--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Nowadays, we never allow ourselves the…" description: "\"Nowadays, we never allow ourselves the convenience of being temporarily unavailable, even to strangers. With telephone and beeper, people subject thems..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/886/judith-martin-1927_all-time_nowadays-we-never-allow-ourselves-the-co_1586781.jpg" --- # Nowadays, we never allow ourselves the convenience of… ![“Nowadays, we never allow ourselves the convenience of being temporarily unavailable, even to strangers. With telephone and beeper, people subject themselves to being instantly accessible to everyone at all times, and it is the person who refuses to be on call, rather than the importunate caller…” quote by Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/886/judith-martin-1927_all-time_nowadays-we-never-allow-ourselves-the-co_1586781.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/886/judith-martin-1927_all-time_nowadays-we-never-allow-ourselves-the-co_1586781.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/886/judith-martin-1927_all-time_nowadays-we-never-allow-ourselves-the-co_1586781.jpg) > “Nowadays, we never allow ourselves the convenience of being temporarily unavailable, even to strangers. With telephone and beeper, people subject themselves to being instantly accessible to everyone at all times, and it is the person who refuses to be on call, rather than the importunate caller, who is considered rude.” [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Constant accessibility erodes personal boundaries, making unavailability seem rude. **In simple terms:** Always being reachable harms personal boundaries. Key Takeaway Set clear availability limits. Themes boundaries technology privacy social etiquette stress Mood reflective assertive calm Type social etiquette self‑care When to use this quote - workplace policies - personal relationships - family time Key Concepts digital culture boundary setting social norms Questions to Reflect On - How can you politely decline instant contact? - What boundaries protect your well‑being? A Different Perspective Societal pressure may label boundaries as selfish. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [All time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/all-time/) [Beeper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beeper-786427/) [Beeper People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beeper-people-6005386/) [Convenience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/convenience/) [Manners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manners/) [Miss manners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miss-manners/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Refuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/refuse/) [Rude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rude/) [Stranger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stranger/) [Strangers Telephone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strangers-telephone-6005388/) [Subjects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subjects/) [Telephone Beeper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/telephone-beeper-6005385/) [Telephones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/telephones/) [Unavailable Strangers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unavailable-strangers-6005387/) ## Related quotes > [It is, indeed, a trial to maintain the virtue of humility when one can't help being right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/it-is-indeed-a-trial-to-maintain-the-virtue-of-humility-when-one-can/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [When I graduated from university I tried to buy a beeper, and it cost me $250. My pay at the time was $10 a month.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/when-i-graduated-from-university-i-tried-to-buy-a-beeper-and-it-cost/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [I tried getting my dad to buy me a beeper for my birthday,” he says, “but he thinks only doctors and drug dealers need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-asher/i-tried-getting-my-dad-to-buy-me-a-beeper-for-my-birthday-he-says-but/) [Jay Asher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-asher/) > [Shame is the proper reaction when one has purposefully violated the accepted behavior of society. Inflicting it is etiquette's response when its rules are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/shame-is-the-proper-reaction-when-one-has-purposefully-violated-the/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [“DEAR MISS MANNERS: When does a gentleman offer his arm to a lady as they are walking down the street together? 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It is true that questioning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/gentle-reader-you-sir-are-an-anarchist-and-miss-manners-is-frightened/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [I waited with a beeper for a year and 10 months to get that gift.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-fabares/i-waited-with-a-beeper-for-a-year-and-10-months-to-get-that-gift/) [Shelley Fabares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-fabares/) > [“One of the major mistakes people make is that they think manners are only the expression of happy ideas. 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My father says it's because I am a child--I am twelve-and-a-half years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/dear-miss-manners-i-a-tired-of-being-treated-like-a-child-my-father/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [I was born in 1992, I was around when the beeper was around, and landlines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade-cargill/i-was-born-in-1992-i-was-around-when-the-beeper-was-around-and/) [Jade Cargill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade-cargill/) ## More by Judith Martin > [Smart people duck when they hear the dread announcement 'I'm going to be perfectly honest with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/smart-people-duck-when-they-hear-the-dread-announcement-i-m-going-to/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [If you put together all the ingredients that naturally attract children - sex, violence, revenge, spectacle and vigorous noise - what you have is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/if-you-put-together-all-the-ingredients-that-naturally-attract/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [The one prediction that never comes true is, 'You'll thank me for telling you this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/the-one-prediction-that-never-comes-true-is-you-ll-thank-me-for/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [Chaperons, even in their days of glory, were almost never able to enforce morality; what they did was to force immorality to be discreet.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/chaperons-even-in-their-days-of-glory-were-almost-never-able-to/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [There are always proper responses, even to rude questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/there-are-always-proper-responses-even-to-rude-questions/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [Perhaps the greatest rudenesses of our time come not from the callousness of strangers, but from the solicitousness of intimates who believe that their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/perhaps-the-greatest-rudenesses-of-our-time-come-not-from-the/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [We are all entitled to our little harmless habits, but we are not entitled to demand approval for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/we-are-all-entitled-to-our-little-harmless-habits-but-we-are-not/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [“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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/lady-is-not-used-before-the-lady-s-first-name-unless-she-is-the/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [Greece is a good place for rebirths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/greece-is-a-good-place-for-rebirths/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [Adorable children are considered to be the general property of the human race. Rude children belong to their mothers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/adorable-children-are-considered-to-be-the-general-property-of-the/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/i-have-always-believed-that-the-key-to-a-happy-marriage-was-the/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [It is, indeed, a trial to maintain the virtue of humility when one can't help being right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/it-is-indeed-a-trial-to-maintain-the-virtue-of-humility-when-one-can/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [Honesty is a virtue, but not the only one. 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It never has, and until our own century, everybody knew that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/society-cannot-exist-without-etiquette-it-never-has-and-until-our-own/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) [Explore all 197 Judith Martin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) ## More All time quotes > [To be positive at all times is to ignore all that is important, sacred or valuable. To be negative at all times is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/to-be-positive-at-all-times-is-to-ignore-all-that-is-important-sacred/) [Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/) > [One of our great allies at present is the Church itself. Do not misunderstand me. I do not mean the Church as we see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/one-of-our-great-allies-at-present-is-the-church-itself-do-not/) [C. S. 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