Mary Catherine Bateson Quotes

Positive social emotions like compassion and empathy are generally good for us, and we want to encourage them. But do we know how to most reliably raise children to care about the suffering of other people? I'm not sure we do.

With all the things I've been through, the No. 1 thing that I've learned is that we're supposed to help people through this world.

I think we need leadership that helps us remember that part of what we are about is caring about more than the person right next to us, but the folks across the way.

Are we truly being our sisters' keepers? Initially, that dog-eat-dog mentality within us may bark and say that we aren't responsible for other people, but if that was truly the case, then why are we even here? We have so much to offer and give to this world.

It's interesting that one of the definitions of the word 'human' is 'sympathetic.' More and more people are beginning to show that they understand why that is important.

The truth is, I think we are a self-less society, not a selfish society. Because we're so busy now.

In my mind, as long as I did what was right for me, I was cool. But that's not the way it works. You have to think about other people and take their feelings into account.

I realized a while back that I have an innate ability to be compassionate, and I saw that the strength of compassion is something that healers have and healers use.'

We must use our empowerment for the good of others. We must be our brother’s and sister’s keeper.

The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.

When you hear about what someone else is going through, and you are unable to distance yourself from it or in any way muzzle your empathy and are inspired to actually do something, these are moments to learn from.

The more empathy you have and the more connected you are to society, the better off you'll be.

Once kids begin to realize that they are connected to a greater good and greater whole, then that will lessen the possibility that they will act out violently because it creates empathy.

It's not a very nice thing to not have empathy. I would like to have empathy. In the past I haven't been very empathetic with other people.

If we don't spend our time on this earth looking out for one another, what are we really doing with our lives?

I will try and become a very empathetic person because I do think that's a nice trait.

I don't understand why people aren't a little more generous with each other.

So the smart brain must be balanced with a warm heart, a good heart -a sense of responsibility, of concern for the well-being of others.

I don't want to live in the kind of world where we don't look out for each other. Not just the people that are close to us, but anybody who needs a helping hand. I cant change the way anybody else thinks, or what they choose to do, but I can do my bit.

Self-improvement comes mainly from trying to help others.

Three key humanist virtues are courage, cognition, and caring - not dependence, ignorance, or insensitivity to the needs of others.

We have so far to go to realize our human potential for compassion, altruism, and love.

In Community of Caring, we believe the quality of caring we give to our parents, to our brothers and sisters, to our families, to our friends and neighbors, and to the poor and the powerless endows a life, a community with respect, hope and happiness.

Our society needs to re-establish a culture of caring.

Nobody can come and be involved in the #LoveArmy unless they have a heart.