Pity vs Compassion
I see a lot of confusion between the feeling of pity and compassion. The former remains an "end in itself," the latter is genuine participation in the suffering of others.
Pity
Pity is a feeling of sadness or displeasure. It derives from the Latin poena, meaning "punishment" or "suffering." Those who feel pity observe suffering from an external, often distant or superior, perspective, without any real emotional involvement.
It is a passive emotion, which can even reinforce the victimization of the suffering person: we look at them with sadness, but without taking action to help them.
Compassion
Compassion, on the other hand, derives from cum-passio, meaning "to suffer with." It is an active and sympathetic participation in the suffering of others: we identify with those who suffer and sincerely desire to alleviate their pain.
While pity remains in the thought "I feel sorry for you," compassion includes the impulse "I want to do something for you." It unites and humanizes, because it recognizes the other as similar to oneself, not as inferior or powerless.
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tekcraft
npub1jc…pn8tx
2025-10-21 08:45:52 UTC
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"content": "Pity vs Compassion\nI see a lot of confusion between the feeling of pity and compassion. The former remains an \"end in itself,\" the latter is genuine participation in the suffering of others.\n\nPity\nPity is a feeling of sadness or displeasure. It derives from the Latin poena, meaning \"punishment\" or \"suffering.\" Those who feel pity observe suffering from an external, often distant or superior, perspective, without any real emotional involvement.\n\nIt is a passive emotion, which can even reinforce the victimization of the suffering person: we look at them with sadness, but without taking action to help them.\n\nCompassion\nCompassion, on the other hand, derives from cum-passio, meaning \"to suffer with.\" It is an active and sympathetic participation in the suffering of others: we identify with those who suffer and sincerely desire to alleviate their pain.\n\nWhile pity remains in the thought \"I feel sorry for you,\" compassion includes the impulse \"I want to do something for you.\" It unites and humanizes, because it recognizes the other as similar to oneself, not as inferior or powerless.\nhttps://www.minds.com/fs/v1/thumbnail/1827291718911791104/xlarge/?jwtsig=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJleHAiOjE3NjQ1NDcyMDAsInVyaSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lm1pbmRzLmNvbS9mcy92MS90aHVtYm5haWwvMTgyNzI5MTcxODkxMTc5MTEwNC94bGFyZ2UvIiwidXNlcl9ndWlkIjpudWxsfQ.kjc59fAhjbq4Y9u1VnAfg_v7AEEdusd0Xe8AIUD_DT0\n",
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