--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have so much respect for people who do…" description: "\"I have so much respect for people who do blue-collar work because I come from that background myself.\" — Cynthia Kadohata" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf1/cynthia-kadohata-19499_background_i-have-so-much-respect-for-people-who-do_45288.png" --- # I have so much respect for people who do blue-collar work… ![“I have so much respect for people who do blue-collar work because I come from that background myself.” quote by Cynthia Kadohata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf1/cynthia-kadohata-19499_background_i-have-so-much-respect-for-people-who-do_45288.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf1/cynthia-kadohata-19499_background_i-have-so-much-respect-for-people-who-do_45288.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf1/cynthia-kadohata-19499_background_i-have-so-much-respect-for-people-who-do_45288.png) > “I have so much respect for people who do blue-collar work because I come from that background myself.” [Cynthia Kadohata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-kadohata/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker admires and values manual labor, drawing on personal experience to highlight dignity in blue‑collar work. **In simple terms:** Respect for manual labor Key Takeaway Blue‑collar work is honorable Themes work ethic class identity empathy social respect personal background Mood appreciative humble affirming Type personal anecdote social commentary When to use this quote - career counseling - diversity training - community outreach - public policy debates Key Concepts labor dignity class solidarity personal experience Practical Applications - advocacy for fair wages - highlighting essential workers Questions to Reflect On - How does personal background shape our respect for different jobs? - What biases might we hold about manual labor? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Blue collar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blue-collar/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Respect people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect-people/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [I did a lot of blue collar work. I also worked as a temp. I did, you know, light construction and cleaning. I did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-autor/i-did-a-lot-of-blue-collar-work-i-also-worked-as-a-temp-i-did-you/) [David Autor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-autor/) > [All white-collar work is project work. The single salient fact that touches all of our lives is that work is being reinvented.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/all-white-collar-work-is-project-work-the-single-salient-fact-that/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [I come from a theatrical background, where, if you're working on a movie or a play, you always respect the people you work with.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-hough/i-come-from-a-theatrical-background-where-if-you-re-working-on-a/) [Derek Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-hough/) > [I am waiting for some good work to come my way - whether it's TV or films... As long as it catches my interest,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shamita-shetty/i-am-waiting-for-some-good-work-to-come-my-way-whether-it-s-tv-or/) [Shamita Shetty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shamita-shetty/) > [“Everyone is tied down in some way. Work, family, medical problems. It's what you make of it. That's why it's so important to surround…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nichole-chase/everyone-is-tied-down-in-some-way-work-family-medical-problems-it-s/) [Nichole Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nichole-chase/) > [“Be a worthy worker and work will come.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/be-a-worthy-worker-and-work-will-come/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [I'm a workaholic because I don't want to not work. When you come from basically nothing and you have so much good things happening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelly/i-m-a-workaholic-because-i-don-t-want-to-not-work-when-you-come-from/) [Nelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelly/) > [I feel my greatest work is yet to come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/i-feel-my-greatest-work-is-yet-to-come/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [That's the trouble with awards for a body of work. They always come at both a good time and a wrong time. Good because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-sondheim/that-s-the-trouble-with-awards-for-a-body-of-work-they-always-come-at/) [Stephen Sondheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-sondheim/) > [People, who come to 'Bigg Boss' to look for work should not come to the show then... because you don't get work generated out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pooja-bedi/people-who-come-to-bigg-boss-to-look-for-work-should-not-come-to-the/) [Pooja Bedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pooja-bedi/) > [Goodness its the kind of work I come to the Fringe to see](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyn-gardner/goodness-its-the-kind-of-work-i-come-to-the-fringe-to-see/) [Lyn Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyn-gardner/) > [I think the most difficult part is being patient for good work to come. Sometimes, you feel like giving up if things don't materialise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-fatehi/i-think-the-most-difficult-part-is-being-patient-for-good-work-to/) [Nora Fatehi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-fatehi/) > [With the theatre, your whole day is geared towards the evening's