--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Should you happen to notice that another…" description: "\"Should you happen to notice that another person is extremely tall or overweight, eats too much or declines convivial drinks, has red hair or goes about..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/862/judith-martin-1927_astonishing_should-you-happen-to-notice-that-another_1676832.png" --- # Should you happen to notice that another person is… ![“Should you happen to notice that another person is extremely tall or overweight, eats too much or declines convivial drinks, has red hair or goes about in a wheelchair, ought to get married or ought not to be pregnant -- see if you can refrain from bringing these astonishing observations to that…” quote by Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/862/judith-martin-1927_astonishing_should-you-happen-to-notice-that-another_1676832.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/862/judith-martin-1927_astonishing_should-you-happen-to-notice-that-another_1676832.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/862/judith-martin-1927_astonishing_should-you-happen-to-notice-that-another_1676832.png) > “Should you happen to notice that another person is extremely tall or overweight, eats too much or declines convivial drinks, has red hair or goes about in a wheelchair, ought to get married or ought not to be pregnant -- see if you can refrain from bringing these astonishing observations to that person's attention.” [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. The advice urges restraint from commenting on personal attributes or life choices, respecting privacy and dignity. **In simple terms:** Avoid unsolicited remarks about someone's appearance or life decisions. Key Takeaway Practice discretion and respect. Themes etiquette privacy respect Mood considerate polite Type guideline social When to use this quote - dinner parties - workplace - social media interactions Key Concepts social norms personal autonomy communication Questions to Reflect On - What assumptions lead to intrusive comments? - How can you shift focus to neutral topics? A Different Perspective People may feel judged or embarrassed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Decline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decline/) [Hair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hair/) [Observation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/observation/) [Pregnant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pregnant/) [Red](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/red/) [Red hair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/red-hair/) [Wheelchairs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wheelchairs/) ## Related quotes > [“I would dearly love to read the reactions, the observations of each and every person who walks through the gates of Le Cirque des…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-morgenstern/i-would-dearly-love-to-read-the-reactions-the-observations-of-each/) [Erin Morgenstern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-morgenstern/) > [Monday is the ASS of a person, extremely unpleasant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/monday-is-the-ass-of-a-person-extremely-unpleasant/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I have always been a person who is extremely comfortable in my skin. I have always just been myself in all these years on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aishwarya-rai-bachchan/i-have-always-been-a-person-who-is-extremely-comfortable-in-my-skin-i/) [Aishwarya Rai Bachchan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aishwarya-rai-bachchan/) > [If anyone is trying to enter the world of love.The person must be punctual and true to it Or else get ready to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/razer/if-anyone-is-trying-to-enter-the-world-of-love-the-person-must-be/) Razer > [Unfortunately, moral beauty in art - like physical beauty in a person - is extremely perishable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/unfortunately-moral-beauty-in-art-like-physical-beauty-in-a-person-is-2/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [“It is easy to identify a shallow person by the attention he gives to what will do him absolutely no good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/it-is-easy-to-identify-a-shallow-person-by-the-attention-he-gives-to/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [“All anyone really wants from another person is their attention. It’s so easy to give and counts for so much.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/all-anyone-really-wants-from-another-person-is-their-attention-it-s/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [It's sucks when you're ignored by the person whose attention is the only thing you want in the world..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iloveyou/it-s-sucks-when-you-re-ignored-by-the-person-whose-attention-is-the/) iloveyou > [The principal form that the work of love takes is attention. When we love another person we give him or her our attention; we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/the-principal-form-that-the-work-of-love-takes-is-attention-when-we/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [When desire for a certain person's attention becomes an "I have to have" kind of grasping, then identity gets organized around needing that and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-brach/when-desire-for-a-certain-person-s-attention-becomes-an-i-have-to/) [Tara Brach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-brach/) > [It hurts when you're being ignored by the person whose attention is the only thing you want in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-hurts-when-you-re-being-ignored-by-the-person-whose-attention-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Even as a kid I would find the one person whose attention I didn't have and I would zone in on that person. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-timberlake/even-as-a-kid-i-would-find-the-one-person-whose-attention-i-didn-t/) [Justin Timberlake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-timberlake/) > [It sucks when you are ignored by the one person whose attention means the whole world to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-sucks-when-you-are-ignored-by-the-one-person-whose-attention-means/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sometimes the best way to get a person's attention is to stop giving them yours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/sometimes-the-best-way-to-get-a-person-s-attention-is-to-stop-giving/) [Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/) > [Old ladies in wheelchairs with blankets over their legs, I don't think so...retired mermaids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-jones/old-ladies-in-wheelchairs-with-blankets-over-their-legs-i-don-t-think/) [Milton Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-jones/) ## 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. If you're in a courtroom you need the whole truth and nothing but the truth;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/honesty-is-a-virtue-but-not-the-only-one-if-you-re-in-a-courtroom-you/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [Only a person who considers himself too good for you is good enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/only-a-person-who-considers-himself-too-good-for-you-is-good-enough/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [Society cannot exist without etiquette ... 