--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are always proper responses, even…" description: "\"There are always proper responses, even to rude questions.\" — Judith Martin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cd/judith-martin-1927_answer_there-are-always-proper-responses-even-t_45963.png" --- # There are always proper responses, even to rude questions. ![“There are always proper responses, even to rude questions.” quote by Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cd/judith-martin-1927_answer_there-are-always-proper-responses-even-t_45963.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cd/judith-martin-1927_answer_there-are-always-proper-responses-even-t_45963.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cd/judith-martin-1927_answer_there-are-always-proper-responses-even-t_45963.png) > “There are always proper responses, even to rude questions.” [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. Even impolite inquiries merit thoughtful, measured replies rather than reactionary hostility. **In simple terms:** Respond with poise to rudeness. Key Takeaway Maintain composure. Themes respect communication empathy self-control social etiquette Mood calm assertive thoughtful Type advice maxim observation When to use this quote - customer service - online forums - team meetings - public speaking Key Concepts interpersonal dynamics conflict resolution Practical Applications - training staff on handling difficult questions - guiding personal interactions Questions to Reflect On - How might a calm response change the tone of a conversation? - What strategies help you stay composed when faced with disrespect? A Different Perspective Some argue that responding to rudeness validates it, but a calm answer can defuse tension without conceding ground. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Rude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rude/) [Women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women/) ## Related quotes > [Learning how to deal with people and their reactions to my life is one of the most challenging things... people staring at me, people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethany-hamilton/learning-how-to-deal-with-people-and-their-reactions-to-my-life-is/) [Bethany Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bethany-hamilton/) > [I don't think there are any rude questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/i-don-t-think-there-are-any-rude-questions/) [Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/) > [“Why do you do the things you do? Like asking rude questions under the guise of being supposedly funny? Because essentially I'm a cunt.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-do-you-do-the-things-you-do-like-asking-rude-questions-under-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Miss Manners herself, while never rude, is given to pulling a fast pinch in the way of a handshake on those who believe in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/miss-manners-herself-while-never-rude-is-given-to-pulling-a-fast/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [GENTLE READER: You, sir, are an anarchist, and Miss Manners is frightened to have anything to do with you. 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/) > [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/) > [My children did not go through a stage of being rude to their parents. I'm sorry if that sounds incredible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/my-children-did-not-go-through-a-stage-of-being-rude-to-their-parents/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [My youngest son's pre-school class was recently asked what their dads do for work. The responses were things like, my dad sells money, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hawk/my-youngest-son-s-pre-school-class-was-recently-asked-what-their-dads/) [Tony Hawk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hawk/) > [I have very human responses to things, so I had to learn to just be still.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mallory-jansen/i-have-very-human-responses-to-things-so-i-had-to-learn-to-just-be/) Mallory Jansen > [I think the reason we're so crazy sexually in America is that all our responses are acting. We don't know how to feel. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-robinson/i-think-the-reason-we-re-so-crazy-sexually-in-america-is-that-all-our/) [Jill Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-robinson/) > [I was an awful critic. I operated on the assumption that there was an absolute scale of values against which art could be measured.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/i-was-an-awful-critic-i-operated-on-the-assumption-that-there-was-an/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [Except under rare circumstances, I don't write responses to criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-p-huntington/except-under-rare-circumstances-i-don-t-write-responses-to-criticism/) [Samuel P. Huntington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-p-huntington/) > [There are two responses to really awful things. One is to lament and say, "Oh my God, oh lord." And the other is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcbride/there-are-two-responses-to-really-awful-things-one-is-to-lament-and/) [James McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcbride/) > [The best strategy relies upon an unlimited set of responses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morihei-ueshiba/the-best-strategy-relies-upon-an-unlimited-set-of-responses/) [Morihei Ueshiba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morihei-ueshiba/) > [Although our inattention can contribute to our lack of total well-being, we also have the power to choose positive behaviors and responses. In that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-anderson/although-our-inattention-can-contribute-to-our-lack-of-total-well/) [Greg Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-anderson/) ## 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/) > [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/) > [The stress of making small talk with in-laws is called being part of a family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/the-stress-of-making-small-talk-with-in-laws-is-called-being-part-of/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) [Explore all 197 Judith Martin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) ## More Answer quotes > [Sometimes a question can hurt more than an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/sometimes-a-question-can-hurt-more-than-an-answer/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [What you are is a question only you can answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/what-you-are-is-a-question-only-you-can-answer/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [Enjoying life isn't about finding the answers, but living the questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-margolis/enjoying-life-isn-t-about-finding-the-answers-but-living-the-questions/) [Sue Margolis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-margolis/) > [The boldness of asking deep questions may require unforeseen flexibility if we are to accept the answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-greene/the-boldness-of-asking-deep-questions-may-require-unforeseen/) [Brian Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-greene/) > [“And if you can’t say yes, answer anyway. Because I’d rather live with the answer than die with the question.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-ellis/and-if-you-can-t-say-yes-answer-anyway-because-i-d-rather-live-with/) Jon Ellis > [“There is a cure and answer to everything, we just haven't found them yet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-halimi/there-is-a-cure-and-answer-to-everything-we-just-haven-t-found-them/) [Eve Halimi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-halimi/) > [Whenever I'm asked about Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi, I always answer: 'Neymar is the best,' not just because of his goals but because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-carlos/whenever-i-m-asked-about-cristiano-ronaldo-or-lionel-messi-i-always/) [Roberto Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-carlos/) > [A wiki works best where you're trying to answer a question that you can't easily pose, where there's not a natural structure that's known…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ward-cunningham/a-wiki-works-best-where-you-re-trying-to-answer-a-question-that-you/) [Ward Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ward-cunningham/) > [“Those are good questions. I recognize good questions, because I can come up with them myself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-brust/those-are-good-questions-i-recognize-good-questions-because-i-can/) [Steven Brust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-brust/) > [My answer is bring 'em on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/my-answer-is-bring-em-on/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I'll answer anything... I'm brutally honest, actually, which gets me in trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-mclachlan/i-ll-answer-anything-i-m-brutally-honest-actually-which-gets-me-in/) [Sarah McLachlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-mclachlan/) > [“...I guess I can put two and two together." "Sometimes the answer's four," I said, "and sometimes it's twenty-two...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/i-guess-i-can-put-two-and-two-together-sometimes-the-answer-s-four-i/) [Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/) > [Jumping someone is never the answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/jumping-someone-is-never-the-answer/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I play along myself, even though I can't help the player. So I can't say what I think the answer might be. But I'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-mcguinness/i-play-along-myself-even-though-i-can-t-help-the-player-so-i-can-t/) [Paddy McGuinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-mcguinness/) > [Sometimes the question is complicated, but the answers are simple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-suess/sometimes-the-question-is-complicated-but-the-answers-are-simple/) [Dr Suess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-suess/) Browse all 2,090 Answer quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There are always proper responses, even to rude questions.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Judith Martin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/there-are-always-proper-responses-even-to-rude-questions/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Answer" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/there-are-always-proper-responses-even-to-rude-questions/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cd/judith-martin-1927_answer_there-are-always-proper-responses-even-t_45963.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cd/judith-martin-1927_answer_there-are-always-proper-responses-even-t_45963.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cd/judith-martin-1927_answer_there-are-always-proper-responses-even-t_45963.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There are always proper responses, even to rude questions.” — 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": "There are always proper responses, even...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/there-are-always-proper-responses-even-to-rude-questions/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/there-are-always-proper-responses-even-to-rude-questions/#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 } } ] } ```