A term coined by political philosopher Adam Smith in his Theory of Moral Sentiments (or, at least in the 2013 "
hip" translation of it). This phrase is what the spectator says to the person principally concerned (
PCP) when there is no propriety in their level of emotion in a particular situation. It'
s the spectator's attempt to close the gap between their feelings and the feelings of the
PCP so that they can empathize.
"Getting on someone's level" is a
beautiful phenomenon that involves self-moderation and therefore gives us morality. As Adam Smith would say, we're all just a bunch of social animals.