The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference.
Elie WieselRead
Suffering pulls us farther away from other human beings. It builds a wall made of cries and contempt to separate us.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Suffering creates emotional barriers that isolate us from others.
Elie Wiesel's quote reflects the idea that when individuals experience suffering, it often leads to feelings of isolation and alienation from others. This suffering can create a metaphorical 'wall' that is built from pain and negativity, hindering our ability to connect with fellow human beings. The lament of our cries and feelings of contempt can further distance us from those who might offer comfort, emphasizing the need for compassion and understanding in times of distress.
Themes
SufferingIsolationConnectionEmpathyHumanity
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech about mental health awareness, one might quote Wiesel to emphasize the importance of support.
More from Elie Wiesel
All quotes →With every cell of my being and with every fiber of my memory I oppose the death penalty in all forms. I do not believe any civilized society should be at the service of death. I don't think it's human to become an agent of the angel of death.
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Certain things, certain events, seem inexplicable only for a time: up to the moment when the veil is torn aside.
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We're alone, but we are capable of communicating to one another both our loneliness and our desire to break through it. You say, 'I'm alone.' Someone answers, 'I'm alone too.' There's a shift in the scale of power. A bridge is thrown between the two abysses.
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No one is as capable of gratitude as one who has escaped the kingdom of night.
Elie WieselRead
My loyalty to my people, to our people, and to Israel comes first and prevents me from saying anything critical of Israel outside Israel… As a Jew I see my role as a melitz yosher, a defender of Israel: I defend even her mistakes… I must identify with whatever Israel does – even with her errors.
Elie WieselRead
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Indeed, theological discourse offers its strange jubilation only to the strict extent that it permits and, dangerously, demands of it wokman that he speak beyond his means, precisely because he does not speak of himself. Hence the danger of a speech that, in a sense, speaks against the one who lends himself to it. One must obtain forgiveness for every essay in theology. In all senses.
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