--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I saw the world and its lack of…" description: "\"“I saw the world and its lack of compassion, its harsh, grating judgment, and its cold, resentful eyes.”\" — Tahereh Mafi" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de1/tahereh-mafi-229_compassion_i-saw-the-world-and-its-lack-of-compassi_293704.png" --- # I saw the world and its lack of compassion, its harsh… ![“I saw the world and its lack of compassion, its harsh, grating judgment, and its cold, resentful eyes.” quote by Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de1/tahereh-mafi-229_compassion_i-saw-the-world-and-its-lack-of-compassi_293704.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de1/tahereh-mafi-229_compassion_i-saw-the-world-and-its-lack-of-compassi_293704.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de1/tahereh-mafi-229_compassion_i-saw-the-world-and-its-lack-of-compassi_293704.png) > ““I saw the world and its lack of compassion, its harsh, grating judgment, and its cold, resentful eyes.”” [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The world often judges harshly, lacking empathy, showing cold indifference. **In simple terms:** People can be unkind and judgmental. Key Takeaway Cultivate compassion despite harshness. Themes empathy judgment humanity Mood reflective empathetic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - daily interactions - online communities - family dynamics Key Concepts social psychology ethics Questions to Reflect On - How can you respond with empathy? - When should you protect yourself? A Different Perspective Not everyone will change; personal boundaries help. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cold Resentful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cold-resentful-2819915/) [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Compassion Harsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion-harsh-2819912/) [Judgment Cold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judgment-cold-2819914/) [Lack Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lack-compassion-449797/) [Lack of compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lack-of-compassion/) [Resentful Eyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resentful-eyes-2819913/) ## Related quotes > [A lack of compassion for others arises from an unwillingness to forgive their weaknesses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bevere/a-lack-of-compassion-for-others-arises-from-an-unwillingness-to/) [John Bevere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bevere/) > [“It was a problem to be solved nothing more. If his psych profiles all showed a lack of compassion and empathy… well, neither was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-e-t-hindmarsh/it-was-a-problem-to-be-solved-nothing-more-if-his-psych-profiles-all/) [Luke E.T. Hindmarsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-e-t-hindmarsh/) > [Humankind seems to have an enormous capacity for savagery, for brutality, for lack of empathy, for lack of compassion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-lennox/humankind-seems-to-have-an-enormous-capacity-for-savagery-for/) [Annie Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-lennox/) > [“Interestingly, one mate of mine, a proper leftie, in his heyday all Red Wedge and right-on punch-ups, was melancholy. "I thought I'd be overjoyed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-brand/interestingly-one-mate-of-mine-a-proper-leftie-in-his-heyday-all-red/) [Russell Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-brand/) > [The inability to forgive, that is the lack of compassion, is really nothing more than lack of knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-smothermon/the-inability-to-forgive-that-is-the-lack-of-compassion-is-really/) [Ron Smothermon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-smothermon/) > [“The chief drawbacks of intellectualism are lack of compassion, glib talk, and vain pride.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephan-attia/the-chief-drawbacks-of-intellectualism-are-lack-of-compassion-glib/) [Stephan Attia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephan-attia/) > [“Impaired social interactions and withdrawal may not be the result of a lack of compassion, incapability to put oneself into someone else’s position or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/impaired-social-interactions-and-withdrawal-may-not-be-the-result-of/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [Of course the more you love the sinner the more you hate and make war on the sin, just as the more you love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/of-course-the-more-you-love-the-sinner-the-more-you-hate-and-make-war/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [Our lack of compassion stems from our inability to see deeply into the nature of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/our-lack-of-compassion-stems-from-our-inability-to-see-deeply-into/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To organize work in such a manner that it becomes meaningless, boring, stultifying, or nerve-racking for the worker would be little short of criminal;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-f-schumacher/to-organize-work-in-such-a-manner-that-it-becomes-meaningless-boring/) [E. F. Schumacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-f-schumacher/) > [“being able to let go of hurting does not constitute a lack of compassion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-frazier/being-able-to-let-go-of-hurting-does-not-constitute-a-lack-of/) [Jan Frazier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-frazier/) > [The failure to invest in youth reflects a lack of compassion and a colossal failure of common sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coretta-scott-king/the-failure-to-invest-in-youth-reflects-a-lack-of-compassion-and-a/) [Coretta Scott King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coretta-scott-king/) > [If you do not feel the bitter cold inside you when you look at the poor trembling out of cold, it means