--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One does not really feel much grief at…" description: "\"One does not really feel much grief at other people's sorrows; one tries, and puts on a melancholy face, thinking oneself brutal for not caring more; b..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/040/w-somerset-maugham-237_brutal_one-does-not-really-feel-much-grief-at-o_1839998.jpg" --- # One does not really feel much grief at other people's… ![“One does not really feel much grief at other people's sorrows; one tries, and puts on a melancholy face, thinking oneself brutal for not caring more; but one cannot and it is better, for if one grieved too deeply at other people's tears, life would be unendurable; and every man has sufficient…” quote by W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/040/w-somerset-maugham-237_brutal_one-does-not-really-feel-much-grief-at-o_1839998.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/040/w-somerset-maugham-237_brutal_one-does-not-really-feel-much-grief-at-o_1839998.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/040/w-somerset-maugham-237_brutal_one-does-not-really-feel-much-grief-at-o_1839998.jpg) > “One does not really feel much grief at other people's sorrows; one tries, and puts on a melancholy face, thinking oneself brutal for not caring more; but one cannot and it is better, for if one grieved too deeply at other people's tears, life would be unendurable; and every man has sufficient sorrows of his own without taking to heart his neighbour's.” [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often feign empathy but keep emotional distance to protect themselves; deep grief for others would overwhelm life, so we focus on our own sorrows. **In simple terms:** We pretend not to care to avoid being overwhelmed. Key Takeaway Accept limited empathy and protect personal well‑being. Themes empathy self‑preservation emotional boundaries Mood reflective balanced Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - personal relationships - therapy sessions - support groups Key Concepts psychology human behavior coping mechanisms Questions to Reflect On - How much emotional energy should you allocate to others? - When is it healthy to set emotional limits? A Different Perspective Over‑identifying with others' pain can cause burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brutal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brutal/) [Caring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caring/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Grief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grief/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Melancholy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/melancholy/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Neighbour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neighbour/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Sorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sorrow/) [Tears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tears/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [“In my experience, people's sorrows are always in danger of bursting out; it's only through careful inattention that they can be contained.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-berne/in-my-experience-people-s-sorrows-are-always-in-danger-of-bursting/) [Suzanne Berne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-berne/) > [“Other people's sorrows and joys have a way of reminding us of our own; we partly empathize with them because we ask ourselves: What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azar-nafisi/other-people-s-sorrows-and-joys-have-a-way-of-reminding-us-of-our-own/) [Azar Nafisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azar-nafisi/) > [“Next morning, we drank endless cups of coffee in the airport restaurant…Suddenly wide-eyed, she stared past me: “Good grief, some of the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wyndham-thomas/next-morning-we-drank-endless-cups-of-coffee-in-the-airport/) [Michael Wyndham Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wyndham-thomas/) > [I'm not particularly keen on pity. 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