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It is a mistake that there is no bath that will cure people's manners, but drowning would help.
Mark Twain
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Mark Twain humorously suggests that bad manners are deeply ingrained and cannot be easily changed, although drowning might be an extreme solution.

In this quote, Mark Twain uses humor to reflect on the notion that some people have such poor manners that there is no remedy for them. The hyperbolic suggestion of drowning illustrates the frustration many feel towards impolite behavior, emphasizing that bad manners are a significant social issue that goes beyond simple correction.

Themes

MannersHumorPolitenessSocial BehaviorFrustration

In practice

Example use cases

This quote could be used in a humorous speech about social etiquette at a gathering.

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