--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are two types of compassion. One…" description: "\"There are two types of compassion. One - is faint-hearted and sentimental. Actually, it is nothing more than impatience of the heart, that is hurrying ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c9/stefan-zweig-811_action_there-are-two-types-of-compassion-one-is_813956.jpg" --- # There are two types of compassion. One - is faint-hearted… ![“There are two types of compassion. One - is faint-hearted and sentimental. Actually, it is nothing more than impatience of the heart, that is hurrying to get rid of that hard feeling when you see other peoples' sufferings; this is not a compassion, but just an instinct will to defence yourself…” quote by Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c9/stefan-zweig-811_action_there-are-two-types-of-compassion-one-is_813956.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c9/stefan-zweig-811_action_there-are-two-types-of-compassion-one-is_813956.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c9/stefan-zweig-811_action_there-are-two-types-of-compassion-one-is_813956.jpg) > “There are two types of compassion. One - is faint-hearted and sentimental. Actually, it is nothing more than impatience of the heart, that is hurrying to get rid of that hard feeling when you see other peoples' sufferings; this is not a compassion, but just an instinct will to defence yourself from misfortunes of others. But there is another compassion - real one, that demands for actions, not sentiments, it knows what it wants, and it is full of determination to do everything, what is in human power and even beyond it.” [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True compassion goes beyond feeling; it requires decisive action to alleviate suffering, not just personal comfort. **In simple terms:** Compassion is action, not just feeling. Key Takeaway Act to help, not just sympathize. Themes empathy action ethics humanity Mood determined empathetic Type ethical motivational When to use this quote - Volunteer work - advocacy - community aid Key Concepts Moral responsibility altruism determination Questions to Reflect On - How can you turn empathy into concrete help? - What barriers stop you from acting? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on emotion can lead to inaction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Defence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defence/) [Demand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demand/) [Determination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/determination/) [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Faint hearted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faint-hearted/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Human power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-power/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Impatience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impatience/) [Instinct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instinct/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Misfortunes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misfortunes/) [Misfortunes of others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misfortunes-of-others/) [Sentimental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sentimental/) [Sentiments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sentiments/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) ## Related quotes > [Cruelty is no more the cure of crimes than it is the cure of sufferings; compassion, in the first instance, is good for both;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/cruelty-is-no-more-the-cure-of-crimes-than-it-is-the-cure-of/) [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) > [Compassion becomes real when we recognize our shared humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/compassion-becomes-real-when-we-recognize-our-shared-humanity/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [Compassion is not a relationship between the healer and the wounded. It's a relationship between equals. Only when we know our own darkness well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/compassion-is-not-a-relationship-between-the-healer-and-the-wounded-3/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [“She had wild eyes, slightly insane. She also carried an overload of compassion that was real enough and which obviously cost her something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/she-had-wild-eyes-slightly-insane-she-also-carried-an-overload-of/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“Only when we know our own darkness well can we be present with the darkness of others. Compassion becomes real when we recognize our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/only-when-we-know-our-own-darkness-well-can-we-be-present-with-the/) [Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [Try to develop some genuine love and compassion, some real caring for others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/try-to-develop-some-genuine-love-and-compassion-some-real-caring-for/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) > [“others. 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It's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-myss/i-can-sense-and-feel-this-wretched-compassion-that-i-don-t-want-but/) [Caroline Myss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-myss/) > [May I see my own limits with compassion, just as I view the limits of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-halifax/may-i-see-my-own-limits-with-compassion-just-as-i-view-the-limits-of/) [Joan Halifax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-halifax/) > [If we only practice compassion on the mind level, we run a great risk of our compassion being just talk. As we know, talk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gelek-rimpoche/if-we-only-practice-compassion-on-the-mind-level-we-run-a-great-risk/) [Gelek Rimpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gelek-rimpoche/) > [Of course we have compassion. We just don't believe the safety net should be used as a hammock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-west/of-course-we-have-compassion-we-just-don-t-believe-the-safety-net/) [Allen West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-west/) > [I've been accused of lacking compassion. But that just shows I'm not without compassion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-lombardi/i-ve-been-accused-of-lacking-compassion-but-that-just-shows-i-m-not/) [Vince Lombardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-lombardi/) > [Some people find the experience and practice of compassion as a spiritual discipline to be a more direct route to the transformation of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-borg/some-people-find-the-experience-and-practice-of-compassion-as-a/) [Marcus Borg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-borg/) > [Is it any wonder things are so inane? 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Once again, once again!” War once again, war that had so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/madness-he-exclaimed-to-himself-in-astonishment-faltering-madness/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [It is never until one realizes that one means something to others that one feels there is any point or purpose in one's own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/it-is-never-until-one-realizes-that-one-means-something-to-others/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [“And if I am asked today to advise a young writer who has not yet made up his mind what way to go, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/and-if-i-am-asked-today-to-advise-a-young-writer-who-has-not-yet-made/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [“Live and let live” was the famous Viennese motto, which today still seems to me to be more humane than all the categorical imperatives,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/live-and-let-live-was-the-famous-viennese-motto-which-today-still/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [“Değerli olan her zaman için gerçeğin yarısı değil, tamamıdır.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/de-erli-olan-her-zaman-i-in-ger-e-in-yar-s-de-il-tamam-d-r/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [One never gets to know a person's character better than by watching his behavior during decisive moments… It is always only danger which forces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/one-never-gets-to-know-a-person-s-character-better-than-by-watching/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [Names have a mysterious transforming power. Like a ring on a finger, a name may at first seem merely accidental, committing you to nothing;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/names-have-a-mysterious-transforming-power-like-a-ring-on-a-finger-a/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [There is no sense to a sacrifice after you come to feel that it is a sacrifice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/there-is-no-sense-to-a-sacrifice-after-you-come-to-feel-that-it-is-a/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [No guilt is forgotten so long as the conscience still knows of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/no-guilt-is-forgotten-so-long-as-the-conscience-still-knows-of-it/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [Nothing that has ever been thought and said with a clear mind and pure ethical strength is totally in vain; even if it comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/nothing-that-has-ever-been-thought-and-said-with-a-clear-mind-and/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [It is the way of youth that each fresh piece of knowledge of life should go to its head, and that once uplifted by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/it-is-the-way-of-youth-that-each-fresh-piece-of-knowledge-of-life/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [“The truths that he finds may in the coming months or even the coming years be truths no more. 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