show, and that's the job. People usually go to work about 9 and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-scott-thomas/with-the-theatre-your-whole-day-is-geared-towards-the-evening-s-show/) [Kristin Scott Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-scott-thomas/) > [You Can't Rest on Your Laurels. Your Own Body of Work Is Yet to Come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/you-can-t-rest-on-your-laurels-your-own-body-of-work-is-yet-to-come/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Work will always come second to my kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-herbstreit/work-will-always-come-second-to-my-kids/) [Kirk Herbstreit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-herbstreit/) ## More by Cynthia Kadohata > [I almost never slept deeply anymore--as soon as she said my name, I always sat up immediately, no matter how tired I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-kadohata/i-almost-never-slept-deeply-anymore-as-soon-as-she-said-my-name-i/) [Cynthia Kadohata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-kadohata/) > [“Jichan looked surprised. "Nothing wrong with gullible. How you be happy if not gullible?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-kadohata/jichan-looked-surprised-nothing-wrong-with-gullible-how-you-be-happy/) [Cynthia Kadohata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-kadohata/) > [“It was hard to stay angry when I felt so sad. I would rather have felt angry, but instead, all I could do was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-kadohata/it-was-hard-to-stay-angry-when-i-felt-so-sad-i-would-rather-have-felt/) [Cynthia Kadohata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-kadohata/) > [Watch out for life ... It's harder than it looks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-kadohata/watch-out-for-life-it-s-harder-than-it-looks/) [Cynthia Kadohata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-kadohata/) > [Some days I think she was really miserable, because she cried a lot. In a way, I'd had to steel my heart to her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-kadohata/some-days-i-think-she-was-really-miserable-because-she-cried-a-lot-in/) [Cynthia Kadohata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-kadohata/) > [“When she first died, I felt sorry about all the pills I'd given that made her feel so miserable. But now I didn't feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-kadohata/when-she-first-died-i-felt-sorry-about-all-the-pills-i-d-given-that/) [Cynthia Kadohata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-kadohata/) > [“On the forty-ninth day after Lynn's death I opened all the windows in the alcove, even though it was raining. I closed my eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-kadohata/on-the-forty-ninth-day-after-lynn-s-death-i-opened-all-the-windows-in/) [Cynthia Kadohata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-kadohata/) > [I love writing about people on the road.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-kadohata/i-love-writing-about-people-on-the-road/) [Cynthia Kadohata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-kadohata/) > [“For everything in my life, I would ask, Why? Why didn't the Chinese lady have teeth? Probably it was because she didn't brush them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-kadohata/for-everything-in-my-life-i-would-ask-why-why-didn-t-the-chinese-lady/) [Cynthia Kadohata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-kadohata/) > [In 1982, when I was almost 26 years old, I decided I wanted to write fiction. I'd majored in journalism in college, and I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-kadohata/in-1982-when-i-was-almost-26-years-old-i-decided-i-wanted-to-write/) [Cynthia Kadohata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-kadohata/) > [I try to find my deepest, often hidden feelings about what's working and what's not. This is difficult because I do lie to myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-kadohata/i-try-to-find-my-deepest-often-hidden-feelings-about-what-s-working/) [Cynthia Kadohata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-kadohata/) > [I know a lot about when I was a little girl, because my sister used to keep a diary. Today I keep her diary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-kadohata/i-know-a-lot-about-when-i-was-a-little-girl-because-my-sister-used-to/) [Cynthia Kadohata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-kadohata/) > [“Usually while I lay in bed, I liked to think of new things I could do for Lynnie. Maybe I could let her try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-kadohata/usually-while-i-lay-in-bed-i-liked-to-think-of-new-things-i-could-do/) [Cynthia Kadohata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-kadohata/) > ['Weedflower' was already in the copyediting phase when I heard about the Newbery award, so it didn't really influence my writing of that book,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-kadohata/weedflower-was-already-in-the-copyediting-phase-when-i-heard-about/) [Cynthia Kadohata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-kadohata/) > [It took seven years from the day I decided I wanted to write fiction to actually getting a book published.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-kadohata/it-took-seven-years-from-the-day-i-decided-i-wanted-to-write-fiction/) [Cynthia Kadohata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-kadohata/) [Explore all 32 Cynthia Kadohata quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-kadohata/) ## More Background quotes > [When you see how fragile and delicate life can be, all else fades into the background.