Quotes About Understanding

Immaginare non è rifiutare quel che c'è per scappare da un'altra parte, è invece saper leggere, vedere, ascoltare, riconoscere, paesaggire, dare un nome e un peso a quello che c'è per capire meglio cosa manca e cosa si rischia.

Todos los hombres pueden caer en un error; pero sólo los necios perseveran en él

When people injure you, ask yourself what good or harm they thought would come of it. If you understand that, you'll feel sympathy rather than outrage or anger. Your sense of good and evil may be the same as theirs, or near it, in which case you have to excuse them. Or your sense of good and evil may differ from theirs. In which case they're misguided and deserve your compassion. Is that so hard?

From the philosopher Catulus, never to be dismissive of a friend's accusation, even if it seems unreasonable, but to make every effort to restore the relationship to its normal condition.

Look beneath the surface; let not the several quality of a thing nor its worth escape thee.

As far as you can, get into the habit of asking yourself in relation to any action taken by another: What is his point of reference here? But begin with yourself: examine yourself first.

When men are inhuman, take care not to feel towards them as they do towards other humans.

Look to nothing, not even for a moment except to reason.

Failure to read what is happening in another's soul is not easily seen as a cause of unhappiness: but those who fail to attend the motions of their own soul are necessarily unhappy.

Accustom yourself not to be disregarding of what someone else has to say: as far as possible enter into the mind of the speaker.

To read with diligence; not to rest satisfied with a light and superficial knowledge, nor quickly to assent to things commonly spoken

The man of ambition thinks to find his good in the operations of others; the man of pleasure in his own sensations; but the man of understanding in his own actions.

Nothing has such power to broaden the mind as the ability to investigate systematically and truly all that comes under thy observation in life.

How cruel—to forbid people to want what they think is good for them. And yet that's just what you won't let them do when you get angry at their misbehavior. They're drawn toward what they think is good for them. —But it's not good for them. Then show them that. Prove it to them. Instead of losing your temper.

The things ordained for you—teach yourself to be at one with those. And the people who share them with you—treat them with love. With real love.

Everything fades so quickly, turns into legend, and soon oblivion covers it. And those are the ones who shone. The rest—"unknown, unasked-for" a minute after death. What is "eternal" fame? Emptiness. Then what should we work for? Only this: proper understanding; unselfish action; truthful speech. A resolve to accept whatever happens as necessary and familiar, flowing like water from that same source and spring.

In a sense, people are our proper occupation. Our job is to do them good and put up with them.

Don't be irritated at people's smell or bad breath. What's the point? With that mouth, with those armpits, they're going to produce that odor. —But they have a brain! Can't they figure it out? Can't they recognize the problem? So you have a brain as well. Good for you. Then use your logic to awaken his. Show him. Make him realize it. If he'll listen, then you'll have solved the problem. Without anger.

Practice really hearing what people say. Do your best to get inside their minds.

Then where is harm to be found? In your capacity to see it. Stop doing that and everything will be fine.

It is man's peculiar duty to love even those who wrong him.

When you deal with irrational animals, with things and circumstances, be generous and straightforward. You are rational; they are not.

To feel affection for people even when they make mistakes is uniquely human. You can do it, if you simply recognize: that they're human too, that they act out of ignorance, against their will, and that you'll both be dead before long. And, above all, that they haven't really hurt you. They haven't diminished your ability to choose.

Failure to observe what is in the mind of another has seldom made a man unhappy; but those who do not observe the movements of their own minds must of necessity be unhappy.