Talk:Pity

Another possible definition

While this definition may contradict Aristotle's definition, I often see pity used to mean undeserved sympathy. For example if someone lived a very miserable life but they were a drunk their whole life and they did this to themselves I may say I pity them. I feel bad or sympathetic for them but they are not deserving of my sympathy because they did this to themselves, it is only my overly excessive compassionate or sympathetic nature that makes me feel such sympathy. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.130.89.169 (talk) 14:58, 16 September 2013 (UTC)

Connections, Connotation, and For/Against

There should be a mention of the connection between pity, empathy, and sympathy. From the way I view it, pity seems to be an umbrella term for empathy and sympathy; although, I may be wrong on this; pity may be a synonym of empathy, but with a negative connotation.

It should also be mentioned that some people from certain cultures will reject sympathy or pity, but do not mind empathy as this cannot be controlled.

There may also be a third section discussing the differences and arguments for and against empathy, sympathy, and pity.

(There is also a connection with compassion; which actually appears to be synonymous with pity or empathy, but not necessarily sympathy. There are other words out there that have similar or same meanings along with sympathy, empathy, pity, compassion, that need to be merged or at least briefly discussed in relations to each other.

compassion v.s. pity v.s. empathy v.s. sympathy: compassion appear to be empathy, but with a necessary feeling of the need to alleviate, whereas in empathy, that is not necessary [as it does not say so in the dictionary]. So compassion is a deeper form of empathy, but not necessarily having to have sympathy. Pity seems to be synonymous with empathy, but with a much better connotation. Compassion has a "better" connotation than does empathy, perhaps rightfully so, since compassion requires that a person WANT to alleviate a person's pain.)

I think that's a good argument. I don't have the time or the expertise to make those distinctions in the article, but I got the ball rolling by adding a "See also" section with empathy and sympathy. I'll let some other linguists expand on them. Joe 17:23, 5 October 2005 (UTC)

Hebrew Etymology of 'Pity'

<Commenting on this phrase in Pity—Pity is an emotion, usually resulting from an encounter with an unfortunate, injured, or pathetic person or creature.>

The Hebrew word which is often mis-translated as pity (compassion, love, is better) is rakh'-am, Strong's Concordance:7355—to fondle, love, cherish, affection. A related word is rekh'em, Strong:7358—the womb (cherishing the foetus). Implied in this etymology is that the compassion, forgiveness, and LOVE we should feel for each other is like that of a mother for the issue of her womb, perhaps varying in degree but not in kind; it is in no way altruistic.

Yesselman 22:31, 23 December 2005 (UTC)

Pity the Singer

Is it really necessary to mention the singer pity?

Just thought id like to say something and see what you say.

67.182.4.124 09:07, 18 December 2006 (UTC)

Nietzsche

As it stands, this article is probably three-fourths a Nietzschean take on pity. Really needs some other balancing philosophies on the subject. 128.158.14.42 19:17, 14 May 2007 (UTC)

Revision suggested, article contains bogus reasoning

"These all mean the act or capacity for sharing the painful feelings of another, however pity is different from any of these."

And we're just supposed to take a random word for that pity just 'is' different?

Reasoning and the exact paradigm should be given.

82.74.28.173 20:54, 4 November 2007 (UTC) (Nerusai, failing to login as usual)

Image

We can use thiis image

Silver violin - Miniature

to illustrate the gesture of bowing a mini violin in mock pity.Mercurywoodrose (talk) 04:36, 13 August 2013 (UTC)

Definition Source

I've found a source that could be used for the definition of pity in the lead section of this article here. Dududungha (talk) 20:15, 22 October 2023 (UTC)