--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is this notion that the lives of…" description: "\"There is this notion that the lives of the comfortable-off middle class don't merit being treated seriously and with compassion.\" — William Nicholson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/855/william-nicholson-18696_being_there-is-this-notion-that-the-lives-of-t_950332.png" --- # There is this notion that the lives of the comfortable-off… ![“There is this notion that the lives of the comfortable-off middle class don't merit being treated seriously and with compassion.” quote by William Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/855/william-nicholson-18696_being_there-is-this-notion-that-the-lives-of-t_950332.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/855/william-nicholson-18696_being_there-is-this-notion-that-the-lives-of-t_950332.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/855/william-nicholson-18696_being_there-is-this-notion-that-the-lives-of-t_950332.png) > “There is this notion that the lives of the comfortable-off middle class don't merit being treated seriously and with compassion.” [William Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-nicholson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Society often undervalues the experiences and needs of the middle class, denying them empathy. **In simple terms:** Middle class lives deserve respect and care. Key Takeaway Recognize and empathize with all social groups. Themes social justice class awareness empathy Mood thoughtful empathetic Type social reflective When to use this quote - public policy - community building - media representation - personal interactions Key Concepts sociology human dignity inequality Questions to Reflect On - What assumptions do you hold about the middle class? - How can you practice compassion across social lines? A Different Perspective Economic narratives can obscure middle‑class struggles. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) [Class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class/) [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Middle class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-class/) ## Related quotes > [When you are not treated seriously, you develop comically. Its sense of oneself is so fractured and fragile that it's like the picked-on kid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-thompson/when-you-are-not-treated-seriously-you-develop-comically-its-sense-of/) [Scott Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-thompson/) > [Comedy has had no history, because it was not at first treated seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/comedy-has-had-no-history-because-it-was-not-at-first-treated/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [I am but too conscious of the fact that we are born in an age when only the dull are treated seriously, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-am-but-too-conscious-of-the-fact-that-we-are-born-in-an-age-when-2/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Matters of small concern should be treated seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yamamoto-tsunetomo/matters-of-small-concern-should-be-treated-seriously/) [Yamamoto Tsunetomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yamamoto-tsunetomo/) > [Training in analysis (like any other form of chess training) should be treated very seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dvoretsky/training-in-analysis-like-any-other-form-of-chess-training-should-be/) [Mark Dvoretsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dvoretsky/) > [When they are treated, the seriously mentally ill aren't more violent than the general population. If untreated, though, they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-lowry/when-they-are-treated-the-seriously-mentally-ill-aren-t-more-violent/) [Rich Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-lowry/) > [There is no discussion inside this boardroom to say we've got to get into this or that. We look at every growth opportunity on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-packer/there-is-no-discussion-inside-this-boardroom-to-say-we-ve-got-to-get/) [James Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-packer/) > [Misfortune is the test of a person's merit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/misfortune-is-the-test-of-a-person-s-merit/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Let the watchwords of all our people be the old familiar watchwords of honesty, decency, fair-dealing, and commonsense."... "We must treat each man on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/let-the-watchwords-of-all-our-people-be-the-old-familiar-watchwords/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Whatever we may say against collections, which present authors in a disjointed form, they nevertheless bring about many excellent results. We are not always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/whatever-we-may-say-against-collections-which-present-authors-in-a/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Fame, we may understand, is no sure test of merit, but only a probability of such: it is an accident, not a property, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/fame-we-may-understand-is-no-sure-test-of-merit-but-only-a/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [I could give you some names of Workshop participants who are as good as many who are being published but haven't had the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gunn/i-could-give-you-some-names-of-workshop-participants-who-are-as-good/) [James Gunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gunn/) > [Even the most abject have a sense of superiority based on powerful though undefined merits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/even-the-most-abject-have-a-sense-of-superiority-based-on-powerful/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [Use every man according to his desert and who should 'scape whipping? Use them after your own honor and dignity, the less they deserve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/use-every-man-according-to-his-desert-and-who-should-scape-whipping/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [The Iranian people have a proud past. They merit a great future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/the-iranian-people-have-a-proud-past-they-merit-a-great-future/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) ## More by William Nicholson > [Self-sufficiency is the enemy of salvation. If you are self-sufficient, you have no need of God. If you have no need of God, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-nicholson/self-sufficiency-is-the-enemy-of-salvation-if-you-are-self-sufficient/) [William Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-nicholson/) > [My study is a converted garage which is largely lined with bookshelves and cardboard boxes filled with manuscripts of my film scripts, plays and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-nicholson/my-study-is-a-converted-garage-which-is-largely-lined-with/) [William Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-nicholson/) > [Experience is a brutal teacher, but you learn fast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-nicholson/experience-is-a-brutal-teacher-but-you-learn-fast/) [William Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-nicholson/) > [Madly, futilely, I wrote novel after novel, eight in all, that failed to find a publisher. I persisted because for me the novel was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-nicholson/madly-futilely-i-wrote-novel-after-novel-eight-in-all-that-failed-to/) [William Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-nicholson/) > [God