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-morasca/when-you-see-how-fragile-and-delicate-life-can-be-all-else-fades-into/) [Jenna Morasca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-morasca/) > [When I was playing piano, it was like, 'I'm going to write a song using all the white keys.' My music director, who knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tesh/when-i-was-playing-piano-it-was-like-i-m-going-to-write-a-song-using/) [John Tesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tesh/) > [I grew up with a religious background.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-caruso/i-grew-up-with-a-religious-background/) [Alex Caruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-caruso/) > [Food as a hobby used to be an elite pastime, and it has become something that is totally ordinary for people of every background.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-goodyear/food-as-a-hobby-used-to-be-an-elite-pastime-and-it-has-become/) [Dana Goodyear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-goodyear/) > [The way I look at it is, cancer research is absolutely nonpartisan. Cancer is very democratic in the sense that it attacks people regardless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-koch/the-way-i-look-at-it-is-cancer-research-is-absolutely-nonpartisan/) [David H. Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-koch/) > [My first album, 'Get Lifted,' was a hip-hop soul album that had some of its roots in the church, as far as the sonic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/my-first-album-get-lifted-was-a-hip-hop-soul-album-that-had-some-of/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [Mark Zuckerberg is a rich white dude from a really privileged background.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sunde/mark-zuckerberg-is-a-rich-white-dude-from-a-really-privileged/) [Peter Sunde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sunde/) > [Once you know the background of an individual, you can connect better with his or her music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/badshah/once-you-know-the-background-of-an-individual-you-can-connect-better/) [Badshah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/badshah/) > [Al Jazeera is a representation of, you know, diversity in the Arab world. In our newsroom, we have every single nationality, we have every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wadah-khanfar/al-jazeera-is-a-representation-of-you-know-diversity-in-the-arab/) [Wadah Khanfar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wadah-khanfar/) > [I have no filmi background.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wamiqa-gabbi/i-have-no-filmi-background/) [Wamiqa Gabbi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wamiqa-gabbi/) > [I have a crazy background in music, both as a performer and writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-itzler/i-have-a-crazy-background-in-music-both-as-a-performer-and-writer/) [Jesse Itzler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-itzler/) > [Maybe it's just my improv and sketch background, but I'm a lot more comfortable in a group. I like sharing focus and populating an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mantzoukas/maybe-it-s-just-my-improv-and-sketch-background-but-i-m-a-lot-more/) [Jason Mantzoukas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mantzoukas/) > [I started my cycling academy to try and get more people from a BAME background into cycling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kadeena-cox/i-started-my-cycling-academy-to-try-and-get-more-people-from-a-bame/) [Kadeena Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kadeena-cox/) > [A coach's role, effectively speaking, is to stay in the background and let the onus be on the players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-shastri/a-coach-s-role-effectively-speaking-is-to-stay-in-the-background-and/) [Ravi Shastri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-shastri/) > ['Billy Elliot' embodies the idea that anyone can achieve anything regardless of their socio-economic background.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-fellner/billy-elliot-embodies-the-idea-that-anyone-can-achieve-anything/) [Eric Fellner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-fellner/) Browse all 698 Background quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have so much respect for people who do blue-collar work because I come from that background myself.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Cynthia Kadohata" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-kadohata/i-have-so-much-respect-for-people-who-do-blue-collar-work-because-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Background" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-kadohata/i-have-so-much-respect-for-people-who-do-blue-collar-work-because-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf1/cynthia-kadohata-19499_background_i-have-so-much-respect-for-people-who-do_45288.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf1/cynthia-kadohata-19499_background_i-have-so-much-respect-for-people-who-do_45288.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf1/cynthia-kadohata-19499_background_i-have-so-much-respect-for-people-who-do_45288.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I have so much respect for people who do blue-collar work because I come from that background myself.” — Cynthia Kadohata", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Cynthia Kadohata", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-kadohata/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I have so much respect for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-kadohata/i-have-so-much-respect-for-people-who-do-blue-collar-work-because-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-kadohata/i-have-so-much-respect-for-people-who-do-blue-collar-work-because-i/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```