Quote

One should not be assigned one's identity in society by the job slot one happens to fill. If we truly believe in the dignity of labor, any task can be performed with equal pride because none can demean the basic dignity of a human being.

Judith Martin

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Judith Martin
Age: 86
Born: 1938
Born: September 13
Economist
Journalist
Washington
District of Columbia
Happens
None
Slot
Human
Identity
Assigned
Humans
Labor
Performed
Work
Pride
Fill
Believe
Truly
Task
Equal
Basic
Society
Tasks
Jobs
Dignity
Demean

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It's far more impressive when others discover your good qualities without your help.
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What restricts the use of the word 'lady' among the courteous is that it is intended to set a woman apart from ordinary humanity, and in the working world that is not a help, as women have discovered in many bitter ways.
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It is said that dispensing advice is easy. What is difficult is getting anyone to listen to it.
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The whole country wants civility. Why don't we have it? It doesn't cost anything. No federal funding, no legislation is involved. One answer is the unwillingness to restrain oneself. Everybody wants other people to be polite to them, but they want the freedom of not having to be polite to others.
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You should resolve not to seek public approval of your private business, when you are not also prepared to accept public disapproval.
Judith Martin
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Most people who work at home find they do not have the benefit of receptionists who serve as personal guards
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The etiquette question that troubles so many fastidious people New Year's Day is: How am I ever going to face those people again?
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The more skillful the performance of false cheer, the more pleasing the effect is upon one's public and on that private audience to whom one owes even more.
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Allowing an unimportant mistake to pass without comment is a wonderful social grace.
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When you consider how epidemic boredom is in our time, you have to concede that entertaining is a healing art.
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We already know that anonymous letters are despicable. In etiquette, as well as in law, hiring a hit man to do the job does not relieve you of responsibility.
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We are all entitled to our little harmless habits, but we are not entitled to demand approval for them.
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Nowadays people consider it a disgrace to admit that they are not stressed.
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The etiquette business has its emergencies, heaven knows, but it is in the nature of etiquette emergencies that once one realizes what one has done, it is too late. One might as well get a good night's sleep and send flowers with an apology in the morning.
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Nobody believes that the man who says, 'Look, lady, you wanted equality,' to explain why he won't give up his seat to a pregnant woman carrying three grocery bags, a briefcase, and a toddler is seized with the symbolism of idealism.
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Nowadays, you form your beliefs to fit your behavior, not the other way around.
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Perhaps the greatest rudenesses of our time come not from the callousness of strangers, but from the solicitousness of intimates who believe that their frank criticisms are always welcome, and who feel free to be themselves with those they love, which turns out to mean being their worst selves, while saving their best behavior for strangers.
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A general rule of etiquette is that one apologizes for the unfortunate occurrence, but the unthinkable is unmentionable.
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Visiting the sick is supposed to exhibit such great virtue that there are some people determined to do it whether the sick like it or not. ... All visitors everywhere are supposed to make plans to depart if they observe their hosts visibly wilting or in pain, but this is especially true at hospitals.
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Only a person who considers himself too good for you is good enough.
Judith Martin