creates us free, free to be selfish, but He adds a mechanism that will penetrate our selfishness and wake us up to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-nicholson/god-creates-us-free-free-to-be-selfish-but-he-adds-a-mechanism-that/) [William Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-nicholson/) > [Use your power gently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-nicholson/use-your-power-gently/) [William Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-nicholson/) > [When I began to write seriously, 40 years ago now, my chosen form was the novel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-nicholson/when-i-began-to-write-seriously-40-years-ago-now-my-chosen-form-was/) [William Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-nicholson/) > [He accepted what each moment brough him, and never troubled himself with matters that were outside his control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-nicholson/he-accepted-what-each-moment-brough-him-and-never-troubled-himself/) [William Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-nicholson/) > [All the fear in the world, and the violence that comes from the fear, and the hatred that comes from the violence, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-nicholson/all-the-fear-in-the-world-and-the-violence-that-comes-from-the-fear/) [William Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-nicholson/) > [We write to know we are not alone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-nicholson/we-write-to-know-we-are-not-alone/) [William Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-nicholson/) > [“It was wonderful, Eddy. It was perfect.' 'No,' he says. 'But it will be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-nicholson/it-was-wonderful-eddy-it-was-perfect-no-he-says-but-it-will-be/) [William Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-nicholson/) > [I am as I am. The world is as it is. Whether I am content with that has very little to do with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-nicholson/i-am-as-i-am-the-world-is-as-it-is-whether-i-am-content-with-that-has/) [William Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-nicholson/) > [“HARRINGTON: And God hears your prayer, doesn't he? We hear Joy's getting better. ... LEWIS: That's not why I pray, Harry. I pray because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-nicholson/harrington-and-god-hears-your-prayer-doesn-t-he-we-hear-joy-s-getting/) [William Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-nicholson/) > [To put it another way, pain is God's megaphone to rouse a deaf world. Why must it be pain? Why can't he rouse us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-nicholson/to-put-it-another-way-pain-is-god-s-megaphone-to-rouse-a-deaf-world/) [William Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-nicholson/) > [“In the midst of aches in the joints, anxiety over the payment of bills, concern for the safety of those you love, envy of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-nicholson/in-the-midst-of-aches-in-the-joints-anxiety-over-the-payment-of-bills/) [William Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-nicholson/) [Explore all 28 William Nicholson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-nicholson/) ## More Being quotes > [Because of the womb being a central phenomenon in the feminine body, the whole psychology of woman differs: she is non-aggressive, non-inquiring, non-questioning, non-doubting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/because-of-the-womb-being-a-central-phenomenon-in-the-feminine-body/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [I love being in Malibu. It's so cool there, and the water is just, it's nice and, and I love the beach. And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-evancho/i-love-being-in-malibu-it-s-so-cool-there-and-the-water-is-just-it-s/) [Jackie Evancho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-evancho/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [I love to fish. I love the peacefulness of being around the water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evonne-goolagong-cawley/i-love-to-fish-i-love-the-peacefulness-of-being-around-the-water/) [Evonne Goolagong Cawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evonne-goolagong-cawley/) > [When you're in your twenties and starting out, the problem is that you care about being cool. Being older, I can care less about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-righton/when-you-re-in-your-twenties-and-starting-out-the-problem-is-that-you/) [James Righton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-righton/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [Being a new mother is a blessing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phaedra-parks/being-a-new-mother-is-a-blessing/) [Phaedra Parks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phaedra-parks/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [If we accept being talked to any kind of a way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-we-accept-being-talked-to-any-kind-of-a-way-then-we-are-telling/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [Having small children and being an investigative reporter would seem like a difficult mix, but it worked well for me. I was often working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-abramson/having-small-children-and-being-an-investigative-reporter-would-seem/) [Jill Abramson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-abramson/) > [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [We should not live in fear, we should all enjoy being able to express our views freely and openly, challenge each other on issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tan-cheng-bock/we-should-not-live-in-fear-we-should-all-enjoy-being-able-to-express/) [Tan Cheng Bock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tan-cheng-bock/) [Browse all 18,139 Being quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There is this notion that the lives of the comfortable-off middle class don't merit being treated seriously and with compassion.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Nicholson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-nicholson/there-is-this-notion-that-the-lives-of-the-comfortable-off-middle/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Being" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-nicholson/there-is-this-notion-that-the-lives-of-the-comfortable-off-middle/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/855/william-nicholson-18696_being_there-is-this-notion-that-the-lives-of-t_950332.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/855/william-nicholson-18696_being_there-is-this-notion-that-the-lives-of-t_950332.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/855/william-nicholson-18696_being_there-is-this-notion-that-the-lives-of-t_950332.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There is this notion that the lives of the comfortable-off middle class don't merit being treated seriously…” — William Nicholson", "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": "William Nicholson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-nicholson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There is this notion that the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-nicholson/there-is-this-notion-that-the-lives-of-the-comfortable-off-middle/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-nicholson/there-is-this-notion-that-the-lives-of-the-comfortable-off-middle/#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 } } ] } ```