Leonard quote regarding kindness (???)

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lizzytysh
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Leonard quote regarding kindness (???)

Post by lizzytysh »

Somewhere, sometime, in some context, Leonard said (to the effect of) " Be kinder than you need to be, just to be kind enough" OR
"Be kinder than you think you need to be, just to be kind enough."

Does this ring any bells for anyone??
Do you have the exact quote??

No matter how I Google it or search for it here, I cannot find it. Thanks for any help.

~ Lizzie
"Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken."
~ Oscar Wilde
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Hartmut
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Re: Leonard quote regarding kindness (???)

Post by Hartmut »

I remember something like that as well. But cannot find a source for it. (Apart from the countless pages that mention the James M. Barrie quote “Always be a little kinder than necessary.”)
HJH155
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Re: Leonard quote regarding kindness (???)

Post by HJH155 »

Hi, I believe this is what you're looking for; from an interview Allan Showalter did with Kezban Özcan, Leonard Cohen's assistant, in 2012:
Q: What is the most important thing you’ve learned?

KO: “In this world, you have to be a bit too kind just to be kind enough.” After knowing him, kindness has a whole new meaning to me, and witnessing him perform kindnesses every single day is a very rare and beautiful thing.

Also, I learned that it’s OK to take as long as you need to complete a task or anything else in the interest of excellence, even if that means missing deadlines, etc. He doesn’t rush anything or anyone. This is something I’m still learning this because I tend to move very fast because this kind of job requires you to be that way. But I’m unlearning this one.

Q: [I asked Kezban to elaborate on the quoted phrase, “In this world, you have to be a bit too kind just to be kind enough.”]

KO: I heard those words from him the first time but I think they belong to Pierre Carlet de Chamblain de Marivaux, a dramatist and novelist. [The quote comes from the 1730 Marivaux play, “Le Jeu de l’Amour et du Hasard.”]
The full interview can be found here: https://allanshowalter.com/2019/03/18/k ... n-her-job/
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Hartmut
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Re: Leonard quote regarding kindness (???)

Post by Hartmut »

Thank you, HJH155!
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lizzytysh
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Re: Leonard quote regarding kindness (???)

Post by lizzytysh »

THANK YOU, Hartmut, and along with Hartmut, THANK YOU, HJH155!!!
That helps!! I thought for sure I saw/heard/read it precisely through Leonard, but maybe not! In any case, it's in more concrete form for me now. Thank you. :D
"Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken."
~ Oscar Wilde
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