Weather is a literary specialty, and no untrained hand can turn out a good article on it
Mark TwainRead
the size of a misfortune is not determinable by an outsider’s measurement of it but only by the measurements applied to it by the person specially affected by it.
Interpretation
What this quote means
A person's experience of misfortune is subjective and can only be truly understood by them.
This quote by Mark Twain emphasizes the individuality of suffering and adversity. It suggests that external observers cannot possibly gauge the true impact of a misfortune on someone, as only the affected individual possesses the context and personal understanding necessary for such an evaluation. This highlights the importance of empathy and the recognition that everyone experiences hardship differently based on their unique circumstances and perceptions.
Themes
MisfortuneSubjectivitySufferingEmpathyPerspective
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about personal growth, one might quote Twain to highlight how each individual's struggles are unique.
More from Mark Twain
All quotes →The easy part of being an artist is figuring out the message that everyone else is ready to hear. The hard part is waiting for the proper lull to make the announcement.
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You can't reason with your heart; it has its own laws, and thumps about things which the intellect scorns.
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To be good is noble; but to show others how to be good is nobler and no trouble.
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Name the greatest of all inventors. Accident.
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In Paris they just simply opened their eyes and stared when we spoke to them in French! We never did succeed in making those idiots understand their own language.
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