The difference between politeness and tact. “Imagine you inadvertently enter a bathroom where a woman is standing naked under the shower, Politeness requires that you quickly close the door and say, ‘Pardon, Madame!’, whereas tact would be to quickly close the door and say: ‘Pardon, Monsieur!’"
-Delphine Seyrig, Baisers volés, 1968