About this quote

Some people throw sharp opinions around to feel superior; you don't have to accept that. Call out mean or careless judgments with a calm word or a clever retort, and walk away when a conversation turns toxic. Use humor to defuse tension rather than matching nastiness. Decide where you draw the line and act on it.

When to use it

• At a gallery opening when a coworker sneers at your painting, you smile and say, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder," then point out what you were trying to do.
• At a family dinner after an uncle mocks your child's drawing, you protect the kid and say, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder — maybe their eye needs a tune-up."
• After a teammate laughs at your unorthodox move on the field, you shrug and reply, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder," then demonstrate why it works.
• When a reviewer dismisses your research as pointless, you keep your cool and say, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder — let's look at the data together."