Terry Pratchett Quotes

You simply cannot tell other people they are stupid, even if they really are stupid.

More faults are often committed while we are trying to oblige than while we are giving offense.

Opinion! If every one had so little tact as to give their true opinion when it was asked this would be a miserable world.

if you have to say “no offense” to someone, you have already offended them.

There are occasions on which all apology is rudeness.

When politeness is used to show up other people, it is reclassified as rudeness. Thus it is technically impossible to be too polite.

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.

You've gotta be very careful that grace and politeness do not merge into a banality of behavior, where we're just nice, sort of 'death by cupcake.'

I understand the power of symbols, and if I had anything on my house that seriously offended someone, I'd take it down if for no other reason than common courtesy.

Politeness is sometimes a great tax upon sincerity.

I know of no manner of speaking so offensive as that of giving praise, and closing it with an exception.

As I am sure you know, when people say 'It's my pleasure,' they usually mean something along the lines of, 'There's nothing on Earth I would rather do less.' [...]

I have seen people rude by being over-polite.

Nine times out of 10, the most charming thing to say in any given situation will be the exact opposite of what one really feels.

Politeness is deception in pretty packaging.

Stop saying no offense,” I said, “when you say offensive things. It’s not a free pass.

Tact, the kind of tact you should cultivate, is not a form of deception or make-believe, but a cultivated taste which gives fine perception in seeing and doing what is best under all circumstances. There is nothing which will so readily bring you into favor, or disarm an opponent, as the right use of tact.

it is bad manners to contradict a guest. You must never insult people in your own house - always go to theirs.

Politeness is fictitious benevolence.

You only ask people about themselves so you can tell them about yourself.

to be civilized is to be incapable of giving unnecessary offense, it is to have some quality of consideration for all who cross our path.

The worst of having so much tact was that you never quite knew whether other people were acting naturally or being tactful too. [The human element]

...but I guess it's better for people to shut up rather than rather than say something nasty. -ONE NIGHT @ THE CALL CENTER Chapter 1 page 22

It's OK to offend people with the Gospel, but, good grief- let's don't offend them with something else.

In nothing do we fail more, as a Mission, than in lack of tact and politeness.