--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But when you meet with the enemy and…" description: "\"But when you meet with the enemy and genuinely try to understand his or her perspective, you lose the enemy as a political tool. And that's the eternal..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b99/s-e-cupp-5380_enemy_but-when-you-meet-with-the-enemy-and-gen_2321462.png" --- # But when you meet with the enemy and genuinely try to… ![“But when you meet with the enemy and genuinely try to understand his or her perspective, you lose the enemy as a political tool. And that's the eternal obstacle.” quote by S.E. Cupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b99/s-e-cupp-5380_enemy_but-when-you-meet-with-the-enemy-and-gen_2321462.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b99/s-e-cupp-5380_enemy_but-when-you-meet-with-the-enemy-and-gen_2321462.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b99/s-e-cupp-5380_enemy_but-when-you-meet-with-the-enemy-and-gen_2321462.png) > “But when you meet with the enemy and genuinely try to understand his or her perspective, you lose the enemy as a political tool. And that's the eternal obstacle.” [S.E. Cupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-cupp/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Understanding an opponent’s view can neutralize their use as a political weapon. **In simple terms:** Seeing their side reduces conflict. Key Takeaway Seek genuine empathy. Themes dialogue politics empathy Mood thoughtful strategic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - debates - negotiations - policy making - community meetings Key Concepts Perspective taking conflict resolution Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance empathy with conviction? - When does understanding become compromise? A Different Perspective Over‑empathizing may dilute your stance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) [Eternal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eternal/) [Perspective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perspective/) ## Related quotes > [ \[Vladimir\] Putin is an enemy of political dissent. The U.S. celebrates political dissent and the right for people to argue free from violence about… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-e-sasse/vladimir-putin-is-an-enemy-of-political-dissent-the-u-s-celebrates/) [Benjamin E. Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-e-sasse/) > [You can be surrounded by people all the time, but you feel so alone. I think that's when you can lose perspective and lose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ladyhawke/you-can-be-surrounded-by-people-all-the-time-but-you-feel-so-alone-i/) [Ladyhawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ladyhawke/) > [“When you lose your enemy, it's like you lost your love!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fereidoon-yazdi/when-you-lose-your-enemy-it-s-like-you-lost-your-love/) [Fereidoon Yazdi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fereidoon-yazdi/) > [The tough thing about a campaign being over is, you lose your enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/the-tough-thing-about-a-campaign-being-over-is-you-lose-your-enemy/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [“In every bit of honest writing in the world, there is a base theme. Try to understand men, if you understand each other you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/in-every-bit-of-honest-writing-in-the-world-there-is-a-base-theme-try/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“The more greedily you try to understand people, the less you understand them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/takahashi-takako/the-more-greedily-you-try-to-understand-people-the-less-you/) Takahashi Takako > [You said you love me, I guess only for my looks. You said I'd never try to understand, But what happened to all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-said-you-love-me-i-guess-only-for-my-looks-you-said-i-d-never-try/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I do comparative studies of climate evolution, and the interactions between planetary atmosphere and surfaces and their radiation environment, and try to understand the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/i-do-comparative-studies-of-climate-evolution-and-the-interactions/) [David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) > [Galvanized people can do careless things. It is in the extreme and emotion-laden moments that distance and coolness are most required. I am tempted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-friedman/galvanized-people-can-do-careless-things-it-is-in-the-extreme-and/) [George Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-friedman/) > [A lot of what I do is try to watch tape and understand how guys come out of breaks - what their footwork looks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-kuechly/a-lot-of-what-i-do-is-try-to-watch-tape-and-understand-how-guys-come/) [Luke Kuechly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-kuechly/) > [I've had to make time to really explore all the amazing things that are out and try to understand the history of how fashion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-jackson/i-ve-had-to-make-time-to-really-explore-all-the-amazing-things-that/) [Christopher Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-jackson/) > [For a songwriter, you don't really go to songwriting school; you learn by listening to tunes. And you try to understand them and take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/for-a-songwriter-you-don-t-really-go-to-songwriting-school-you-learn/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [We are different. We are equal in every way but our voices are important to each other and our need to want to listen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-ullmann/we-are-different-we-are-equal-in-every-way-but-our-voices-are/) [Liv Ullmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-ullmann/) > [My writing process is very feedback-based. When I do stand-up, I listen to the audience. I try to understand what's connecting, what's not connecting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/my-writing-process-is-very-feedback-based-when-i-do-stand-up-i-listen/) [Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) > [I don't have any particular method, my approach is very simple. I try to understand the emotional graph of the character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pratik-gandhi/i-don-t-have-any-particular-method-my-approach-is-very-simple-i-try/) [Pratik Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pratik-gandhi/) ## More by S.E. Cupp > [There are a lot of areas where Republicans can take aspects of Millennials' lives and really speak policy to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-cupp/there-are-a-lot-of-areas-where-republicans-can-take-aspects-of/) [S.E. Cupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-cupp/) > [But on a regular basis, Van Jones is my jam. I would show up anywhere to talk about anything with Van. And I'm lucky…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-cupp/but-on-a-regular-basis-van-jones-is-my-jam-i-would-show-up-anywhere/) [S.E. Cupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-cupp/) > [To be clear, impeachment is above all else a political act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-cupp/to-be-clear-impeachment-is-above-all-else-a-political-act/) [S.E. Cupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-cupp/) > [I don't like mimicking people. I don't like repeating talking points. I don't like arguing with people just to argue. I like actually