"That sort of half sigh, which, accompanied by two or three slight nods of the head, is pity's small change in general society"
- Charles Dickens
About this Quote
This quote by Charles Dickens is a commentary on the shallow nature of pity in culture. According to the author, the "fifty percent sigh" and also "mild nods of the head" that people emit when expressing pity are merely a type of social currency or a means of complying with social norms. The phrase "pity's tiny change" recommends that pity is undervalued as well as has little genuine value unless it is come with by activity or genuine compassion. Dickens may be slamming the manner in which individuals express pity without really engaging with the suffering of others, or he might be suggesting that pity is a cheap substitute for more meaningful types of compassion and assistance. Generally, this quote highlights the requirement for genuine empathy and energetic interaction with others' suffering, rather than merely experiencing the movements of expressing pity.
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