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Reacting in anger or annoyance will not advance one's ability to persuade.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Responding with anger does not help in convincing others.

This quote by Ruth Bader Ginsburg emphasizes the importance of maintaining composure and calmness in discussions, particularly when trying to persuade others. It suggests that emotional reactions, such as anger or annoyance, are counterproductive and can hinder effective communication and argumentation.

Themes

AngerPersuasionCommunicationCalmnessWisdom

In practice

Example use cases

During a heated debate at a community meeting.

More from Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Not a law firm in the entire city of New York bid for my employment as a lawyer when I earned my degree.
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If you want to influence people, you want them to accept your suggestions, you don't say, 'You don't know how to use the English language,' or 'How could you make that argument?' It will be welcomed much more if you have a gentle touch than if you are aggressive.
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I try to teach through my opinions, through my speeches, how wrong it is to judge people on the basis of what they look like, color of their skin, whether they're men or women.
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The worst times were the years I was alone. The image to the public entering the courtroom was eight men, of a certain size, and then this little woman sitting to the side. That was not a good image for the public to see.
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A constitution, as important as it is, will mean nothing unless the people are yearning for liberty and freedom.
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My resume showed membership on both the Harvard and Columbia Law Reviews, a credit impressive abroad where it was not generally known that Law Reviews were student-operated publications.
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