Martin, Judith -- “Miss Manners,” syndicated column (2009-11-19)

Dave — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 17:27:05 +0000

What we have come to, through a combination of popular psychology and expanding technology, is a presumption that all our thoughts and feelings are worth uttering.

Judith Martin (b. 1938) American author, journalist, etiquette expert [a.k.a. Miss Manners]
“Miss Manners,” syndicated column (2009-11-19)

White, Ken -- Twitter (2022-09-13)

Dave — Thu, 30 May 2024 16:41:25 +0000

If you look at someone and see no reasonable probability you’ll ever have a positive or instructive interaction with them, block now and move on.

Ken White (b. c. 1969) American constitutional and criminal attorney, prosecutor, blogger
Twitter (2022-09-13)

Commonly known as "The Popehat Rule" (after White's Twitter account handle). An earlier version reads:

Block early, block often, block whenever you feel "I think I would enjoy not knowing this person.
[Twitter (2022-06-23)]

This should not be confused with Popehat's Rule of Goats or Law of Goats, e.g.:

He who fucks goats, either as part of a performance or to troll those he deems has overly delicate sensibilities, is simply a goatfucker.
[Urban Dictionary, "Popehat's Law of Goats"]

If you fuck goats because it upsets people you hate, you're still a goatfucker. Nobody cares that you're an insincere goatfucker.
[Twitter (2017-02-19)]

The Rule of Goats: even if you say you're only fucking goats ironically, you're still a goatfucker.
[Twitter (2017-04-30)]

If you kiss a goat, even if you say you’re doing it ironically, you’re still a goat-kisser.
["Is Alex Jones an extreme conspiracy theorist or a giant troll?" Los Angeles Times (2017-04-11) (Paraphrased "for this family newspaper")]

WIST Quotations

Martin, Judith -- “Miss Manners,” syndicated column (2009-11-19)

White, Ken -- Twitter (2022-09-13)