Moving parts in rubbing contact require lubrication to avoid excessive wear. Honorifics and formal politeness provide lubrication where people rub together. Often the very young, the untraveled, the naive, the unsophisticated deplore these formalities as “empty,” – “meaningless,” or “dishonest,” and scorn to use them. No matter how “pure” their motives, they thereby throw sand […]
Politeness Quotes
When a man is trying to sell you something, don’t imagine that he is polite all the time.
Among well-bred people a mutual deference is affected, contempt for others is disguised; authority concealed; attention given to each in his turn; and an easy stream of conversation maintained without vehemence, without interruption, without eagerness for victory, and without any airs of superiority.
Be polite to all, but intimate with few.
In truth, politeness is artificial good humor, it covers the natural want of it, and ends by rendering habitual a substitute nearly equivalent to the real virtue.
Politeness is one of those advantages which we never estimate rightly but by the inconvenience of its loss.
The true effect of genuine politeness seems to be rather ease than pleasure… Though it be the privilege of a very small number to ravish and to charm, every man may hope by rules and caution not to give pain, and may, therefore, by the help of good breeding, enjoy the kindness of mankind, though […]
Build on the flanks of Etna where the sullen smoke-puffs float- Or bath in tropic waters where the lean fin dogs the boat- Cock the gun that is not loaded, cook the frozen dynamite- But oh, beware my Country, when my Country grows polite!
Politeness, n. The most acceptable hypocrisy.
A cat is never vulgar.
