--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We call people who work with mud and…" description: "\"We call people who work with mud and earth, and sand and stone, unskilled labor in India. I cannot in this lifetime wield the implements that they use ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61b/aruna-roy-53137_accepting_we-call-people-who-work-with-mud-and-ear_3008167.jpg" --- # We call people who work with mud and earth, and sand and… ![“We call people who work with mud and earth, and sand and stone, unskilled labor in India. I cannot in this lifetime wield the implements that they use either to dig the earth or to shovel the earth. I can't carry the loads. That's extremely specialized. But they are called unskilled, and I am…” quote by Aruna Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61b/aruna-roy-53137_accepting_we-call-people-who-work-with-mud-and-ear_3008167.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61b/aruna-roy-53137_accepting_we-call-people-who-work-with-mud-and-ear_3008167.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61b/aruna-roy-53137_accepting_we-call-people-who-work-with-mud-and-ear_3008167.jpg) > “We call people who work with mud and earth, and sand and stone, unskilled labor in India. I cannot in this lifetime wield the implements that they use either to dig the earth or to shovel the earth. I can't carry the loads. That's extremely specialized. But they are called unskilled, and I am called skilled because I can write with the pen. I cannot accept this. I find it extremely non-egalitarian to say they are unskilled and I am skilled. It's only a way of looking at it. Knowledge is also like that.” [Aruna Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aruna-roy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Labeling manual workers as “unskilled” while valuing pen‑based work creates inequality and devalues knowledge. **In simple terms:** Skill labels are unfair. Key Takeaway Challenge skill hierarchies. Themes social justice labor rights knowledge hierarchy Mood critical activist Type sociopolitical philosophical When to use this quote - policy advocacy - education reform - community organizing Key Concepts egalitarianism sociology of work Questions to Reflect On - How can we redefine “skill”? - What policies promote equal respect for all work? A Different Perspective Economic value of manual labor can be quantified differently. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [India](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/india/) [Labor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labor/) [Lifetime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lifetime/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Unskilled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unskilled/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I decided to set out to prove that you could make a reasonable living building for the poor using recycled materials and only hiring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-phillips/i-decided-to-set-out-to-prove-that-you-could-make-a-reasonable-living/) [Dan Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-phillips/) > [Don't be condescending to unskilled labor. Try it for a half a day first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooks-atkinson/don-t-be-condescending-to-unskilled-labor-try-it-for-a-half-a-day/) [Brooks Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brooks-atkinson/) > [Early to bed and early to rise probably indicates unskilled labor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ciardi/early-to-bed-and-early-to-rise-probably-indicates-unskilled-labor/) [John Ciardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ciardi/) > [Man is the only 150 pound nonlinear servomechanism that can be wholly reproduced by unskilled labor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-montagu/man-is-the-only-150-pound-nonlinear-servomechanism-that-can-be-wholly/) [Ashley Montagu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-montagu/) > [The best computer is a man, and it’s the only one that can be mass-produced by unskilled labor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-best-computer-is-a-man-and-it-s-the-only-one-that-can-be-mass/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Some friends are like sunny days, with false flames, oozing from afar, coming near without a dime.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/some-friends-are-like-sunny-days-with-false-flames-oozing-from-afar/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [If you have unskilled people who work poorly together, no amount of process will save your projects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-highsmith/if-you-have-unskilled-people-who-work-poorly-together-no-amount-of/) [Jim Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-highsmith/) > [A lot of young people just starting out unskilled, as all Americans do when they're born here, come to this country, and so the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grover-norquist/a-lot-of-young-people-just-starting-out-unskilled-as-all-americans-do/) [Grover Norquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grover-norquist/) > [An unskilled middle-aged man can work in the mines, and it pays well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-flanagan/an-unskilled-middle-aged-man-can-work-in-the-mines-and-it-pays-well/) [Richard Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-flanagan/) > [Alan Greenspan is unskilled; you don't take the unskilled seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/alan-greenspan-is-unskilled-you-don-t-take-the-unskilled-seriously/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [Let the unskilled jobs that take absolutely no knowledge whatsoever to do — let stupid and unskilled Mexicans do that work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/let-the-unskilled-jobs-that-take-absolutely-no-knowledge-whatsoever/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [It's estimated that by 2030 there will be virtually no unskilled jobs in the British economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-powell/it-s-estimated-that-by-2030-there-will-be-virtually-no-unskilled-jobs/) [Lucy Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-powell/) > [You