51 Disrespect Quotes for Dealing with Rude People

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Have you ever encountered someone rude or disrespectful?

You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who hasn’t and rude people are just a fact of life – just like bad weather. In today’s post, we’ll be providing you with a list of disrespect quotes to help you handle those who have, sadly, not developed the behavior that most adults really should have by now.

However, before we get to these quotes, let’s provide a bit of context on why rudeness gets us so worked up.

Why Read Disrespect Quotes?

In many ways, we are told a false idea about humanity, that we’re in competition and that it’s a “dog eat dog world” or a similar notion. This is not true – life is not an Olympic event and humans have evolved to cooperate (hence why we have large brains, instead of bigger teeth).

This is most likely why we are so bothered by rudeness – it’s completely illogical behavior for an animal that depends on the group to survive as its evolutionary strategy. Think about it, if you’re too rude then the tribe will abandon you and you wouldn’t last long on your own.

So, why does rude behavior exist? There are all kinds of reasons people are rude to each other – poor coping mechanisms, an overblown ego, poor parenting, good old plain ignorance, and many more. With all that said, nobody can control how someone else will behave, you can only control your responses.

These quotes will help provide some mental framework and help you build the presence of mind to handle all kinds of negative behavior. Sometimes, it’s too easy to respond to disrespectful behavior by reacting in a way that only serves to escalate the situation, but this rarely accomplishes anything.

Now, let’s take a look at the quotes.

51 Disrespect Quotes for Dealing with Rude People

  1. “Disrespect is tired. Shade is old. Sipping ‘tea' isn't cute. But loving, supporting, giving, being grateful and perpetuating light, is.” – Grace Gealey
  2. “When I look at a person, I see a person – not a rank, not a class, not a title.” – Criss Jami
  3. “Disrespect is the weapon of the weak.” – Alice Miller  
  4. “Never disrespect anyone. Pride comes before a thunderous fall.” – Don Santo
  5. “The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others.” – Fyodor Dostoevsky
  1. “When we disrespect a person, we disrespect God.” – Unknown
  2. “I would never disrespect any man, woman, chick or child out there. We're all the same. What goes around comes around, and karma kicks us all in the butt in the end of the day.” – Angie Stone
  3. “Ice is for death and endings.” – Guy Gavriel Kay
  4. “If you disrespect everybody that you run into, how in the world do you think everybody’s supposed to respect you?” – Aretha Franklin
  5. “Disrespect is bad for the atmosphere around a team.” – Sergio Ramos
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  1. “Being brilliant is no great feat if you respect nothing.” – Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
  2. “Don’t let people disrespect you. My mom says don’t open the door to the devil. Surround yourself with positive people.” – Cuba Gooding, Jr.
  3. “Disrespect earns the displeasure of the creator and the creation.” – Abdul-Qadir Gilani
  4. “What goes around, comes around” – Willie Nelson
  5. “You're not going to be liked by everybody when you speak the truth. I don't speak the truth to put people down; I don't speak the truth to show disrespect.” – Hope Solo
  6. “I would never treat anyone with disrespect just because they are different from me. We are all created by the Almighty, and like Him, I love all of humanity.” – Phil Robertson
  7. “Those who disrespect you with their mouth don’t deserve your ear.” – Curtis Tyrone Jones
  8. “Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.” – Eric Hoffer
  9. “When you tolerate disrespectful people you disrespect yourself.” – Wayne Gerard Trotman
  10. “Intelligence arouses fear and respect, the lack of it keeps one on the narrow minded road of disrespect, stupidity and inferiority complex.” – Michael Bassey Johnson

Intelligence arouses fear and respect, the lack of it keeps one on the narrow minded road of disrespect, stupidity and inferiority complex.” – Michael Bassey Johnson

