About this quote

Some sources of danger look harmless until they decide otherwise. Treating risky people or situations like a joke hands power to whatever can actually hurt you. Before you throw a sarcastic line or push a boundary, check who holds the real power and what their cost for retaliation would be. If there's a chance it can blow back on you or someone you care about, change your words or your stance and own that choice.

When to use it

• At work, when you crack a joke about the CEO's temper during a meeting, keep this line in mind if the CEO unexpectedly joins later.
• In a pickup basketball game, after you trash-talk a well-known enforcer, remember it if they decide to answer with physical play.
• In class, when you laugh off a strict professor's grading policy, think of this the next time your paper gets marked down.
• When you laugh about a wild market trend at a party, recall the quote if your investments take a sudden hit.