"**The advice of etiquette experts on dealing with unwanted invitations, or overly demanding requests for favours, has always been the same: just say no**. That may have been a useless mantra in the war on drugs, but in the war on relatives who want to stay for a fortnight, or colleagues trying to get you to do their work for them, the manners guru Emily Post’s formulation – ‘**I’m afraid that won’t be possible**’ – remains the gold standard. **Excuses merely invite negotiation**. The comic retort has its place (Peter Cook: ‘Oh dear, I find I’m watching television that night’), and I’m fond of the tautological non-explanation (‘I can’t, because I’m unable to’). But these are variations on a theme. The best way to say no is to say no. Then shut up." --- **Tags** -- [[quotes]], [[joy-of-missing-out]], [[saying-no]], [[conflict]], [[crucial-conversations]], **Source** -- [[20241114100017 - B - Help!]]