--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Etiquette is the grease that makes it…" description: "\"Etiquette is the grease that makes it possible for all of us to rub together without unnecessary overheating.\" — Russell Baker" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb6/russell-baker-2930_etiquette_etiquette-is-the-grease-that-makes-it-po_281337.png" --- # Etiquette is the grease that makes it possible for all of… ![“Etiquette is the grease that makes it possible for all of us to rub together without unnecessary overheating.” quote by Russell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb6/russell-baker-2930_etiquette_etiquette-is-the-grease-that-makes-it-po_281337.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb6/russell-baker-2930_etiquette_etiquette-is-the-grease-that-makes-it-po_281337.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb6/russell-baker-2930_etiquette_etiquette-is-the-grease-that-makes-it-po_281337.png) > “Etiquette is the grease that makes it possible for all of us to rub together without unnecessary overheating.” [Russell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Social manners act as lubricants that prevent friction in human interactions. **In simple terms:** Politeness keeps people from clashing. Key Takeaway Practice courtesy to ease social friction. Themes social harmony communication manners Mood lighthearted observational Type sociological humorous When to use this quote - workplace meetings - public transport - family gatherings - online forums Key Concepts social psychology cultural norms Questions to Reflect On - When does politeness become a barrier? - How can we balance courtesy with honesty? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on etiquette can suppress authentic expression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Etiquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/etiquette/) [Manners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manners/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) ## Related quotes > [I'd always have grease in at least two places, in case the umpires would ask me to wipe one off. I never wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaylord-perry/i-d-always-have-grease-in-at-least-two-places-in-case-the-umpires/) [Gaylord Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaylord-perry/) > [I hate to be a kicker, I always long for peace, But the wheel that does the squeaking, is the one that gets the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/i-hate-to-be-a-kicker-i-always-long-for-peace-but-the-wheel-that-does/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > ['Grease?' I watch that film over and over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rza/grease-i-watch-that-film-over-and-over/) [Rza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rza/) > [“The squeaky wheel gets the grease, but the quacking duck gets shot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/the-squeaky-wheel-gets-the-grease-but-the-quacking-duck-gets-shot/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [When it came to football there was a certain age where I realized that my future in football was being a grease spot on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-steinberg/when-it-came-to-football-there-was-a-certain-age-where-i-realized/) [Leigh Steinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-steinberg/) > [I made my Broadway debut in the revival of Hair and followed it up with the bus and truck tour of Grease.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-gallagher/i-made-my-broadway-debut-in-the-revival-of-hair-and-followed-it-up/) [Peter Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-gallagher/) > [As for highlights, of course "Grease" changed my life and I will always be grateful for that experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-newton-john/as-for-highlights-of-course-grease-changed-my-life-and-i-will-always/) [Olivia Newton-John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-newton-john/) > [Society mediates between the extremes of, on the one hand, intolerably strict morality and, on the other, dangerously anarchic permissiveness through an unspoken agreement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-malcolm/society-mediates-between-the-extremes-of-on-the-one-hand-intolerably/) [Janet Malcolm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-malcolm/) > [I put £150,000 into the stage production of Grease and have got back £1.5 million so far. It has been a fantastic success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-archer/i-put-150-000-into-the-stage-production-of-grease-and-have-got-back-1/) [Jeffrey Archer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-archer/) > [I can rock out anything. I mean, I can rock out a little 'Time After Time'. I can do a little 'Grease Lightning'. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-bell/i-can-rock-out-anything-i-mean-i-can-rock-out-a-little-time-after/) [Kristen Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-bell/) > [I kind of feel like I've been eating professionally for a long time. I've tasted everything. If there's a sausage, you know what? I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duff-goldman/i-kind-of-feel-like-i-ve-been-eating-professionally-for-a-long-time-i/) [Duff Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duff-goldman/) > [Then there are some minor points that strike me as suggestive - for instance, the position of Mrs. Hubbard's sponge bag, the name of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/then-there-are-some-minor-points-that-strike-me-as-suggestive-for/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [Burn a Bush cause for peace he no push no button. Killing over oil and grease, no weapons of destruction, How can we follow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/burn-a-bush-cause-for-peace-he-no-push-no-button-killing-over-oil-and/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/) > [Some guys need to see things on a grease board, ... I like when you can see it in your mind. And that's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peyton-manning/some-guys-need-to-see-things-on-a-grease-board-i-like-when-you-can/) [Peyton Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peyton-manning/) > [Grease is the word, is the word that you heard, It's got groove, its got feeling...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-valli/grease-is-the-word-is-the-word-that-you-heard-it-s-got-groove-its-got/) [Frankie Valli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-valli/) ## More by Russell Baker > [Unpleasant questions are being raised about Mother's Day. Is this day necessary? . . . Isn't it bad public policy? . . . No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/unpleasant-questions-are-being-raised-about-mother-s-day-is-this-day/) [Russell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/) > [The people who are always hankering loudest for some golden yesteryear usually drive new cars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/the-people-who-are-always-hankering-loudest-for-some-golden/) [Russell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/) > [In writing, punctuation plays the role of body language. It helps readers hear you the way you want to be heard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/in-writing-punctuation-plays-the-role-of-body-language-it-helps/) [Russell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/) > [Kingsley Amis was one of a trio of brilliant comic novelists who made English literature sparkle in the twentieth century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/kingsley-amis-was-one-of-a-trio-of-brilliant-comic-novelists-who-made/) [Russell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/) > [Life seemed to be an educator's practical joke in which you spent the first half learning and the second half learning that everything you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/life-seemed-to-be-an-educator-s-practical-joke-in-which-you-spent-the/) [Russell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/) > [I gave up on new poetry myself 30 years ago when most of it began to read like coded messages passing between lonely aliens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/i-gave-up-on-new-poetry-myself-30-years-ago-when-most-of-it-began-to/) [Russell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/) > [After two years studying what rewrite men did with the facts I phoned them, I knew that journalism was essentially a task of stringing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/after-two-years-studying-what-rewrite-men-did-with-the-facts-i-phoned/) [Russell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/) > [American foreign policy had still not recovered from its victory over communism when George W. Bush and Condoleezza Rice took over at the White…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/american-foreign-policy-had-still-not-recovered-from-its-victory-over/) [Russell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/) > [Anything that isn't opposed by about 40 percent of humanity is either an evil business or so unimportant that it simply doesn't matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/anything-that-isn-t-opposed-by-about-40-percent-of-humanity-is-either/) [Russell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/) > [When you're the only pea in the pod, your parents are likely to get you confused with the Hope diamond.