W. Somerset Maugham Quotes

I don't understand why people really get upset about something that doesn't affect them at all.

It's indifference and ignorance that stops people from doing the right thing.

I'm realizing that a lot of people don't really care what happens to other people as long as it doesn't affect them.

Our consciences take no notice of pain inflicted on others until it reaches a point where it gives pain to us.

Those who choose not to empathize enable real monsters, for without ever committing an act of outright evil ourselves we collude with it through our apathy.

How often, in this cold and bitter world, is the warm heart thrown back upon itself! Cold, careless, are we of another's grief; we wrap ourselves in sullen selfishness.

People who won't help others in trouble "because they got into trouble through their own fault" would probably not throw a lifeline to a drowning person until they learned whether that person fell in through his or her own fault or not.

The proud, the cold untroubled heart of stone, that never mused on sorrow but its own.

I don't like sympathetic characters.

The media doesn't need a conscience; people need consciences.

See, Cameron. The only things I care about in this life are me, you, Mum, Dad, Steve and Sarah. And maybe Miffy. The rest of the world means nothing to me. The rest of the world can rot.' Am I like that too?' You? No way.' There's a slight gap in his words. 'And that's your problem. You care about everything.' He's right. I do.

Not to him who is offensive to us are we most unfair, but to him who doth not concern us at all.

It's fashionable to be indifferent to other people's suffering

There is one right I would not grant anyone. And that is the right to be indifferent.

What are the sorrows of other men to us, and what their joy?

Cynicism is just an excuse for not helping.

When an individual fear or apathy would cause us to pass by the unfortunate, then life is of no account.

I know the biggest crime is just to throw up your hands, Say, This has nothing to do with me, I just want to live as comfortably as I can...

But you are involved in the world, and your actions have consequences for other people, and if you don't recognize that, then that's the supreme kind of cruelty. Everyone shares someone else's fate to some extent.

Of course it was a terrible thing, and the world would be a much better place without someone in it who could do that, but did that mean we had to miss lunch?

I have this self-conscious inclination to just say "anyone who hates it, that's cool that's fine!"

Some people can very easily switch off and be guilt free, not that what I'm doing is about guilt, but they can completely disconnect and not care because it doesn't affect them. I've always really cared about what happens and felt a certain responsibility.

I think we have to help the helpless. The clueless? I don't give a rat's ass about the clueless.

I'd rather deal with anger than apathy.