can be very successful but still struggling financially, and it looked like I'd have to take a year or two off and find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-flanagan/you-can-be-very-successful-but-still-struggling-financially-and-it/) [Richard Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-flanagan/) > [no job, no matter how lowly, is truly 'unskilled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-ehrenreich/no-job-no-matter-how-lowly-is-truly-unskilled/) [Barbara Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-ehrenreich/) > [Private-sector firms are increasingly active in the prison industry and they and the militantly unionized correctional officers, almost all unskilled labor, constantly lead public…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conrad-black/private-sector-firms-are-increasingly-active-in-the-prison-industry/) [Conrad Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conrad-black/) ## More by Aruna Roy > [The right to know is the right to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aruna-roy/the-right-to-know-is-the-right-to-live/) [Aruna Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aruna-roy/) > [The internal and external ethics of an organization must be the same; you cannot talk about minimum wages for poor people and not pay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aruna-roy/the-internal-and-external-ethics-of-an-organization-must-be-the-same/) [Aruna Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aruna-roy/) > [Through transparency we expose corruption, but then there is no action taken against the corrupt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aruna-roy/through-transparency-we-expose-corruption-but-then-there-is-no-action/) [Aruna Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aruna-roy/) > [The OGP is something that has brought the world community together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aruna-roy/the-ogp-is-something-that-has-brought-the-world-community-together/) [Aruna Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aruna-roy/) > [The strength of collective decision making and political responsibility is not only a question of recognizing other people's ability. It is also recognizing one's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aruna-roy/the-strength-of-collective-decision-making-and-political/) [Aruna Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aruna-roy/) > [You can never evaluate anything standing from outside; you have to evaluate yourself first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aruna-roy/you-can-never-evaluate-anything-standing-from-outside-you-have-to/) [Aruna Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aruna-roy/) [Explore all 7 Aruna Roy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aruna-roy/) ## More Accepting quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [Laughing, laughing, laughing, laughing! It is the jester! A voice from the Void, to cheer poor Cicero! I accept your gift, dearest Night Mother.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/laughing-laughing-laughing-laughing-it-is-the-jester-a-voice-from-the/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [This duo inside of me causes the perfect opportunity to live and learn twice as fast as those who choose to accept simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/this-duo-inside-of-me-causes-the-perfect-opportunity-to-live-and/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Don't be bitter. Everybody suffers. If you can accept your suffering then you will understand other people better. Be grateful for pain. Love life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/don-t-be-bitter-everybody-suffers-if-you-can-accept-your-suffering/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [It takes an unusually philosophic mind to accept that all one’s suffering might be to no end, really, in the larger scheme of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-takes-an-unusually-philosophic-mind-to-accept-that-all-one-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No nation being under another nation can accept gifts, and kick at the responsibility attached to those gifts, imposed by the conquering nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/no-nation-being-under-another-nation-can-accept-gifts-and-kick-at-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Even with clothing naked animals, there were people who wanted to send in money. A woman in Santa Barbara, California, sent a $40,000 check.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-abel/even-with-clothing-naked-animals-there-were-people-who-wanted-to-send/) [Alan Abel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-abel/) > [Society understands the architecture of academia and knows there are relevant qualifications in different fields, and the media accepts the idea of specialisations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-griffiths/society-understands-the-architecture-of-academia-and-knows-there-are/) [Jay Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-griffiths/) > [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [Losing someone is easy, but accepting it is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/losing-someone-is-easy-but-accepting-it-is-hard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [As my films are born at the moment when they are reflected into another person's mind and memories, there are no misconceptions. I totally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pirjo-honkasalo/as-my-films-are-born-at-the-moment-when-they-are-reflected-into/) [Pirjo Honkasalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pirjo-honkasalo/) Browse all 6,788 Accepting quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We call people who work with mud and earth, and sand and stone, unskilled labor in India. I cannot in this lifetime wield the implements that they use either to dig the earth or to shovel the earth. I can't carry the loads. That's extremely specialized. But they are called unskilled, and I am called skilled because I can write with the pen. I cannot accept this. I find it extremely non-egalitarian to say they are unskilled and I am skilled. It's only a way of looking at it. 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