The above is a quote from American philosopher Eric Hoffer. I saw it posted on Facebook recently and it put rudeness in perspective for me. I used to be intimidated by rude people thinking their loud and disgusting behavior was a sign of their strength. In reality, people are rude because they are weak. All they have going for them is noise and bluster. I once had a very rude person ahead of me in the check-out line at a grocery store. He was berating the check-out clerk so badly that she was in tears. I was tempted to intervene, but I felt that would only escalate the situation. After he left, I focused my energy on building the clerk back up and in no time at all, I had her laughing and back to her normal self. I had never met this clerk before, but the next time I entered the store, I heard her shout, “Hey Ross! Make sure you check out in my line!” Rude people don’t get that kind of treatment.

One Sentence Wisdom

• “The best response to rudeness is no response.” — Sue Fitzmaurice
• “If you can’t be kind, be quiet.” — Monica Early

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