--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That mercy towards one set of creatures…" description: "\"That mercy towards one set of creatures was cruelty towards another sickened his sense of harmony. As you got older, and felt yourself to be at the cen..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/983/thomas-hardy-410_cells_that-mercy-towards-one-set-of-creatures_1994328.jpg" --- # That mercy towards one set of creatures was cruelty… ![“That mercy towards one set of creatures was cruelty towards another sickened his sense of harmony. As you got older, and felt yourself to be at the center of your time, and not at a point in its circumference, as you had felt when you were little, you were seized with a sort of shuddering, he…” quote by Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/983/thomas-hardy-410_cells_that-mercy-towards-one-set-of-creatures_1994328.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/983/thomas-hardy-410_cells_that-mercy-towards-one-set-of-creatures_1994328.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/983/thomas-hardy-410_cells_that-mercy-towards-one-set-of-creatures_1994328.jpg) > “That mercy towards one set of creatures was cruelty towards another sickened his sense of harmony. As you got older, and felt yourself to be at the center of your time, and not at a point in its circumference, as you had felt when you were little, you were seized with a sort of shuddering, he perceived. All around you there seemed to be something glaring, garish, rattling, and the noises and glares hit upon the little cell called your life, and shook it, and warped it.” [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator observes that caring for one group can harm another, leading to inner turmoil as perspective shifts with age. **In simple terms:** Caring for some can harm others, causing inner conflict. Key Takeaway Reflect on the impact of your actions on all beings. Themes ethics conflict growth Mood thoughtful somber Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - environmental activism - personal development - community leadership Key Concepts moral relativism human-animal relations Questions to Reflect On - What groups are you overlooking? - How can you balance competing cares? 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