--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Politeness requires this thing; decorum…" description: "\"Politeness requires this thing; decorum that; ceremony has its forms, and fashion its laws, and these must always follow, never the promptings of our o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a7/henri-rousseau-22120_ceremony_politeness-requires-this-thing-decorum-t_2303891.png" --- # Politeness requires this thing; decorum that; ceremony has… ![“Politeness requires this thing; decorum that; ceremony has its forms, and fashion its laws, and these must always follow, never the promptings of our own nature.” quote by Henri Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a7/henri-rousseau-22120_ceremony_politeness-requires-this-thing-decorum-t_2303891.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a7/henri-rousseau-22120_ceremony_politeness-requires-this-thing-decorum-t_2303891.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a7/henri-rousseau-22120_ceremony_politeness-requires-this-thing-decorum-t_2303891.png) > “Politeness requires this thing; decorum that; ceremony has its forms, and fashion its laws, and these must always follow, never the promptings of our own nature.” [Henri Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-rousseau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Politeness follows social conventions and etiquette, not personal impulses. **In simple terms:** Politeness is about rules, not feelings. Key Takeaway Respect social norms in interaction. Themes etiquette social order politeness Mood analytical neutral Type philosophical observational When to use this quote - formal dinners - business meetings - public speaking - diplomatic negotiations Key Concepts custom formal behavior cultural expectations Questions to Reflect On - When does politeness become insincere? - How can you balance authenticity with decorum? A Different Perspective Rigid adherence can suppress authenticity and cause resentment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ceremony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ceremony/) [Courtesy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courtesy/) [Decorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decorum/) [Decorum Ceremony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decorum-ceremony-5452902/) [Fashion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fashion/) [Form](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/form/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Manners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manners/) [Politeness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politeness/) [Politeness Requires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politeness-requires-5452901/) [Requires Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/requires-thing-5452903/) ## Related quotes > [Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori - It is a sweet and becoming thing to die for ones country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/dulce-et-decorum-est-pro-patria-mori-it-is-a-sweet-and-becoming-thing/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [One hour of life, crowded to the full with glorious action, and filled with noble risks, is worth whole years of those mean observances…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-scott/one-hour-of-life-crowded-to-the-full-with-glorious-action-and-filled/) [Walter Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-scott/) > [I do have a very conscious desire not to be academic. I'm antiacademic. I hate jargon. I hate that sort of pretension. I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-gass/i-do-have-a-very-conscious-desire-not-to-be-academic-i-m-antiacademic/) [William H. Gass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-gass/) > [To a high degree we are, through art and science, cultured. We are civilized - perhaps too much for our own good - in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/to-a-high-degree-we-are-through-art-and-science-cultured-we-are/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [The middle of 'America's Women' is about the Civil War, and how women, black and white, confronted slavery and abolition. As in every other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-collins/the-middle-of-america-s-women-is-about-the-civil-war-and-how-women/) [Gail Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-collins/) > [As for the decorum at the time of a campaign, one must be mindful that he is a samurai. A person who loves beautification…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kato-kiyomasa/as-for-the-decorum-at-the-time-of-a-campaign-one-must-be-mindful-that/) [Kato Kiyomasa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kato-kiyomasa/) > [The most disgusting cad in the world is the man who on the grounds of decorum and morality avoids the game of love. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/the-most-disgusting-cad-in-the-world-is-the-man-who-on-the-grounds-of/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [“The poster child for decorum was actually being sexually suggestive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgina-guthrie/the-poster-child-for-decorum-was-actually-being-sexually-suggestive/) [Georgina Guthrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgina-guthrie/) > [Drinking can not be sacramentalised except in religions which set no store on decorum. The worship of Dionysos or the Celtic god of beer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/drinking-can-not-be-sacramentalised-except-in-religions-which-set-no/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [A man who understands decorum and the courtesies is a great treasure; I hope to train and send into society as many such men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mas-oyama/a-man-who-understands-decorum-and-the-courtesies-is-a-great-treasure/) [Mas Oyama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mas-oyama/) > [It is important that the decorum and dignity of the House is upheld at all times. The image of Parliament in the public mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pratibha-patil/it-is-important-that-the-decorum-and-dignity-of-the-house-is-upheld/) [Pratibha Patil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pratibha-patil/) > [Unsuccessful candidates for the Presidency should be quietly hanged as a matter of public sanitation and decorum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/unsuccessful-candidates-for-the-presidency-should-be-quietly-hanged/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [Any girl that's in a professional setting has to have a certain amount of decorum, but there's always a different story going on, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stana-katic/any-girl-that-s-in-a-professional-setting-has-to-have-a-certain/) [Stana Katic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stana-katic/) > [Liberty ... was a two-headed boon. There was first, the liberty of the people as a whole to determine the forms of their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/liberty-was-a-two-headed-boon-there-was-first-the-liberty-of-the/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [“I had only to remember that centuries before, men fell in battle for the daughter of Troy, that passions carried greater weight than decorum.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenna-yovanoff/i-had-only-to-remember-that-centuries-before-men-fell-in-battle-for/) [Brenna Yovanoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenna-yovanoff/) ## More by Henri Rousseau > [It is not I that am drawing, it is this thing at the end of my hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-rousseau/it-is-not-i-that-am-drawing-it-is-this-thing-at-the-end-of-my-hand/) [Henri Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-rousseau/) > [If it is reason that forms man then it is the emotions that guide her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-rousseau/if-it-is-reason-that-forms-man-then-it-is-the-emotions-that-guide-her/) [Henri Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-rousseau/) > [If a king tries to start a war, a mother should go to him and forbid it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-rousseau/if-a-king-tries-to-start-a-war-a-mother-should-go-to-him-and-forbid-it/) [Henri Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-rousseau/) > [Excuse my scribbling, it is late, and I have a poor candle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-rousseau/excuse-my-scribbling-it-is-late-and-i-have-a-poor-candle/) [Henri Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-rousseau/) > [From the first moment of life, men ought to begin learning to deserve to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-rousseau/from-the-first-moment-of-life-men-ought-to-begin-learning-to-deserve/) [Henri Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-rousseau/) > [“Why did you paint a couch in the middle of the jungle?" Rousseau: "Because one has a right to paint one's dreams.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-rousseau/why-did-you-paint-a-couch-in-the-middle-of-the-jungle-rousseau/) [Henri Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-rousseau/) > [We are the two great painters of this era; you are in the Egyptian style, I in themodern style. (to Pablo Picasso)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-rousseau/we-are-the-two-great-painters-of-this-era-you-are-in-the-egyptian/) [Henri Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-rousseau/) > [I have always believed that good is only beauty put into practice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-rousseau/i-have-always-believed-that-good-is-only-beauty-put-into-practice/) [Henri Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-rousseau/) > [When I go out into the countryside and see the sun and the green and everything flowering, I say to myself "Yes indeed, all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-rousseau/when-i-go-out-into-the-countryside-and-see-the-sun-and-the-green-and/) [Henri Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-rousseau/) > [I felt before I thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-rousseau/i-felt-before-i-thought/) [Henri Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-rousseau/) > [I cannot now change my style, which I acquired, as you can imagine, by dint of labour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-rousseau/i-cannot-now-change-my-style-which-i-acquired-as-you-can-imagine-by/) [Henri Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-rousseau/) > [The universe was born restless and has never since been still.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-rousseau/the-universe-was-born-restless-and-has-never-since-been-still/) [Henri Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-rousseau/) > [Nature's instructions are always slow; those of men are generally premature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-rousseau/nature-s-instructions-are-always-slow-those-of-men-are-generally/) [Henri Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-rousseau/) > [The principal problem I had during the five years I ran the Caisse - and I bet you that it will be the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-rousseau/the-principal-problem-i-had-during-the-five-years-i-ran-the-caisse/) [Henri Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-rousseau/) > [The passage from the state of nature to the civil state produces a very remarkable change in man, by substituting justice for instinct in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-rousseau/the-passage-from-the-state-of-nature-to-the-civil-state-produces-a/) [Henri Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-rousseau/) [Explore all 28 Henri Rousseau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-rousseau/) ## More Ceremony quotes > [We do not want nowadays temples of worship and outward rites and ceremonies. What we really want is an Asram. We want a place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/we-do-not-want-nowadays-temples-of-worship-and-outward-rites-and/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [Jesus