He who is more and more tender-hearted will quickly become callous and merciless.
He who is more and more tender-hearted will quickly become callous and merciless.
This quote suggests that a person who is overly sensitive or compassionate may eventually become desensitized or indifferent to the suffering of others. The idea here is that an excess of tenderness can lead to emotional exhaustion or a kind of protective numbness. When someone feels deeply and often for others, they may struggle to cope with the constant weight of that empathy, leading them to shut down emotionally. Consequently, rather than remaining nurturing and caring, they may develop a hardened exterior, becoming callous and merciless towards others' pain. This highlights the delicate balance between empathy and self-preservation.