Since each person, as an individual, is the not-being of the other, it is never possible to eliminate non-understanding completely.
Interpretation
Understanding between individuals is inherently limited due to our individuality.
Friedrich Schleiermacher's quote emphasizes the idea that each person exists uniquely and independently, which creates a barrier to complete understanding between individuals. Since our perspectives and experiences are distinct, achieving total comprehension of another's thoughts and feelings is impossible; there will always be an element of non-understanding in human relationships.
In practice
During a workshop on interpersonal communication, I shared this quote to highlight the complexities of understanding in relationships.
The first, that their pretensions to this possession of an art properly so called in their art of speaking are entirely unfounded; and the second, that they are involved in a profound mistake in their confusion of the good with the pleasant.
Whenever I find a spark of that hidden fire that will sooner or later consume the old and create the new, I am drawn to it with love and hope, regarding it as a sign of my future home.
Either the translator leaves the author in peace, as much as is possible, and moves the reader towards him: or he leaves the reader in peace, as much as possible, and moves the author towards him.
The essence of the religious emotions consists in the feeling of an absolute dependence.
Now the relation which, in the sphere of nature, being and semblance or sensation bear to one another in this antithesis, is the same as that which in ethics exists between good and pleasure or feeling.
The essence of religion consists in the feeling of an absolute dependence.
The greater the diversity, the greater the perfection.
Be Charitable before wealth make thee covetous, and loose not the glory of the Mite.
Of all the preposterous assumptions of humanity over humanity, nothing exceeds most of the criticisms made on the habits of the poor by the well-housed, well- warmed, and well-fed.
An intellectual inferiority of the masses would manifest itself most evidently in their aiming at the abolition of the system in which they themselves are supreme and are served by the elite of the most talented men.
To what expedient then shall we finally resort, for maintaining in practice the necessary partition of power among the several departments, as laid down in the constitution? The only answer that can be given is, that as all these exterior provisions are found to be inadequate, the defect must be supplied, by so contriving the interior structure of the government, as that its several constituent parts may, by their mutual relations, be the means of keeping each other in their proper places.
Take care, lest an adventure is now offered you, which, if accepted, will plunge you in deepest woe.
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