Friendship Quotes
Anybody can sympathise with the sufferings of a friend, but it requires a very fine nature to sympathise with a friend’s success.
"Anybody can sympathise with the sufferings of a friend, but it requires a very fine nature to sympathise with a friend’s success."— Oscar Wilde
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Meaning of this quote
Sharing a friend's happiness can require freedom from envy and competitive comparison. Wilde values empathy that includes another person's flourishing, rather than stopping at sympathy for their pain.
Key takeaway:
Celebrate a friend's success without treating it as your own loss.
Origin of the quote
The Soul of Man under Socialism (1891), in Wilde's discussion of sympathy and individualism.
Who actually said this?
VerifiedThe essay contains the passage, but the uploaded title omits a parenthetical elaboration about individualism. It is an abridged quotation rather than an uninterrupted verbatim sentence.
