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.
Man with all his noble qualities, with sympathy which feels for the most debased, with benevolence which extends not only to other men but to the humblest living creature, with his god-like intellect which has penetrated into the movements and constitution of the solar system- with all these exalted powers- Man still bears in his bodily frame the indelible stamp of his lowly origin.
Pride is a vice, which pride itself inclines every man to find in others, and to overlook in himself
If women are differentiated only by superficial physical attributes, men appear more individual and irreplaceable than they really are.
There are those who believe Black people possess the secret of joy and that it is this that will sustain them through any spiritual or moral or physical devastation.
Human language can but imperfectly describe God's ways. I am sensible of the fact that they are indescribable and inscrutable. But if mortal man will dare to describe them, he has no better medium than his own inarticulate speech.
For, as I think I have said, I can only meditate when I am walking. When I stop I cease to think; my mind only works with my legs.
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