--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People respond to kindness. They trust a…" description: "\"“People respond to kindness. They trust a smile more than a promise that you will leave them choking on their own blood.”\" — Kiersten White" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f02/kiersten-white-398_kindness_people-respond-to-kindness-they-trust-a_1459663.png" --- # People respond to kindness. They trust a smile more than a… ![“People respond to kindness. They trust a smile more than a promise that you will leave them choking on their own blood.” quote by Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f02/kiersten-white-398_kindness_people-respond-to-kindness-they-trust-a_1459663.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f02/kiersten-white-398_kindness_people-respond-to-kindness-they-trust-a_1459663.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f02/kiersten-white-398_kindness_people-respond-to-kindness-they-trust-a_1459663.png) > ““People respond to kindness. They trust a smile more than a promise that you will leave them choking on their own blood.”” [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Kindness builds trust more effectively than empty promises, especially in dire situations. **In simple terms:** Kindness earns trust better than promises. Key Takeaway Show genuine kindness to earn trust. Themes trust kindness relationships Mood empathetic trust-building Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - customer service - conflict resolution - personal relationships - leadership Key Concepts social psychology emotional intelligence Questions to Reflect On - How can you demonstrate genuine kindness? - When might a promise be more effective than a smile? A Different Perspective Kindness may be perceived as manipulative if insincere. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Kindness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kindness/) [Promise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promise/) [Smile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smile/) [Threats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/threats/) [Trust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trust/) ## Related quotes > [You either believe that people respond to authority, or that they respond to kindness and inclusion. I'm obviously in the latter camp. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/you-either-believe-that-people-respond-to-authority-or-that-they/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [“You'll come home soon?" I ask. The question makes him smile. "Promise you won't forget me while I'm gone?" I smile back. "I promise."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/you-ll-come-home-soon-i-ask-the-question-makes-him-smile-promise-you/) [stephanie perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [“Even when we are confused about someone’s gender, and don’t have a greater awareness of what it means to be trans, we have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-n-lester/even-when-we-are-confused-about-someone-s-gender-and-don-t-have-a/) [C. N. Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-n-lester/) > [I tweet because it allows me to say anything I want and sometimes people respond.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-biegel/i-tweet-because-it-allows-me-to-say-anything-i-want-and-sometimes/) [Kevin Biegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-biegel/) > [People respond to any good you can do in music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ry-cooder/people-respond-to-any-good-you-can-do-in-music/) [Ry Cooder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ry-cooder/) > [If you create something that is asking for people to respond as they're going to respond, you have to allow them to respond as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-kaufman/if-you-create-something-that-is-asking-for-people-to-respond-as-they/) [Charlie Kaufman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-kaufman/) > [If you believe in your art, and you love what you do, that energy will go out, and people will respond.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-conniff/if-you-believe-in-your-art-and-you-love-what-you-do-that-energy-will/) [Ray Conniff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-conniff/) > [I don't think it's such a bad idea that people learn the same history in school. I think it tends to ground people and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-christgau/i-don-t-think-it-s-such-a-bad-idea-that-people-learn-the-same-history/) [Robert Christgau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-christgau/) > [What people respond to is intimacy and regularity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-holmes/what-people-respond-to-is-intimacy-and-regularity/) [Pete Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-holmes/) > [I'm out there to be real, and I think people respond to that. If you have some image that you're protecting, eventually people get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-buck/i-m-out-there-to-be-real-and-i-think-people-respond-to-that-if-you/) [Joe Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-buck/) > [When someone comes forward and is an individual, such as a Lady Gaga or a Katy Perry, people respond to them because there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-goreski/when-someone-comes-forward-and-is-an-individual-such-as-a-lady-gaga/) [Brad Goreski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-goreski/) > [I think people respond to dystopian stories because they're ways of acting out anxieties that we have and fears that we have about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/i-think-people-respond-to-dystopian-stories-because-they-re-ways-of/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [You can't be responsible for the way people respond to you. You're only responsible for yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-principal/you-can-t-be-responsible-for-the-way-people-respond-to-you-you-re/) [Victoria Principal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-principal/) > [People respond to real problems from the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-coen/people-respond-to-real-problems-from-the-heart/) [Ethan Coen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-coen/) > [There's a lot of negative things trying to pull people down, and I think people respond when you tell them that hey, there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/there-s-a-lot-of-negative-things-trying-to-pull-people-down-and-i/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) ## More by Kiersten White > [Be careful. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to the worst Spanish student in the history of the language.” I laughed. “No problemo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/be-careful-i-wouldn-t-want-anything-to-happen-to-the-worst-spanish/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [“I shuffled my weight from foot to foot, trying to relieve some of the soreness and wondering how long it would take Reth to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/i-shuffled-my-weight-from-foot-to-foot-trying-to-relieve-some-of-the/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [“It’s about Fia. Everything always is, even when she is nowhere near, even when she left all of us. We still orbit the brilliant,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/it-s-about-fia-everything-always-is-even-when-she-is-nowhere-near/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [Where did you find that one?" "I have no idea. I'm a magnet for crazies, I guess." "They must be able to sense a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/where-did-you-find-that-one-i-have-no-idea-i-m-a-magnet-for-crazies-i/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [...sometimes I get tired. Sometimes I get bored. And sometimes all I want, more than anything else in the world, is to go on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/sometimes-i-get-tired-sometimes-i-get-bored-and-sometimes-all-i-want/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [Fun-run" indeed,what a misnomer. That'd be like saying "calm gremlin" or "pleasant hag." Or 'entertaining history textbook.