--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Whatever people may say, the fastidious…" description: "\"Whatever people may say, the fastidious formal manner of the upper classes is preferable to the slovenly easygoing behaviour of the common middle class..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b46/cesare-pavese-1924_behaviour_whatever-people-may-say-the-fastidious-f_682395.jpg" --- # Whatever people may say, the fastidious formal manner of… ![“Whatever people may say, the fastidious formal manner of the upper classes is preferable to the slovenly easygoing behaviour of the common middle class. In moments of crisis, the former know how to act, the latter become uncouth brutes.” quote by Cesare Pavese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b46/cesare-pavese-1924_behaviour_whatever-people-may-say-the-fastidious-f_682395.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b46/cesare-pavese-1924_behaviour_whatever-people-may-say-the-fastidious-f_682395.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b46/cesare-pavese-1924_behaviour_whatever-people-may-say-the-fastidious-f_682395.jpg) > “Whatever people may say, the fastidious formal manner of the upper classes is preferable to the slovenly easygoing behaviour of the common middle class. In moments of crisis, the former know how to act, the latter become uncouth brutes.” [Cesare Pavese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-pavese/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He claims refined, formal behavior of elites is superior, especially in crises, contrasting it with perceived crudeness of the middle class. **In simple terms:** Upper class manners are better in crises than common easygoing ways. Key Takeaway Value disciplined conduct in emergencies. Themes class behavior crisis elitism Mood critical reflective Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - leadership decisions - team management - public speaking - conflict resolution Key Concepts social hierarchy cultural critique Questions to Reflect On - Do formal manners always help in crises? - Can flexibility outweigh rigidity? A Different Perspective Overlooks value of adaptability and empathy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Behaviour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behaviour/) [Brutes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brutes/) [Class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common/) [Crisis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crisis/) [Easygoing Behaviour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easygoing-behaviour-5396987/) [Fastidious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fastidious/) [Formal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/formal/) [Formal Manner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/formal-manner-5396988/) [Former](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/former/) [Know how](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-how/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Latter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/latter/) [Manner Upper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manner-upper-5396989/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Middle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle/) [Middle class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-class/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Uncouth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uncouth/) [Upper class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/upper-class/) [Upper Classes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/upper-classes-271644/) ## Related quotes > [“Our civilization overflows with charity—which is simply willingness to hand back to labor as generous gracious alms a small part of the loot from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-graham-phillips/our-civilization-overflows-with-charity-which-is-simply-willingness/) [David Graham Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-graham-phillips/) > [There's definitely privilege in the upper classes, but as a whole, music can be enjoyed by anybody who can gather around a radio.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-rickly/there-s-definitely-privilege-in-the-upper-classes-but-as-a-whole/) [Geoff Rickly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-rickly/) > [Evolution is what it is. 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All the rest is misery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-pavese/there-is-only-one-pleasure-that-of-being-alive-all-the-rest-is-misery/) [Cesare Pavese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-pavese/) > [But here's the worst part: the trick to life lies in hiding from those we hold most dear how much they mean to is;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-pavese/but-here-s-the-worst-part-the-trick-to-life-lies-in-hiding-from-those/) [Cesare Pavese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-pavese/) > [Traveling is a brutality. It forces you to trust strangers and to lose sight of all that familiar comfort of home and friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-pavese/traveling-is-a-brutality-it-forces-you-to-trust-strangers-and-to-lose/) [Cesare Pavese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-pavese/) > [“Meanwhile we arrived at our lane and the sight of the olive tree rubbed me the wrong way. I began to see that no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-pavese/meanwhile-we-arrived-at-our-lane-and-the-sight-of-the-olive-tree/) [Cesare Pavese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-pavese/) > [Verrà la morte e avrà i tuoi occhi. (Death will come and it will have your eyes.)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-pavese/verr-la-morte-e-avr-i-tuoi-occhi-death-will-come-and-it-will-have/) [Cesare Pavese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-pavese/) > [All our "most sacred affections " are merely prosaic habit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-pavese/all-our-most-sacred-affections-are-merely-prosaic-habit/) [Cesare Pavese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-pavese/) > [There comes a day when, for someone who has persecuted us, we feel only indifference, a weariness at his stupidity. 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