--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To be honest, it was slavery. Nobody…" description: "\"To be honest, it was slavery. Nobody should have any romantic ideas about working underground. It's very, very dangerous. You always knew you were livi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf6/dennis-skinner-12092_dangerous_to-be-honest-it-was-slavery-nobody-shoul_915128.jpg" --- # To be honest, it was slavery. Nobody should have any… ![“To be honest, it was slavery. Nobody should have any romantic ideas about working underground. It's very, very dangerous. You always knew you were living in danger. You were on your hands and knees half the day.” quote by Dennis Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf6/dennis-skinner-12092_dangerous_to-be-honest-it-was-slavery-nobody-shoul_915128.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf6/dennis-skinner-12092_dangerous_to-be-honest-it-was-slavery-nobody-shoul_915128.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf6/dennis-skinner-12092_dangerous_to-be-honest-it-was-slavery-nobody-shoul_915128.jpg) > “To be honest, it was slavery. Nobody should have any romantic ideas about working underground. It's very, very dangerous. You always knew you were living in danger. You were on your hands and knees half the day.” [Dennis Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-skinner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He describes the harsh reality of underground work, likening it to slavery and emphasizing constant danger and physical strain. **In simple terms:** Underground work is brutal and dangerous. Key Takeaway Recognize and respect the hardships of laborers. Themes labor danger exploitation health rights Mood somber reflective Type political social commentary When to use this quote - construction sites - mining - underground maintenance - hazardous occupations Key Concepts social justice working conditions human dignity Questions to Reflect On - How do we balance honoring labor history with improving current safety? - What responsibilities do societies have to protect hazardous workers? A Different Perspective The quote may romanticize past hardships, overlooking modern safety standards. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dangerous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dangerous/) [Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Romantic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romantic/) [Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery/) [Slavery Romantic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery-romantic-1371422/) [Underground](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/underground/) [Underground Dangerous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/underground-dangerous-1344977/) [Working Underground](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working-underground-1371421/) ## Related quotes > [“Thank God! I’m getting tired of working underground. I feel like damn mole.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-medina/thank-god-i-m-getting-tired-of-working-underground-i-feel-like-damn/) [Jason Medina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-medina/) > [For the most part, metal has been underground. It's too dangerous for mom and dad and schools. It will probably always be that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-static/for-the-most-part-metal-has-been-underground-it-s-too-dangerous-for/) [Wayne Static](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-static/) > [Couples without kids have each other, their friends, families, and Siri to talk to. It's not like they're quarantining themselves in an underground bunker,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-kirkman/couples-without-kids-have-each-other-their-friends-families-and-siri/) [Jen Kirkman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-kirkman/) > [If you asked me to sing a modern song, I wouldn't be able to - I can't easily slip into that groove. But if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ophelia-lovibond/if-you-asked-me-to-sing-a-modern-song-i-wouldn-t-be-able-to-i-can-t/) [Ophelia Lovibond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ophelia-lovibond/) > [For me, the '80s was great because you had Boy George, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Prince, and Cyndi Lauper. No one put boxes saying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/no-i-d/for-me-the-80s-was-great-because-you-had-boy-george-michael-jackson/) [No I.D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/no-i-d/) > [I like Jay-Z, 50 Cent and Common. But I like the underground stuff like Young Jeezy, Black Rob and Shine. I also love heavy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanilla-ice/i-like-jay-z-50-cent-and-common-but-i-like-the-underground-stuff-like/) [Vanilla Ice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanilla-ice/) > [What a curious picture it is to find man, homo sapiens, of divine origin, we are told, seriously considering going underground to escape the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-william-fulbright/what-a-curious-picture-it-is-to-find-man-homo-sapiens-of-divine/) [J. William Fulbright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-william-fulbright/) > [“When he had first arrived, he had found London huge, odd, fundamentally incomprehensible, with only the Tube map, that elegant multicolored topographical display of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/when-he-had-first-arrived-he-had-found-london-huge-odd-fundamentally/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [In many ways, my entire graphic novel career was a long diversion. Originally, all I wanted to do was to be an underground cartoonist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-moore/in-many-ways-my-entire-graphic-novel-career-was-a-long-diversion/) [Alan Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-moore/) > [Nailbomb was never really a big record. It's big in the underground. It's huge and it developed a big cult following.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-cavalera/nailbomb-was-never-really-a-big-record-it-s-big-in-the-underground-it/) [Max Cavalera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-cavalera/) > [When I was very little, I was into Michael Jackson. At six or seven, it was Madonna, but she's not what she used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lykke-li/when-i-was-very-little-i-was-into-michael-jackson-at-six-or-seven-it/) [Lykke Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lykke-li/) > [The challenge artists face today is whether to be an underground, unheard genius, or to dilute their art for the marketplace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/the-challenge-artists-face-today-is-whether-to-be-an-underground/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [What people don't understand is that the underground that existed was created in the early 80s and was thriving throughout the 80s. Until the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/what-people-don-t-understand-is-that-the-underground-that-existed-was/) [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) > [We been bubblin' in the Los Angeles underground for years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xzibit/we-been-bubblin-in-the-los-angeles-underground-for-years/) [Xzibit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xzibit/) > [I was young, but to me that was underground music. I had never heard anything like Venom or any of that stuff growing up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-pajo/i-was-young-but-to-me-that-was-underground-music-i-had-never-heard/) [David