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 Astonishing quotes > [It's astonishing what you learn and feel and see along the way. That's why a reporter's job, as you know, is such a joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-wallace/it-s-astonishing-what-you-learn-and-feel-and-see-along-the-way-that-s/) [Mike Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-wallace/) > [A man may perform astonishing feats and comprehend a vast amount of knowledge, and yet have no understanding of himself. But suffering directs a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/a-man-may-perform-astonishing-feats-and-comprehend-a-vast-amount-of/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [A first novel of astonishing force, craft and beauty, The Headmaster's Wager conjures up a dizzyingly evocative wartime Saigon in the story of Percival…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-y-k-lee-2/a-first-novel-of-astonishing-force-craft-and-beauty-the-headmaster-s/) Janice Y. K. Lee > [“What is astonishing is that we, who had no idea how anything was going to turn out, now know exactly what happened.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/what-is-astonishing-is-that-we-who-had-no-idea-how-anything-was-going/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [It's a great historical joke that when the Spanish met the Aztecs, it was a blind date made in serve-you-right heaven. At the time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-a-gill/it-s-a-great-historical-joke-that-when-the-spanish-met-the-aztecs-it/) [A. A. Gill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-a-gill/) > [It was astonishing when at one point, I got the idea of how to make artifical clouds with a collaborator, we had pictures made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benoit-mandelbrot/it-was-astonishing-when-at-one-point-i-got-the-idea-of-how-to-make/) [Benoit Mandelbrot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benoit-mandelbrot/) > [Although there may be nothing new under the sun, what is old is new to us and so rich and astonishing that we never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/although-there-may-be-nothing-new-under-the-sun-what-is-old-is-new-to/) [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) > [The astonishing thing for me is that I had a career before politics and I never thought about my colour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-gyimah/the-astonishing-thing-for-me-is-that-i-had-a-career-before-politics/) [Sam Gyimah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-gyimah/) > [“There is no denying it; one must admit that there is something astonishing about Christianity. 'It is because you were born in it,' they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/there-is-no-denying-it-one-must-admit-that-there-is-something/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [It's Twitter's combination of simplicity and complexity that is astonishing in the same way that minimalist sculpture was inspiring and enlightening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-goldsmith/it-s-twitter-s-combination-of-simplicity-and-complexity-that-is/) [Kenneth Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-goldsmith/) > [All that we don't know is astonishing. Even more astonishing is what passes for knowing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/all-that-we-don-t-know-is-astonishing-even-more-astonishing-is-what/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [Still more astonishing is that world of rigorous fantasy which we call mathematics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-bateson/still-more-astonishing-is-that-world-of-rigorous-fantasy-which-we/) [Gregory Bateson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-bateson/) > [“No one ever said aloud any of the kinds of things he was so constantly thinking, because no one in the parish, not Alice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-von-arnim/no-one-ever-said-aloud-any-of-the-kinds-of-things-he-was-so/) [Elizabeth von Arnim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-von-arnim/) > [If you worry less about what people think of you, you can pick up an astonishing amount of information about them. You no longer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-druckerman/if-you-worry-less-about-what-people-think-of-you-you-can-pick-up-an/) [Pamela Druckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-druckerman/) > [The Bureau of Justice reports that one in three black male babies born this century will go to jail or prison - that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-stevenson/the-bureau-of-justice-reports-that-one-in-three-black-male-babies/) [Bryan Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-stevenson/) Browse all 410 Astonishing quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Should you happen to notice that another person is extremely tall or overweight, eats too much or declines convivial drinks, has red hair or goes about in a wheelchair, ought to get married or ought not to be pregnant -- see if you can refrain from bringing these astonishing observations to that person's attention.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Judith Martin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/should-you-happen-to-notice-that-another-person-is-extremely-tall-or/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Astonishing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/should-you-happen-to-notice-that-another-person-is-extremely-tall-or/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/862/judith-martin-1927_astonishing_should-you-happen-to-notice-that-another_1676832.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/862/judith-martin-1927_astonishing_should-you-happen-to-notice-that-another_1676832.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/862/judith-martin-1927_astonishing_should-you-happen-to-notice-that-another_1676832.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Should you happen to notice that another person is extremely tall or overweight, eats too much or declines…” — Judith Martin", "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": "Judith Martin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Should you happen to notice that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/should-you-happen-to-notice-that-another-person-is-extremely-tall-or/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/should-you-happen-to-notice-that-another-person-is-extremely-tall-or/#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 } } ] } ```