  1. “Being tolerant does not mean acquiescing to the intolerable; it does not mean covering up disrespect; it does not mean coddling the aggressor or disguising aggression.” – Paulo Freire
  2. “If they disrespect you to your face, imagine what they’re doing behind your back.” – Sonya Parker
  3. “You don’t have to disrespect and insult others simply to hold your own ground. If you do, that shows how shaky your own position is.” – Red Haircrow
  4. “Engage those among you who are visionary and remove from your life those who offer you depression, despair and disrespect.” – Nikki Giovanni
  5. “It is a wise thing to be polite; consequently, it is a stupid thing to be rude. To make enemies by unnecessary and willful incivility is just as insane a proceeding as to set your house on fire.” – Arthur Schopenhauer
  6. “Never undermine , what you don't know.” – De philosopher DJ Kyos
  7. “Disrespect adheres to the ignorant; like wet leaves, breathed, on cold skin.” – Sir Kristian Goldmund Aumann
  8. “No one is more insufferable than he who lacks basic courtesy.” – Bryant McGill
  9. “People disrespect you for two reasons; to gain your respect towards them and to bargain your trust towards them.” – J. Ruby
  10. “Rudeness luxuriates in the absence of self-respect.” – Eric Hoffer
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  1. “Don’t allow someone to be a jerk. Don’t allow someone to disrespect you. Listen to the bigger voice in your head telling you that you deserve the best.” – Kimora Lee Simmons
  2. “If you tolerate disrespectful behavior it will get worse over time.” – Samara O'Shea
  3. “A child who is allowed to be disrespectful to his parents will not have true respect for anyone.” – Billy Graham
  4. “If you are rude, cynical, habitually-sarcastic or pessimistic, your life options are going to be very limited.” – Bryant McGill
  5. “Men are respectable only as they respect.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
  6. “Disrespecting elders is the cancer of folks.” – Kamaran Ihsan Salih
  7.  “Arrogance, disrespect and demand have higher price. Kindness, respect and tact give better prize.” – Angelica Hopes
  8. “Was it the forgetfulness of old age or personal incapacity that made the man able to say please but not thank you?” – Yann Martel
  9. “Ideological differences are no excuse for rudeness.” – Judith Martin
  10. “Abusive language and swearing are a legacy of slavery, humiliation, and disrespect for human dignity, one’s own and that of other people.” – Leon Trotsky
  11. “Disrespect prevents love from growing.” – Anoir Ou-Chad
  12. “I would rather adjust my life to your absence then adjust my boundaries to accommodate your disrespect.” – Unknown
  13. “Never in England were there so many gentlemen and so little gentleness.” – C.J. Sansom
  14. “I believe if you are nice to people, children will follow. Likewise, if you are rude to people, children will follow.” – Wendi Deng Murdoch
  15. “If you don't respect me, simply ignoring you is a relief.” – Toba Beta
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  1. “You have very little morally persuasive power with people who can feel your underlying contempt.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
  2. “It’s better to be alone and keep your dignity than to be in a relationship where you always sacrifice your self-respect.” – Auliq Ice
  3. “Rudeness happens when there is a leak in your self-control.” – Richelle E. Goodrich
  4. “Discomfort is understandable. It’s the rudeness that isn’t.” – N.K. Jemisin
  5. “I was taught you never, ever disrespect your opponent or your teammates or your organization or your manager, and never, ever your uniform.” – Ryne Sandberg
  6. “If you do not respect your own wishes, no one else will. You will simply attract people who disrespect you as much as you do.” – Vironika Tugaleva

Final Thoughts on Disrespect Quotes

That brings us to the end of our compilation. We hope these quotes can help you better understand how to deal with the less civil counterparts in your life. You’d be surprised what a little change in thinking can do to help.

In the meantime, check out these 11 steps to be more proud of yourself. When you realize what you’ve accomplished you won’t tolerate disrespect from anyone.

And if you want more inspirational quotes, be sure to check out these blog posts:

Finally, if you want to use these quotes to make a lasting change to your life, then check out and recite these 57 affirmations for success.

Tom Smith is a creative writer with over 6 years of professional experience. He discovered the joy of writing after covering some furniture in his childhood home with graffiti. In later years, he got himself a BA in creative writing and hasn’t looked back. After discovering the power of positive thinking and discovering the spiritual side of life, he believes it's a huge privilege to be able to write about all things personal development.

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