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/when-you-re-the-only-pea-in-the-pod-your-parents-are-likely-to-get/) [Russell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/) > [Serious journalism need not be solemn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/serious-journalism-need-not-be-solemn/) [Russell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/) > [Ireland really is my problem; the breaking point of the huge suppuration which all British and all European society now is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/ireland-really-is-my-problem-the-breaking-point-of-the-huge/) [Russell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/) > [Journalism talk is part of the nonstop background noise of American life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/journalism-talk-is-part-of-the-nonstop-background-noise-of-american/) [Russell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/) > [An educated person is one who has learned that information almost always turns out to be at best incomplete and very often false, misleading,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/an-educated-person-is-one-who-has-learned-that-information-almost/) [Russell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/) > [The best discussion of trouble in boardroom and business office is found in newspapers' own financial pages and speeches by journalists in management jobs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/the-best-discussion-of-trouble-in-boardroom-and-business-office-is/) [Russell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/) [Explore all 145 Russell Baker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/) ## More Etiquette quotes > [Humility simply means that you do a great job at everything and it isn't really a big deal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/humility-simply-means-that-you-do-a-great-job-at-everything-and-it/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Nothing more rapidly inclines a person to go into a monastery than reading a book on etiquette. There are so many trivial ways in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/nothing-more-rapidly-inclines-a-person-to-go-into-a-monastery-than/) [Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/) > [The Australian Book of Etiquette is a very slim volume.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-theroux/the-australian-book-of-etiquette-is-a-very-slim-volume/) [Paul Theroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-theroux/) > [Any individual is capable of realizing the truth at any time. No tradition is necessary, no chain, no lineage. Once you have realized the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/any-individual-is-capable-of-realizing-the-truth-at-any-time-no/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [What is important in self-discovery is the person who keeps going, who has a smile, who is kind to others, who works hard at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/what-is-important-in-self-discovery-is-the-person-who-keeps-going-who/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [There is a strange taboo in our society against ending something merely because it is not pleasant-- life, love, a conversation, you name it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dewitt/there-is-a-strange-taboo-in-our-society-against-ending-something/) [Helen DeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dewitt/) > [Manners are a sensitive awareness of the feelings of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-post/manners-are-a-sensitive-awareness-of-the-feelings-of-others/) [Emily Post](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-post/) > [Do not feel that you are destined not to make that final liberation in this life. This is egotism in a reverse form. Don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/do-not-feel-that-you-are-destined-not-to-make-that-final-liberation/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“When you know you can do something, and you feel good about yourself, you do not have to devalue others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-patrick-hickey/when-you-know-you-can-do-something-and-you-feel-good-about-yourself/) John Patrick Hickey > [Your mantrum is the awareness of the dream - to enjoy and appreciate and have gratitude for all; neither to condemn nor to liberate,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/your-mantrum-is-the-awareness-of-the-dream-to-enjoy-and-appreciate/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“A token of bathroom stoner etiquette.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/a-token-of-bathroom-stoner-etiquette/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [“ Redneck Rules of Etiquette • To avoid bruising wine as you decant it, make sure to tilt the paper cup. • Your centerpiece…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-ford/redneck-rules-of-etiquette-to-avoid-bruising-wine-as-you-decant-it/) [Deborah Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-ford/) > [An enlightened teacher simply expresses enlightenment in their life by living. It is the student's job to gain the teachings. The teacher's job is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/an-enlightened-teacher-simply-expresses-enlightenment-in-their-life/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“Traditional values are not gone. They are good netiquette.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-chiles/traditional-values-are-not-gone-they-are-good-netiquette/) [David Chiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-chiles/) > [It is very important to always hold the thought of an enlightened teacher in your mind in a very positive way. When you direct…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/it-is-very-important-to-always-hold-the-thought-of-an-enlightened/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) [Browse all 364 Etiquette quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/etiquette/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Etiquette is the grease that makes it possible for all of us to rub together without unnecessary overheating.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Russell Baker" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/etiquette-is-the-grease-that-makes-it-possible-for-all-of-us-to-rub/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Etiquette" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/etiquette-is-the-grease-that-makes-it-possible-for-all-of-us-to-rub/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb6/russell-baker-2930_etiquette_etiquette-is-the-grease-that-makes-it-po_281337.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb6/russell-baker-2930_etiquette_etiquette-is-the-grease-that-makes-it-po_281337.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb6/russell-baker-2930_etiquette_etiquette-is-the-grease-that-makes-it-po_281337.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Etiquette is the grease that makes it possible for all of us to rub together without unnecessary overheating.” — Russell Baker", "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": "Russell Baker", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Etiquette is the grease that makes...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/etiquette-is-the-grease-that-makes-it-possible-for-all-of-us-to-rub/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/etiquette-is-the-grease-that-makes-it-possible-for-all-of-us-to-rub/#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 } } ] } ```