Perhaps the greatest rudenesses of our time come not from the callousness of strangers, but from the solicitousness of intimates who believe… — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
Nowadays, you form your beliefs to fit your behavior, not the other way around. — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
Etiquette is about all of human social behavior. Behavior is regulated by law when etiquette breaks down or when the stakes are… — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
Shame is the proper reaction when one has purposefully violated the accepted behavior of society. Inflicting it is etiquette's response when its… — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
You can deny all you want that there is etiquette, and a lot of people do in everyday life. But if you… — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
The only way to enjoy the fun of catching people behaving disgustingly is to have children. One has to keep having them,… — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
Etiquette is all human social behavior. If you're a hermit on a mountain, you don't have to worry about etiquette; if somebody… — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
Meanwhile, the empty forms of social behavior survive inappropriately in business situations. We all know that when a business sends its customers… — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
Etiquette enables you to resolve conflict without just trading insults. Without etiquette, the irritations in modern life are so abrasive that you… — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
When a society abandons its ideals just because most people can't live up to them, behavior gets very ugly indeed. — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
Whamming someone smaller than oneself in order to teach that person civilized behavior is not within Miss Manners' concept of propriety, much… — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
Smart people duck when they hear the dread announcement 'I'm going to be perfectly honest with you. — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
If you put together all the ingredients that naturally attract children - sex, violence, revenge, spectacle and vigorous noise - what you have is… — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
The one prediction that never comes true is, 'You'll thank me for telling you this. — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
Chaperons, even in their days of glory, were almost never able to enforce morality; what they did was to force immorality to be discreet.… — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
Perhaps the greatest rudenesses of our time come not from the callousness of strangers, but from the solicitousness of intimates who believe that their… — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
We are all entitled to our little harmless habits, but we are not entitled to demand approval for them. — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
“Lady” is not used before the lady’s first name unless she is the daughter of a duke, marquess or earl; those who come by… — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
Adorable children are considered to be the general property of the human race. Rude children belong to their mothers. — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
I have always believed that the key to a happy marriage was the ability to say with a straight face, 'Why, I don't know… — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
It is, indeed, a trial to maintain the virtue of humility when one can't help being right. — Judith Martin Copy Share Image
