I never understood why so many spiritual people, upon investigating me further, decide to call me angel. I always thought they were being delirious,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sacredfire/i-never-understood-why-so-many-spiritual-people-upon-investigating-me/) [Robin Sacredfire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sacredfire/) > [“The coward and the ignorant are equally afraid of failure and humiliation. Escape is not a choice for them, as they find themselves having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sacredfire/the-coward-and-the-ignorant-are-equally-afraid-of-failure-and/) [Robin Sacredfire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sacredfire/) > [“I have no respect for the ones who have been blinded by arrogance, wherever I may find them, for God has abandoned them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sacredfire/i-have-no-respect-for-the-ones-who-have-been-blinded-by-arrogance/) [Robin Sacredfire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sacredfire/) > [“I love to share my problems with friends. They think I'm revealing my personal life, but I'm actually revealing theirs. What a person does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sacredfire/i-love-to-share-my-problems-with-friends-they-think-i-m-revealing-my/) [Robin Sacredfire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sacredfire/) > [“Sometimes I wonder which one is worse: the woman that is stupid or the one that reads books written by stupid authors. Both are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sacredfire/sometimes-i-wonder-which-one-is-worse-the-woman-that-is-stupid-or-the/) [Robin Sacredfire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sacredfire/) > [“Sometimes I have to act crazy to handle the crazies. Trying to be normal near the crazies makes me as crazy as them. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sacredfire/sometimes-i-have-to-act-crazy-to-handle-the-crazies-trying-to-be/) [Robin Sacredfire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sacredfire/) > [“Shit served on a gold plate to a grateful and welcoming soul is still shit! Potatoes won't change that!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sacredfire/shit-served-on-a-gold-plate-to-a-grateful-and-welcoming-soul-is-still/) [Robin Sacredfire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sacredfire/) [Explore all 281 Robin Sacredfire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sacredfire/) ## More Compassion quotes > [Half the misery of human life might be extinguished if men would alleviate the general curse they lie under by mutual offices of compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/half-the-misery-of-human-life-might-be-extinguished-if-men-would/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [“I fight with love and kindness as my weapons and compassion as my defense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/i-fight-with-love-and-kindness-as-my-weapons-and-compassion-as-my/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [I really enjoy making people laugh; I've discovered that's a great technique. That's as powerful as stirring their sorrow, stirring their compassion, because that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/i-really-enjoy-making-people-laugh-i-ve-discovered-that-s-a-great/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [“If you refuse to use physical force, then you will be at the mercy of your oppressor!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/segun-magbagbeola/if-you-refuse-to-use-physical-force-then-you-will-be-at-the-mercy-of/) [Segun Magbagbeola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/segun-magbagbeola/) > [For some reason, we are truly convinced that if we criticize ourselves, the criticism will lead to change. If we are harsh, we believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/for-some-reason-we-are-truly-convinced-that-if-we-criticize-ourselves/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [I could not have slept tonight if I had left that helpless little creature to perish on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-could-not-have-slept-tonight-if-i-had-left-that-helpless-little/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [We are puzzled and bewildered whenever we see suffering in this world because we have become accustomed to the mercy and the long-suffering of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/we-are-puzzled-and-bewildered-whenever-we-see-suffering-in-this-world/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [“Helpers in every corner, helpers in every hood. That's how we'll make the move, to reform from rude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/helpers-in-every-corner-helpers-in-every-hood-that-s-how-we-ll-make/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [There are a number of qualities which are important for mental peace, but from the little experience I have, I believe that one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/there-are-a-number-of-qualities-which-are-important-for-mental-peace/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [May the gods have mercy on whoever pisses them off, because Zarek and Jericho will have none for them. (Madoc) You’d better be glad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/may-the-gods-have-mercy-on-whoever-pisses-them-off-because-zarek-and/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [When you need empathy, you cannot give empathy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-b-rosenberg/when-you-need-empathy-you-cannot-give-empathy/) [Marshall B. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-b-rosenberg/) > [But victimhood was seductive, a release from responsibility and caring. Fear would be transmuted into weary resignation; failure would no longer generate guilt but,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/but-victimhood-was-seductive-a-release-from-responsibility-and-caring/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“No one has any right to tell you that the way you perceive yourself is wrong. Because by doing so, they also discourage the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/no-one-has-any-right-to-tell-you-that-the-way-you-perceive-yourself/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) > [“la ilaha ilallah muhammadun rasulullah, alaihi salatullah wa alihi wal ahibba "shine your mercy like the sun, and be gracious as the earth let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talib-al-habib/la-ilaha-ilallah-muhammadun-rasulullah-alaihi-salatullah-wa-alihi-wal/) [Talib al Habib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talib-al-habib/) > [The love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/the-love-for-all-living-creatures-is-the-most-noble-attribute-of-man/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) [Browse all 9,892 Compassion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Sympathy: That self-delusional feeling of assuming that someone you know, who is ignorant, depressed, frustrated, and losing much in life, and maybe even terribly lonely and feeling abandoned by society, deserves your compassion, help or understanding, while in fact what they really want is to self-destroy themselves and take you along in that airplane of delusion before they finally crash and burn.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robin Sacredfire" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sacredfire/sympathy-that-self-delusional-feeling-of-assuming-that-someone-you/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Compassion" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sacredfire/sympathy-that-self-delusional-feeling-of-assuming-that-someone-you/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d3/robin-sacredfire-1159_compassion_sympathy-that-self-delusional-feeling-of_1734958.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d3/robin-sacredfire-1159_compassion_sympathy-that-self-delusional-feeling-of_1734958.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d3/robin-sacredfire-1159_compassion_sympathy-that-self-delusional-feeling-of_1734958.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Sympathy: That self-delusional feeling of assuming that someone you know, who is ignorant, depressed…” — Robin Sacredfire", "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": "Robin Sacredfire", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sacredfire/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Sympathy: That self-delusional feeling of assuming...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sacredfire/sympathy-that-self-delusional-feeling-of-assuming-that-someone-you/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sacredfire/sympathy-that-self-delusional-feeling-of-assuming-that-someone-you/#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 } } ] } ```