222 Quotes by Judith Martin

Nowadays people consider it a disgrace to admit that they are not stressed.

[after the death of a loved one] It is when there is nothing more to be done that the reality of the loss often hits with full force.

Generosity and gratitude are inseparably linked.

Being listened to should be sufficiently gratifying in itself, whether or not the advice is followed.

The truly essential bargain between host and guest requires the guest only to respond promptly, show up on time, socialize with other guests, thank the host, write additional thanks and reciprocate. You needn’t bring anything.

If you can’t be kind, at least be vague.

Miss Manners corrects only upon request. Then she does it from a distance, with no names attached, and no personal relationship, however distant, between the corrector and the correctee. She does not search out errors like a policeman leaping out of a speed trap. When Miss Manners observes people behaving rudely, she behaves politely to them, and then goes home and snickers about them afterward.

One of the big no-nos in cyberspace is that you do not go into a social activity, a chat group or something like that, and start advertising or selling things. This etiquette rule is an attempt to separate one’s social life, which should be pure enjoyment and relaxation, from the pressures of work.

It’s far more impressive when others discover your good qualities without your help.