selfish sympathy

Regretful soothing words dat you administer to someone else to supposedly make him feel better about a situation, but in reality you merely feel sorry for YOURSELF.

A classic "selfish sympathy" example, from an old "Peanuts" comic:

Schroeder, in exasperation at Lucy's pushy "over-attentiveness": Do you know what Beethoven never had?!
Lucy: What?
Schroeder, rantingly waving his arms above his head: Beethoven never had girls hanging on to his piano and bugging him about giving them presents!
Lucy, mildly shocked: He DIDN'T?! (pauses to ponder this fact) Poor Beethoven!

by QuacksO March 8, 2023

The Udder of Sympathy

When one is going through a life struggle and is thirsty for sympathy. Like how a calf has an extreme thirst for it's mother's udder milk.

In most common cases this is illustrated through the likes of social media.

"Sophie broke up with her boyfriend and posted a status about it on facebook. With the help of her friend's supportive comments and 1026 likes, Sophie felt replenished from the udder of sympathy can now continue on with her fucking life"

by mupsaucer May 26, 2017

Grief/tragedy/sympathy industry

An industry that pretends to be on your side, rooting for you instead of the events that make the industry possible (storms, crime, death, accidents, bad news).

The grief/tragedy/sympathy industry is a business, not a friend.

by Solid Mantis October 9, 2020

Grief/tragedy/sympathy crisis

A way for some folks to claim that if you donate enough money, morale will get better.

The people claiming to be morale boosters were making a lot of money off the grief/tragedy/sympathy crisis, but would be quick to try and tear morale apart again if they needed more money for another grief/tragedy/sympathy crisis.

by Solid Mantis November 6, 2020

Grief/tragedy/sympathy crisis

A way for some folks to claim that if you donate enough money, morale will get better.

The people claiming to be morale boosters were making a lot of money off the grief/tragedy/sympathy crisis, but would be quick to try and tear morale apart again if they needed more money for another grief/tragedy/sympathy crisis. The reality is nobody's morale needs a boost.

by Solid Mantis November 6, 2020

Grief/tragedy/sympathy machine

The machine that keeps the coronavirus hype going.

The girl was part of the grief/tragedy/sympathy machine.

by Solid Mantis December 10, 2020

Grief/tragedy/sympathy machine

A machine that needs functional, cooperative parts to keep going.

If the coronavirus hype didn't keep going, people would begin to wake up. Therefore the grief/tragedy/sympathy machine keeps it going, keeps the misinformation spreading like wildfire.

by Solid Mantis December 10, 2020