--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The challenge of manners is not so much…" description: "\"The challenge of manners is not so much to be nice to someone whose favor and/or person you covet (although more people need to be reminded of that nec..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34c/judith-martin-1927_bad-man_the-challenge-of-manners-is-not-so-much_348483.png" --- # The challenge of manners is not so much to be nice to… ![“The challenge of manners is not so much to be nice to someone whose favor and/or person you covet (although more people need to be reminded of that necessity than one would suppose) as to be exposed to the bad manners of others without imitating them.” quote by Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34c/judith-martin-1927_bad-man_the-challenge-of-manners-is-not-so-much_348483.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34c/judith-martin-1927_bad-man_the-challenge-of-manners-is-not-so-much_348483.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34c/judith-martin-1927_bad-man_the-challenge-of-manners-is-not-so-much_348483.png) > “The challenge of manners is not so much to be nice to someone whose favor and/or person you covet (although more people need to be reminded of that necessity than one would suppose) as to be exposed to the bad manners of others without imitating them.” [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. Being polite means resisting the urge to mimic others' bad manners, even when you admire them. **In simple terms:** Politeness resists bad examples. Key Takeaway Stay courteous despite others' rudeness. Themes etiquette selfcontrol influence respect Mood reflective calm Type ethical inspirational When to use this quote - dinner parties - workplace interactions - public transport Key Concepts social behavior personal integrity Questions to Reflect On - Can you stay polite when provoked? - How do you model good manners? A Different Perspective Maintaining politeness can be socially draining. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-man/) [Bad manners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-manners/) [Being nice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-nice/) [Challenge Manners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenge-manners-3223066/) [Challenges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) [Exposed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exposed/) [Favors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/favors/) [Imitating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imitating/) [Manners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manners/) [Manners Imitating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manners-imitating-3223067/) [Manners Nice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manners-nice-3223068/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Nice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nice/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Reminded Necessity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reminded-necessity-3223069/) ## Related quotes > [To sacrifice the principles of manners, which require compassion and respect, and bat people over the head with their ignorance of etiquette rules they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/to-sacrifice-the-principles-of-manners-which-require-compassion-and/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [“much privilege leads to bad manners,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danzy-senna/much-privilege-leads-to-bad-manners/) [Danzy Senna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danzy-senna/) > [As a child, I was taught that it was bad manners to bring attention to yourself, and to never, ever make a spectacle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-hepburn/as-a-child-i-was-taught-that-it-was-bad-manners-to-bring-attention-to/) [Audrey Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-hepburn/) > [Manners are of such great consequence to the novelist that any kind will do. 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'Oh so and so preached,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-ravenhill/if-i-was-to-ask-you-tonight-if-you-were-saved-do-you-say-yes-i-am/) [Leonard Ravenhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-ravenhill/) > [“It is said that the hallmark of a gentleman is that he is only ever rude intentionally. Arthur Bryant was no gentleman. His rudeness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-fowler/it-is-said-that-the-hallmark-of-a-gentleman-is-that-he-is-only-ever/) [Christopher Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-fowler/) > [I don't do plays without jokes anymore. I've retired from those plays. I think it's bad manners to invite people to sit in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-nighy/i-don-t-do-plays-without-jokes-anymore-i-ve-retired-from-those-plays/) [Bill Nighy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-nighy/) ## 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 Bad man quotes > [I don't do plays without jokes anymore. I've retired from those plays. 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