--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The awful thing is that if i can forget…" description: "\"The awful thing is that if i can forget they're people, it will be no different at all\" — Suzanne Collins" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20f/suzanne-collins-60_awful_the-awful-thing-is-that-if-i-can-forget_153959.jpg" --- # The awful thing is that if i can forget they're people, it… ![“The awful thing is that if i can forget they're people, it will be no different at all” quote by Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20f/suzanne-collins-60_awful_the-awful-thing-is-that-if-i-can-forget_153959.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20f/suzanne-collins-60_awful_the-awful-thing-is-that-if-i-can-forget_153959.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20f/suzanne-collins-60_awful_the-awful-thing-is-that-if-i-can-forget_153959.jpg) > “The awful thing is that if i can forget they're people, it will be no different at all” [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Forgetting people's humanity leads to indifference and moral erosion. **In simple terms:** Ignoring others' humanity erodes empathy. Key Takeaway Remember each person’s dignity. Themes empathy morality humanity Mood somber reflective Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - social interactions - leadership - conflict Key Concepts dehumanization ethical behavior Questions to Reflect On - How do you stay aware of others’ needs? - What practices nurture empathy? A Different Perspective It’s easy to overlook others in crisis. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [It may seem like the hardest thing to do, but you have to forget about the people who forgot about you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aalaynah-thompson/it-may-seem-like-the-hardest-thing-to-do-but-you-have-to-forget-about-2/) [Aalaynah Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aalaynah-thompson/) > [Divorce is just the most awful thing in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-denver/divorce-is-just-the-most-awful-thing-in-the-world/) [John Denver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-denver/) > [Death is an awful thing. I don't believe in it myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-ormandy/death-is-an-awful-thing-i-don-t-believe-in-it-myself/) [Eugene Ormandy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-ormandy/) > [What an awful thing then, being there in our house together with our daughter gone, trying to be equal to so many sudden orders…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-harding/what-an-awful-thing-then-being-there-in-our-house-together-with-our/) [Paul Harding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-harding/) > [The most awful thing about power is not that it corrupts absolutely but that it makes people so utterly boring, so predictable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/the-most-awful-thing-about-power-is-not-that-it-corrupts-absolutely/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [But really death seems the least awful thing that can happen to someone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-horsley/but-really-death-seems-the-least-awful-thing-that-can-happen-to/) [Sebastian Horsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-horsley/) > [It might seem like the hardest thing to do, but you have to forget the person who forgot about you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanya-bianco/it-might-seem-like-the-hardest-thing-to-do-but-you-have-to-forget-the/) [Tanya Bianco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanya-bianco/) > [No, I said. I didn't remember that. There was so much to remember, sometimes the best thing was to forget.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-maynard/no-i-said-i-didn-t-remember-that-there-was-so-much-to-remember/) [Joyce Maynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-maynard/) > [“We forget about the people we love sometimes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernice-l-mcfadden/we-forget-about-the-people-we-love-sometimes/) [Bernice L. McFadden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernice-l-mcfadden/) > [Sometimes we need to forget some people from out past because of one simple reason: THEY JUST DON'T BELONG TO OUR FUTURE!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-we-need-to-forget-some-people-from-out-past-because-of-one/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It might seem as the hardest thing to do, but you have to forget the guy who forgot about you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/it-might-seem-as-the-hardest-thing-to-do-but-you-have-to-forget-the/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [The worst thing anyone can ever do to you is to forget you. And the best thing you can do for yourself, is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/the-worst-thing-anyone-can-ever-do-to-you-is-to-forget-you-and-the/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [It may be the hardest thing to do, but you have to forget the guy who forgot about you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-notebook/it-may-be-the-hardest-thing-to-do-but-you-have-to-forget-the-guy-who/) The Notebook > [The hardest thing to do is forget about the guy who forgot about you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-hardest-thing-to-do-is-forget-about-the-guy-who-forgot-about-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It's amazing to me; when your mind is fixed on one thing, you forget everything. You forget to eat and drink and care. