--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You may wonder why a question of manners…" description: "\"You may wonder why a question of manners has got me so exercised. It's because I believe in a simple rule. If you see a person you know behave unreason..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67c/daniel-finkelstein-45241_advice_you-may-wonder-why-a-question-of-manners_1512879.png" --- # You may wonder why a question of manners has got me so… ![“You may wonder why a question of manners has got me so exercised. It's because I believe in a simple rule. If you see a person you know behave unreasonably to someone else, you can bet your last pound that before long he'll be behaving like that to you.” quote by Daniel Finkelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67c/daniel-finkelstein-45241_advice_you-may-wonder-why-a-question-of-manners_1512879.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67c/daniel-finkelstein-45241_advice_you-may-wonder-why-a-question-of-manners_1512879.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67c/daniel-finkelstein-45241_advice_you-may-wonder-why-a-question-of-manners_1512879.png) > “You may wonder why a question of manners has got me so exercised. It's because I believe in a simple rule. If you see a person you know behave unreasonably to someone else, you can bet your last pound that before long he'll be behaving like that to you.” [Daniel Finkelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-finkelstein/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often mirror the unreasonable behavior they witness, so bad conduct spreads quickly. **In simple terms:** Bad behavior spreads through imitation. Key Takeaway Model good behavior. Themes ethics social influence behavior Mood cautionary reflective Type ethical social When to use this quote - workplace - schools - online communities - family gatherings - public forums Key Concepts psychology ethics communication Questions to Reflect On - How have you seen bad behavior ripple? - What steps can you take to set a positive example? A Different Perspective Some may argue personal agency can break the cycle. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/) [Behave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behave/) [Behaving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behaving/) [Behaving Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behaving-like-723912/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [I believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-believe/) [I believe in](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-believe-in/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Lasts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lasts/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Manners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manners/) [Manners Got](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manners-got-5572521/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Pounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pounds/) [Question Manners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/question-manners-5572522/) [Simple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simple/) [Wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonder/) ## Related quotes > [So long as God reveals Himself, or doesn't, He is behaving like God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/so-long-as-god-reveals-himself-or-doesn-t-he-is-behaving-like-god/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [I know exactly who I am and where I come from. And my mom would bust my chops if I would suddenly start behaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/weston-mckennie/i-know-exactly-who-i-am-and-where-i-come-from-and-my-mom-would-bust/) [Weston McKennie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/weston-mckennie/) > [You need to start behaving like the person you want to attract.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-dickinson/you-need-to-start-behaving-like-the-person-you-want-to-attract/) [Amy Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-dickinson/) > [“being born a princess is all right, but behaving like one can be dangerous.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddhartha-choudhary/being-born-a-princess-is-all-right-but-behaving-like-one-can-be/) [siddhartha choudhary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddhartha-choudhary/) > [If we don't stop behaving like the British Empire, we will end up like the British Empire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/if-we-don-t-stop-behaving-like-the-british-empire-we-will-end-up-like/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [I can't afford to loose some people in my life but if they start behaving like they are not worth being in my life…i…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-can-t-afford-to-loose-some-people-in-my-life-but-if-they-start/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When I act, I try to understand the character, why she's behaving like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sibel-kekilli/when-i-act-i-try-to-understand-the-character-why-she-s-behaving-like/) [Sibel Kekilli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sibel-kekilli/) > [You're only famous in the eyes of others. Inside, you're still the same, and not a hundred million records or TV shows can change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-cullum/you-re-only-famous-in-the-eyes-of-others-inside-you-re-still-the-same/) [Jamie Cullum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-cullum/) > [“Charlie noted that more and more lately, he had a hard time resisting the urge to fuck with people, especially when they insisted upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/charlie-noted-that-more-and-more-lately-he-had-a-hard-time-resisting/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [Behaving like a princess is work. It's not just about looking beautiful or wearing a crown. It's more about how you are inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-andrews/behaving-like-a-princess-is-work-it-s-not-just-about-looking/) [Julie Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-andrews/) > [“Sometimes it frightens me how much I enjoy behaving like a complete cow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarra-manning/sometimes-it-frightens-me-how-much-i-enjoy-behaving-like-a-complete/) [Sarra Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarra-manning/) > [“Why are you behaving like this? You know how much I love you … and I believe you love me as much, so why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santonu-kumar-dhar/why-are-you-behaving-like-this-you-know-how-much-i-love-you-and-i/) [santonu Kumar Dhar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santonu-kumar-dhar/) > [Life is all about ass. You're either covering it, kicking it, kissing it, busting it, trying to get a piece of it or behaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-all-about-ass-you-re-either-covering-it-kicking-it-kissing-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is all about ass; you're either covering it,laughing it off, kicking it, kissing it, busting it, trying to get a piece of it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-all-about-ass-you-re-either-covering-it-laughing-it-off/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I ask you now, is any little thing like being damned eternally a satisfactory excuse for behaving like a complete rat?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fritz-leiber/i-ask-you-now-is-any-little-thing-like-being-damned-eternally-a/) [Fritz Leiber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fritz-leiber/) ## More by Daniel Finkelstein > [ \[A\]n important new book. . . . Professor Akerlof and Rachel Kranton have invented Identity Economics. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-finkelstein/a-n-important-new-book-professor-akerlof-and-rachel-kranton-have/) [Daniel Finkelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-finkelstein/) > [Iain Dowie famously coined the phrase 'bouncebackability' to describe Crystal Palace's ability to come from behind. But this is a typical manager's idea, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-finkelstein/iain-dowie-famously-coined-the-phrase-bouncebackability-to-describe/) [Daniel Finkelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-finkelstein/) > [An invaluable little book… What Makes a Terrorist uses standard tools of economics and statistical analysis to get at the truth about terrorism… Krueger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-finkelstein/an-invaluable-little-book-what-makes-a-terrorist-uses-standard-tools/) [Daniel Finkelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-finkelstein/) > [The statistics John Wesson has compiled in The Science of Soccer show that Premiership football players are vastly more likely to have been born…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-finkelstein/the-statistics-john-wesson-has-compiled-in-the-science-of-soccer-show/) [Daniel Finkelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-finkelstein/) > [You know what I wonder about? This - the more details of Sven-Göran Eriksson's love life that appear in the press, the more contempt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-finkelstein/you-know-what-i-wonder-about-this-the-more-details-of-sven-g-ran/) [Daniel Finkelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-finkelstein/) > [Classic was Jimmy Savile’s use of the cloak of authority and kindness. Savile’s celebrity allowed him to acquire this authority. As we consider the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-finkelstein/classic-was-jimmy-savile-s-use-of-the-cloak-of-authority-and-kindness/) [Daniel Finkelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-finkelstein/) > [Last year, the journalist Malcolm Gladwell conducted a survey of chief executive officers of Fortune 500 companies for his book Blink. He discovered that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-finkelstein/last-year-the-journalist-malcolm-gladwell-conducted-a-survey-of-chief/) [Daniel Finkelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-finkelstein/) > [It will be my birthday on Tuesday. Last year, I reached the painful conclusion that there wasn't enough time left to read every book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-finkelstein/it-will-be-my-birthday-on-tuesday-last-year-i-reached-the-painful/) [Daniel Finkelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-finkelstein/) [Explore all 9 Daniel Finkelstein quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-finkelstein/) ## More Advice quotes > [The sensible person is always serious about sensible advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/the-sensible-person-is-always-serious-about-sensible-advice/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [I ask for tips, for advice. What I have also learnt is that I need to do things that are good for me. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthijs-de-ligt/i-ask-for-tips-for-advice-what-i-have-also-learnt-is-that-i-need-to/) [Matthijs de Ligt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthijs-de-ligt/) > [Don't get too attached to someone you know you can't be together with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/don-t-get-too-attached-to-someone-you-know-you-can-t-be-together-with/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [A low-minded person should not be given good advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanakya/a-low-minded-person-should-not-be-given-good-advice/) [Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/) > [The worst advice? 'Don't listen to the critics.' I think that you really ought to listen to the critics, because sometimes they're telling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-worst-advice-don-t-listen-to-the-critics-i-think-that-you-really/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [When I was in my twenties and just so sexually prolific, the first time I went to Machu Picchu, this guy, a spiritual teacher,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/when-i-was-in-my-twenties-and-just-so-sexually-prolific-the-first/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [The best way to succeed in this world is to act on the advice you give to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-best-way-to-succeed-in-this-world-is-to-act-on-the-advice-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Time is priceless. You have it, but you don't own it. You spend it, but you can't keep it. And once it's gone, there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/time-is-priceless-you-have-it-but-you-don-t-own-it-you-spend-it-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You don't need to take a persons advice to make him feel good, just ask him for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/you-don-t-need-to-take-a-persons-advice-to-make-him-feel-good-just/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Some of the things that we hold onto the most, are the things that we need to let go of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryaj-ablando-catayas/some-of-the-things-that-we-hold-onto-the-most-are-the-things-that-we/) [Ryaj Ablando Catayas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryaj-ablando-catayas/) > [“If your clothes are enough to drive would-be friends away, they're not the kind of friends you want." Typical mother advice. Sweet, honest, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aprilynne-pike/if-your-clothes-are-enough-to-drive-would-be-friends-away-they-re-not/) [Aprilynne Pike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aprilynne-pike/) > [“My kingdom not for a horse, but for a good piece of advice!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/my-kingdom-not-for-a-horse-but-for-a-good-piece-of-advice/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [I always advise people not to act upon the advice that I give them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/i-always-advise-people-not-to-act-upon-the-advice-that-i-give-them/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [ \[A\]s you partake of the world's bill of fare, that's darned good advice to follow. Do a lot of spitting out the hot air.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/a-s-you-partake-of-the-world-s-bill-of-fare-that-s-darned-good-advice/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [My relationship with Ibrahimovic was completely neutral. He is not the type of player to approach the younger players and give them advice. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-coman/my-relationship-with-ibrahimovic-was-completely-neutral-he-is-not-the/) [Kingsley Coman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-coman/) [Browse all 8,535 Advice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You may wonder why a question of manners has got me so exercised. It's because I believe in a simple rule. If you see a person you know behave unreasonably to someone else, you can bet your last pound that before long he'll be behaving like that to you.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Daniel Finkelstein" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-finkelstein/you-may-wonder-why-a-question-of-manners-has-got-me-so-exercised-it-s/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Advice" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-finkelstein/you-may-wonder-why-a-question-of-manners-has-got-me-so-exercised-it-s/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67c/daniel-finkelstein-45241_advice_you-may-wonder-why-a-question-of-manners_1512879.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67c/daniel-finkelstein-45241_advice_you-may-wonder-why-a-question-of-manners_1512879.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67c/daniel-finkelstein-45241_advice_you-may-wonder-why-a-question-of-manners_1512879.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You may wonder why a question of manners has got me so exercised. It's because I believe in a simple rule…” — Daniel Finkelstein", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Daniel Finkelstein", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-finkelstein/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You may wonder why a question...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-finkelstein/you-may-wonder-why-a-question-of-manners-has-got-me-so-exercised-it-s/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-finkelstein/you-may-wonder-why-a-question-of-manners-has-got-me-so-exercised-it-s/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```