never said a word about homosexuality. In all of his teachings about multiple things - he never said that gay people should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/jesus-never-said-a-word-about-homosexuality-in-all-of-his-teachings/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [It is merely the egoism of the man, who wants to bury a woman like a treasure. All attempts at using vows, contracts, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leopold-von-sacher-masoch/it-is-merely-the-egoism-of-the-man-who-wants-to-bury-a-woman-like-a/) [Leopold von Sacher-Masoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leopold-von-sacher-masoch/) > [Layla brought her arms around herself, no doubt because she was remembering the feel of another, stronger set. "I have wanted to, but he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/layla-brought-her-arms-around-herself-no-doubt-because-she-was/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [There are ceremonious bows that repel one like a cudgel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-nestell-bovee/there-are-ceremonious-bows-that-repel-one-like-a-cudgel/) [Christian Nestell Bovee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-nestell-bovee/) > [The cocktail party - as the name itself indicates - was originally invented by dogs. They are simply bottom-sniffings raised to the rank of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-durrell/the-cocktail-party-as-the-name-itself-indicates-was-originally/) [Lawrence Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-durrell/) > [I am unable to distinguish clearly between your religious ceremonies and apparently identical behavior at the sporting and cultural functions you have transmitted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/i-am-unable-to-distinguish-clearly-between-your-religious-ceremonies/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [Politics resemble religion; attempting to divest either of ceremony is the most certain mode of bringing either into contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/politics-resemble-religion-attempting-to-divest-either-of-ceremony-is/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [Singing at the Opening Ceremonies of the Sydney Olympics in 2000 was amazing and, probably the highlight of this decade is the opening of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-newton-john/singing-at-the-opening-ceremonies-of-the-sydney-olympics-in-2000-was/) [Olivia Newton-John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-newton-john/) > [Nostalgia is also a trait of the organizations that I call lodges - everything from corporate cultures to religious sects. Their bonding power often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-james/nostalgia-is-also-a-trait-of-the-organizations-that-i-call-lodges/) [Jennifer James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-james/) > [Over the weekend, former Enron executives Jeffrey Skilling and Rebecca Carter married each other during a huge ceremony in Houston. The happy couple is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/over-the-weekend-former-enron-executives-jeffrey-skilling-and-rebecca/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [“Japanese tea ceremony,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-berk/japanese-tea-ceremony/) [Sheryl Berk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-berk/) > [Truth and ceremony are two things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/truth-and-ceremony-are-two-things/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [The trappings of a religious cult tend to fall into candlelit ceremonies and robes and group chanting and singing and prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-durkin/the-trappings-of-a-religious-cult-tend-to-fall-into-candlelit/) [Sean Durkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-durkin/) > [No known human group... simply throw out its dead without any ritual or ceremony. In stark contrast, no animal practices burial of dead individuals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodosius-dobzhansky/no-known-human-group-simply-throw-out-its-dead-without-any-ritual-or/) [Theodosius Dobzhansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodosius-dobzhansky/) [Browse all 534 Ceremony quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ceremony/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Politeness requires this thing; decorum that; ceremony has its forms, and fashion its laws, and these must always follow, never the promptings of our own nature.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henri Rousseau" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-rousseau/politeness-requires-this-thing-decorum-that-ceremony-has-its-forms/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ceremony" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-rousseau/politeness-requires-this-thing-decorum-that-ceremony-has-its-forms/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a7/henri-rousseau-22120_ceremony_politeness-requires-this-thing-decorum-t_2303891.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a7/henri-rousseau-22120_ceremony_politeness-requires-this-thing-decorum-t_2303891.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a7/henri-rousseau-22120_ceremony_politeness-requires-this-thing-decorum-t_2303891.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Politeness requires this thing; decorum that; ceremony has its forms, and fashion its laws, and these must…” — Henri Rousseau", "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": "Henri Rousseau", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-rousseau/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Politeness requires this thing; decorum that;...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-rousseau/politeness-requires-this-thing-decorum-that-ceremony-has-its-forms/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-rousseau/politeness-requires-this-thing-decorum-that-ceremony-has-its-forms/#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 } } ] } ```