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mercy-cortez/it-s-amazing-to-me-when-your-mind-is-fixed-on-one-thing-you-forget/) [Mercy Cortez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mercy-cortez/) ## More by Suzanne Collins > [It's amazing to see things that are suggested in the book fully developed and so brilliantly realized through the artistry of the designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/it-s-amazing-to-see-things-that-are-suggested-in-the-book-fully/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [KEEP CALM and HAVE A SUGAR CUBE](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/keep-calm-and-have-a-sugar-cube/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [A furious Peeta hammers Haymitch with the atrocity he could become party to, but I can feel Haymitch watching me. This is the moment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/a-furious-peeta-hammers-haymitch-with-the-atrocity-he-could-become/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“The same goes for the other captured tributes, Johanna and Enobaria.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/the-same-goes-for-the-other-captured-tributes-johanna-and-enobaria/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [I don't know how to say it exactly. Only...I want to die as myself. Does that make any sense?' he asks. I shake my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/i-don-t-know-how-to-say-it-exactly-only-i-want-to-die-as-myself-does/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [He never lets go of Annie's hand. Not when they walk, not when they eat. I doubt he ever plans to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/he-never-lets-go-of-annie-s-hand-not-when-they-walk-not-when-they-eat/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“I want to interrupt the taping and beg Finnick’s forgiveness for every false thought I’ve ever had about him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/i-want-to-interrupt-the-taping-and-beg-finnick-s-forgiveness-for/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [I pound on the glass, screaming my head off. 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They are only distractions from the food.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/i-act-delighted-but-i-have-zero-interest-in-these-capitol-people-they/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [Mostly we just add to the piles of rainbow glass that's been blown off the exteriors of the cany-colored buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/mostly-we-just-add-to-the-piles-of-rainbow-glass-that-s-been-blown/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [You're punishing him over and over for things that are out of his control. Now, I'm not saying you shouldn't have a fully loaded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/you-re-punishing-him-over-and-over-for-things-that-are-out-of-his/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“But the significant difference between Thirteen and the Capitol are the expectations of the populace. Thirteen was used to hardship, wheras in the Capitol,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/but-the-significant-difference-between-thirteen-and-the-capitol-are/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) [Explore all 1,709 Suzanne Collins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) ## More Awful quotes > [It must be that I am dreaming, and that I shall awaken in a moment to see that awful knife descending toward my heart-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-rice-burroughs/it-must-be-that-i-am-dreaming-and-that-i-shall-awaken-in-a-moment-to/) [Edgar Rice Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-rice-burroughs/) > [I spent two years in Palo Alto - what an awful, suffocating place for those of us who don't care about yoga, yogurts and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeny-morozov/i-spent-two-years-in-palo-alto-what-an-awful-suffocating-place-for/) [Evgeny Morozov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeny-morozov/) > [Layla brought her arms around herself, no doubt because she was remembering the feel of another, stronger set. 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It was very painful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-stephenson/there-was-a-special-challenge-in-describing-the-awful-childhood-of-a/) [Pamela Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-stephenson/) > [On balance the moral influence of religion has been awful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weinberg/on-balance-the-moral-influence-of-religion-has-been-awful/) [Steven Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weinberg/) > [When you finish a poem, it clicks shut like the top of a jewel box, but prose is endless. I haven't experienced an awful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-koch/when-you-finish-a-poem-it-clicks-shut-like-the-top-of-a-jewel-box-but/) [Kenneth Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-koch/) > [Fascism: awful stench of saw and axe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-leiris/fascism-awful-stench-of-saw-and-axe/) [Michel Leiris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-leiris/) > [No one with a bad tie is getting my vote. Some Lib Dems wear the most shockingly awful ties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-fox/no-one-with-a-bad-tie-is-getting-my-vote-some-lib-dems-wear-the-most/) [Freddie Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-fox/) > [“Here she was back in the brightly lit world she had been avoiding for twenty years, and it was exactly as awful as she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-charles-wilson/here-she-was-back-in-the-brightly-lit-world-she-had-been-avoiding-for/) [Robert Charles Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-charles-wilson/) > [I'm pretty indiscriminating, and I have awful taste, generally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nellie-mckay/i-m-pretty-indiscriminating-and-i-have-awful-taste-generally/) [Nellie McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nellie-mckay/) > [The blessed Religion revealed in the word of God will remain an eternal and awful monument to prove that the best Institution may be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/the-blessed-religion-revealed-in-the-word-of-god-will-remain-an/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [“I am awful. 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