Pajo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-pajo/) ## More by Dennis Skinner > [I never, ever romanticise life in the pit. It was a hard, dirty, noisy, tiring, dangerous job in a confined space, a very dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-skinner/i-never-ever-romanticise-life-in-the-pit-it-was-a-hard-dirty-noisy/) [Dennis Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-skinner/) > [Parties are organised happiness but happiness is accidental. You can't legislate for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-skinner/parties-are-organised-happiness-but-happiness-is-accidental-you-can-t/) [Dennis Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-skinner/) > [I'm up at the crack of dawn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-skinner/i-m-up-at-the-crack-of-dawn/) [Dennis Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-skinner/) > [I've never made a perfect speech or a perfect anything. I always think after, I should have done it that way or this way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-skinner/i-ve-never-made-a-perfect-speech-or-a-perfect-anything-i-always-think/) [Dennis Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-skinner/) > [I've never done any cross-party stuff. I've no interest in sitting down discussing pensions or whatever with Tories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-skinner/i-ve-never-done-any-cross-party-stuff-i-ve-no-interest-in-sitting/) [Dennis Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-skinner/) > [Cameron called me a dinosaur you know? Well I'm the only dinosaur who can ride a bike 12 miles a day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-skinner/cameron-called-me-a-dinosaur-you-know-well-i-m-the-only-dinosaur-who/) [Dennis Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-skinner/) > [I didn't know when Parliament started to pay my wages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-skinner/i-didn-t-know-when-parliament-started-to-pay-my-wages/) [Dennis Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-skinner/) > [I solemnly swear that I will bear true and faithful allegiance to the Queen when she pays her income tax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-skinner/i-solemnly-swear-that-i-will-bear-true-and-faithful-allegiance-to-the/) [Dennis Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-skinner/) > [I still think carefully about what I'm going to say. I use me heart and head technique, in which the heart says, 'get stuck…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-skinner/i-still-think-carefully-about-what-i-m-going-to-say-i-use-me-heart/) [Dennis Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-skinner/) > [Isn't it essential in any prelude to a war to be sure of your allies and be sure of your objectives?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-skinner/isn-t-it-essential-in-any-prelude-to-a-war-to-be-sure-of-your-allies/) [Dennis Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-skinner/) > [We dragged the National Health Service from the depths of degradation. I've got a United Nations heart bypass to prove it and it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-skinner/we-dragged-the-national-health-service-from-the-depths-of-degradation/) [Dennis Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-skinner/) > [There are only so many things you can do in life, and if you think I'm going to spend my waking hours thinking about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-skinner/there-are-only-so-many-things-you-can-do-in-life-and-if-you-think-i-m/) [Dennis Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-skinner/) > [I wouldn't take Father of the House even if I was offered it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-skinner/i-wouldn-t-take-father-of-the-house-even-if-i-was-offered-it/) [Dennis Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-skinner/) > [I was shaped by a pit environment and the Second World War. My playground was on the pit tip at Clay Cross and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-skinner/i-was-shaped-by-a-pit-environment-and-the-second-world-war-my/) [Dennis Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-skinner/) > [I used to be very athletic when I was a young man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-skinner/i-used-to-be-very-athletic-when-i-was-a-young-man/) [Dennis Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-skinner/) [Explore all 56 Dennis Skinner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-skinner/) ## More Dangerous quotes > [So the fool, as distinct from the scoundrel, is completely self- satisfied; in fact, he can easily become dangerous, as it does not take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/so-the-fool-as-distinct-from-the-scoundrel-is-completely-self/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [Every one knows that the exercise of military power is forever dangerous to civil rights; and we have had recent instances of violences that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/every-one-knows-that-the-exercise-of-military-power-is-forever/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [We're not very dangerous animals; we don't have a horn like a rhino or quills like a porcupine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-fisher/we-re-not-very-dangerous-animals-we-don-t-have-a-horn-like-a-rhino-or/) [Helen Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-fisher/) > [“It is dangerous to lock oneself away and lose track of what is happening outside.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hardinge/it-is-dangerous-to-lock-oneself-away-and-lose-track-of-what-is/) [Frances Hardinge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hardinge/) > [Its extremely dangerous to compare anyone else to Shakespeare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-spacey/its-extremely-dangerous-to-compare-anyone-else-to-shakespeare/) [Kevin Spacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-spacey/) > [In my youth-team days, I was always a left-winger who would stay close to the byline and put crosses in the box, so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arjen-robben/in-my-youth-team-days-i-was-always-a-left-winger-who-would-stay-close/) [Arjen Robben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arjen-robben/) > [The temptations of God were always more dangerous for mankind than those of Satan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-temptations-of-god-were-always-more-dangerous-for-mankind-than/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [When you start talking about elections being rigged, you're pushing people beyond democratic governance. And it's a very, very dangerous thing to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/when-you-start-talking-about-elections-being-rigged-you-re-pushing/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [The Patriot Act is certainly a concern; all of those things are dangerous. I think more important than me preaching is that we as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/the-patriot-act-is-certainly-a-concern-all-of-those-things-are/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [Die gefährlichste Weltanschauung ist die Weltanschauung derer, die die Welt nie angeschaut haben. (The most dangerous worldview is the worldview of those who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-von-humboldt/die-gef-hrlichste-weltanschauung-ist-die-weltanschauung-derer-die-die/) [Alexander von Humboldt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-von-humboldt/) > [The most dangerous creature here would have to be me. 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