Ginsburg on Supreme Court And Marriage, ‘Be A Little Deaf’

In an essay adapted from her new book, “My Own Words,” Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg shared advice she received on her wedding day from her mother-in-law: “’In every good marriage,’ she counseled, ‘it helps sometimes to be a little deaf.’” That advice has proved useful in her decades on the Supreme Court, Ginsburg said. “When a thoughtless or unkind word is spoken, best tune out. Reacting in anger or annoyance will not advance one’s ability to persuade.” The essay touches on Ginsburg’s legal career, her work to advance gender equality, and ultimately advocates for collegiality. The Supreme Court justices “could not do the job the Constitution assigns to us if we didn’t – to use one of Justice Antonin Scalia’s favorite expressions – ‘get over it!’”