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/fun-run-indeed-what-a-misnomer-that-d-be-like-saying-calm-gremlin-or/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [“You bet I'm trouble.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/you-bet-i-m-trouble/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [Yes, I have a driver's license." I leaned back against the wall, sighing. "Man, that must be so cool." "It ranks right up there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/yes-i-have-a-driver-s-license-i-leaned-back-against-the-wall-sighing/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [“Sir, yes, sir!' Tyler jumps up mock-saluting. 'I love when you get bossy, it's kind of adorable”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/sir-yes-sir-tyler-jumps-up-mock-saluting-i-love-when-you-get-bossy-it/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [“Jack, who apparently always had to be moving in some way, had made up for the missing knife by grabbing a half loaf of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/jack-who-apparently-always-had-to-be-moving-in-some-way-had-made-up/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [“Reth reached out and took my fingers in his own, his touch light but comforting. “I’ve found that sacrifice is called that for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/reth-reached-out-and-took-my-fingers-in-his-own-his-touch-light-but/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [“Heaven and hell,your hands are cold." "I never thought I'd prefer the dead silence of the Paths over anything,but it had to be better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/heaven-and-hell-your-hands-are-cold-i-never-thought-i-d-prefer-the/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [“What about our souls?' Mehmed whispered. Before Lada walked out, she paused at the door. 'Souls and thrones are irreconcilable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/what-about-our-souls-mehmed-whispered-before-lada-walked-out-she/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [Give me a mirror.Or holy water. I'll drink it,even!" I gasped as someone threw water on the side of my face. "A little warning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/give-me-a-mirror-or-holy-water-i-ll-drink-it-even-i-gasped-as-someone/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [“Ignorance was bliss. Or at least less painfull”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/ignorance-was-bliss-or-at-least-less-painfull/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) [Explore all 593 Kiersten White quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) ## More Kindness quotes > [Half the misery of human life might be extinguished if men would alleviate the general curse they lie under by mutual offices of compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/half-the-misery-of-human-life-might-be-extinguished-if-men-would/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Each of our acts makes a statement as to our purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/each-of-our-acts-makes-a-statement-as-to-our-purpose/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) > [“I fight with love and kindness as my weapons and compassion as my defense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/i-fight-with-love-and-kindness-as-my-weapons-and-compassion-as-my/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [Liesel observed the strangeness of her foster father's eyes. They were made of kindness, and silver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/liesel-observed-the-strangeness-of-her-foster-father-s-eyes-they-were/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [Kindness unlocks doors that were thought to be closed forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unkown/kindness-unlocks-doors-that-were-thought-to-be-closed-forever/) Unkown > [“You are very kind and very intelligent and those elements are not always found together. Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, and my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-are-very-kind-and-very-intelligent-and-those-elements-are-not/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [Grace is the wonderful spirit that imbues every fiber of our being when we practice the fruits of the spirit: kindness, patience, understanding, forgiveness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-cayce/grace-is-the-wonderful-spirit-that-imbues-every-fiber-of-our-being/) [Edgar Cayce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-cayce/) > [Praise will come to those whose kindness leaves you without debt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-finn/praise-will-come-to-those-whose-kindness-leaves-you-without-debt/) [Neil Finn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-finn/) > [“A little bit of kindness goes a long way with women.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-unsworth/a-little-bit-of-kindness-goes-a-long-way-with-women/) [Barry Unsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-unsworth/) > [The smartest people are the ones who can bring a little bit of heaven to earth by using there kindness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isiahnunn/the-smartest-people-are-the-ones-who-can-bring-a-little-bit-of-heaven/) IsiahNunn > [If you take all the food aid, America is by far the most generous country. If you take the direct aid, we're very generous.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/if-you-take-all-the-food-aid-america-is-by-far-the-most-generous/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [“No one has any right to tell you that the way you perceive yourself is wrong. Because by doing so, they also discourage the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/no-one-has-any-right-to-tell-you-that-the-way-you-perceive-yourself/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) > [“la ilaha ilallah muhammadun rasulullah, alaihi salatullah wa alihi wal ahibba "shine your mercy like the sun, and be gracious as the earth let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talib-al-habib/la-ilaha-ilallah-muhammadun-rasulullah-alaihi-salatullah-wa-alihi-wal/) Talib al Habib > [“A man full of warm, speculative benevolence may wish his society otherwise constituted than he finds it; but a good patriot, and a true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/a-man-full-of-warm-speculative-benevolence-may-wish-his-society/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [(I)f we are going to be kind, let it be out of simple generosity, not because we fear guilt or retribution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-f-we-are-going-to-be-kind-let-it-be-out-of-simple-generosity-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 6,600 Kindness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kindness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“People respond to kindness. 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