coming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-cupp/i-don-t-like-mimicking-people-i-don-t-like-repeating-talking-points-i/) [S.E. Cupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-cupp/) > [I know many men at Fox, and most are good, decent people. Many are also good family men who have wives, mothers, sisters and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-cupp/i-know-many-men-at-fox-and-most-are-good-decent-people-many-are-also/) [S.E. Cupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-cupp/) > [I believe in a strong two-party system, and when one party is losing so spectacularly, it emboldens the other party to overreach and become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-cupp/i-believe-in-a-strong-two-party-system-and-when-one-party-is-losing/) [S.E. Cupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-cupp/) > [If you've spent any time on social media, you may have had the misfortune of coming up against a cowardly troll who hides behind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-cupp/if-you-ve-spent-any-time-on-social-media-you-may-have-had-the/) [S.E. Cupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-cupp/) > [Early on in Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, Republicans were confronted almost daily with a clear choice: accept Trump's overt appeals to the bigotry and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-cupp/early-on-in-trump-s-2016-presidential-campaign-republicans-were/) [S.E. Cupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-cupp/) > [Few believe Democrats will control both houses of Congress in 2021, and even if they manage to, Republicans will still be around to play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-cupp/few-believe-democrats-will-control-both-houses-of-congress-in-2021/) [S.E. Cupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-cupp/) > [The war on drugs - a big-government product if there ever was one - has been wildly unsuccessful, by any metric.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-cupp/the-war-on-drugs-a-big-government-product-if-there-ever-was-one-has/) [S.E. Cupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-cupp/) > [But the rising chorus urging ESPN to change its stripes is missing something: The intersection of sports and politics is natural. And the left-wing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-cupp/but-the-rising-chorus-urging-espn-to-change-its-stripes-is-missing/) [S.E. Cupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-cupp/) > [In a very dysfunctional business, CNN happens to be the most functional network I've worked at.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-cupp/in-a-very-dysfunctional-business-cnn-happens-to-be-the-most/) [S.E. Cupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-cupp/) > [We are more and more defined not by our friends but our political enemies - collecting them like badges of honor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-cupp/we-are-more-and-more-defined-not-by-our-friends-but-our-political/) [S.E. Cupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-cupp/) > [I love the Constitution. But it's still a document, meant to protect human beings and ensure their life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-cupp/i-love-the-constitution-but-it-s-still-a-document-meant-to-protect/) [S.E. Cupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-cupp/) > [I put my conservatism up against anyone. I'm a pretty staunch conservative, with pretty rabid ideas about conservative values... Questioning my conservatism doesn't seem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-cupp/i-put-my-conservatism-up-against-anyone-i-m-a-pretty-staunch/) [S.E. Cupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-cupp/) [Explore all 101 S.E. Cupp quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-cupp/) ## More Enemy quotes > [Shall there be truth between us, as two men? Not as friends, but as enemies and equals?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/shall-there-be-truth-between-us-as-two-men-not-as-friends-but-as/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [“Before you were my enemy, you were my best friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/before-you-were-my-enemy-you-were-my-best-friend/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [It is the rule in war, if our forces are ten to the enemy's one, to surround him; if five to one, to attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/it-is-the-rule-in-war-if-our-forces-are-ten-to-the-enemy-s-one-to/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [Fear is a man's worst enemy, but love is a man's most powerful weapon against anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/fear-is-a-man-s-worst-enemy-but-love-is-a-man-s-most-powerful-weapon/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The surprise of an army is now next to an impossibility. ... Prearranged surprises are rare and difficult because in order to plan one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-henri-jomini/the-surprise-of-an-army-is-now-next-to-an-impossibility-prearranged/) [Antoine-Henri Jomini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-henri-jomini/) > [“Never let your Enemies become your Advocates.” by A. K. Hasan”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-k-hasan/never-let-your-enemies-become-your-advocates-by-a-k-hasan/) A.K. Hasan > [The concept of humanity is an especially useful ideological instrument of imperialist expansion, and in its ethical-humanitarian form it is a specific vehicle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-schmitt/the-concept-of-humanity-is-an-especially-useful-ideological/) [Carl Schmitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-schmitt/) > [Pain held no terror for him. Pain was, if not friend, then family, something he had grown up with in his crèche, learning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/pain-held-no-terror-for-him-pain-was-if-not-friend-then-family/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [To achieve victory we must mass our forces at the hub of all power & movement. The enemy's 'Center of Gravity'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-achieve-victory-we-must-mass-our-forces-at-the-hub-of-all-power/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't see why we and the Chinese should have to be enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/i-don-t-see-why-we-and-the-chinese-should-have-to-be-enemies/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [The invention of gunpowder and the constant improvement of firearms are enough in themselves to show that the advance of civilization has done nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/the-invention-of-gunpowder-and-the-constant-improvement-of-firearms/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [Perfection is the enemy of greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/perfection-is-the-enemy-of-greatness/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [In this business, you find the enemy, then go after and destroy him. Everything else is rubbish!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-rickenbacker/in-this-business-you-find-the-enemy-then-go-after-and-destroy-him/) [Eddie Rickenbacker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-rickenbacker/) > [“Enemies Teach. Friends Preach.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tapan-ghosh/enemies-teach-friends-preach/) [Tapan Ghosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tapan-ghosh/) [Browse all 7,981 Enemy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "But when you meet with the enemy and genuinely try to understand his or her perspective, you lose the enemy as a political tool. And that's the eternal obstacle.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "S.E. 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