Kitchen table debate

Pathetic adjective - Arousing pity, sympathy, or compassion.
• French: pathétique
• German: erbí¤rmlich

Elder Daughter , Younger Daughter and I were kitchen table debating whether it is more pathetic to know one is pathetic, than not to know if one is pathetic? This led us to ponder that if one knew one was pathetic, was it even more pathetic not to do anything about it?

Younger Daughter thought that the unknowing Pathetic were best off as they didn’t know they were pathetic and were often happier than the more self aware.

But what if you are pathetic, and want to do something about it, but all efforts lead to no visible improvement in your patheticness? You are obviously subject to feeling, indeed capable of deep feeling, impassioned to action, but your efforts fail – what degree of pathetic is that? Would it be better to ere on the side of apathy and refrain from any endeavours to change your condition, thus not risking arousing even more pity, sympathy and compassion? Or would that be the penultimate pathetic response?