I think it's possible to feel both at once and exhibit them together. Pity is a more superficial self-preserving response to a social cue maybe, which is on its own probably lacking understanding or genuine concern for others? It's just acknowledging something negative happened, and the person expressing the pity is sort of just saying, "Yes, I can recognize this. I'm not a monster." While sympathy comes with genuine concern. It's more personal, and solidarity-driven? It's "that happened, and that's very sad. " with pity, vs, "THAT happened TO YOU/THEM? I hate that! I wish it weren't so." with sympathy? Idk. It's pretty hard imo to divorce pity from sympathy and sympathy from empathy and empathy from compassion. Because I think for a lot of folks they all enter the chat a few seconds apart.