you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/if-you-do-not-feel-the-bitter-cold-inside-you-when-you-look-at-the/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [All the problems of the world - child labor, corruption - are symptoms of a spiritual disease: lack of compassion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-vaughan/all-the-problems-of-the-world-child-labor-corruption-are-symptoms-of/) [Bill Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-vaughan/) > [“My salad days, When I was green in judgment: cold in blood, To say as I said then! But, come, away; Get me ink…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/my-salad-days-when-i-was-green-in-judgment-cold-in-blood-to-say-as-i/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) ## More by Tahereh Mafi > [His hands are holding my cheeks, and he pulls back just to look me in the eye and his chest is heaving and he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/his-hands-are-holding-my-cheeks-and-he-pulls-back-just-to-look-me-in/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“think Adam is looking to break Kenji’s neck at this point.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/think-adam-is-looking-to-break-kenji-s-neck-at-this-point/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“I didn't want the clothes or the perfect shoes or the expensive anything. I didn't want to be draped in silk. All I ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/i-didn-t-want-the-clothes-or-the-perfect-shoes-or-the-expensive/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“infinite points of feeling for every nerve ending in my body”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/infinite-points-of-feeling-for-every-nerve-ending-in-my-body/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“He's too much. Everything about him is too much. His emotions, his actions, his anger, his aggression. His love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/he-s-too-much-everything-about-him-is-too-much-his-emotions-his/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“Right now I can't even control my own imagination as it grips my hair and drags me into the dark”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/right-now-i-can-t-even-control-my-own-imagination-as-it-grips-my-hair/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“I want you, I want all of you. I want you inside and out and catching your breath and aching for me like I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/i-want-you-i-want-all-of-you-i-want-you-inside-and-out-and-catching/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“I will give no one the satisfaction of my death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/i-will-give-no-one-the-satisfaction-of-my-death/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“I almost forget that she still hates me, despite how hard I’ve fallen for her. And I’ve fallen. So hard. I’ve hit the ground.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/i-almost-forget-that-she-still-hates-me-despite-how-hard-i-ve-fallen/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [All I ever wanted was to reach out and touch another human being not just with my hands but with my heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/all-i-ever-wanted-was-to-reach-out-and-touch-another-human-being-not/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“It's the kind of kiss that makes you realize oxygen is overrated.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/it-s-the-kind-of-kiss-that-makes-you-realize-oxygen-is-overrated/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“That’s when I understand. Of course she’s not okay. Of course she didn’t get any sleep last night. Last night she almost killed one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/that-s-when-i-understand-of-course-she-s-not-okay-of-course-she-didn/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“I used to have a family. He”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/i-used-to-have-a-family-he/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“I've never been able to follow through.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/i-ve-never-been-able-to-follow-through/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“ground where it smells like ice and metal and dirt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/ground-where-it-smells-like-ice-and-metal-and-dirt/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) [Explore all 821 Tahereh Mafi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) ## 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": "“I saw the world and its lack of compassion, its harsh, grating judgment, and its cold, resentful eyes.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tahereh Mafi" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/i-saw-the-world-and-its-lack-of-compassion-its-harsh-grating-judgment/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Compassion" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/i-saw-the-world-and-its-lack-of-compassion-its-harsh-grating-judgment/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de1/tahereh-mafi-229_compassion_i-saw-the-world-and-its-lack-of-compassi_293704.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de1/tahereh-mafi-229_compassion_i-saw-the-world-and-its-lack-of-compassi_293704.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de1/tahereh-mafi-229_compassion_i-saw-the-world-and-its-lack-of-compassi_293704.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I saw the world and its lack of compassion, its harsh, grating judgment, and its cold, resentful eyes.” — Tahereh Mafi", "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": "Tahereh Mafi", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I saw the world and its...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/i-saw-the-world-and-its-lack-of-compassion-its-harsh-grating-judgment/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/i-saw-the-world-and-its-lack-of-compassion-its-harsh-grating-judgment/#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 } } ] } ```