---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Once I told him I thought beating your…"
description: "\"“Once I told him I thought beating your son was a most uncivilized method of getting your own way. He said I’d about as much sense as the post I was st..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b8/diana-gabaldon-185_habits_once-i-told-him-i-thought-beating-your-s_2237000.jpg"
---

#  Once I told him I thought beating your son was a most…

![“Once I told him I thought beating your son was a most uncivilized method of getting your own way. He said I’d about as much sense as the post I was standing next to, if as much. He said respect for your elders was one of the cornerstones of civilized behavior, and until I learned that, I’d better…” quote by Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b8/diana-gabaldon-185_habits_once-i-told-him-i-thought-beating-your-s_2237000.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b8/diana-gabaldon-185_habits_once-i-told-him-i-thought-beating-your-s_2237000.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b8/diana-gabaldon-185_habits_once-i-told-him-i-thought-beating-your-s_2237000.jpg)

> ““Once I told him I thought beating your son was a most uncivilized method of getting your own way. He said I’d about as much sense as the post I was standing next to, if as much. He said respect for your elders was one of the cornerstones of civilized behavior, and until I learned that, I’d better get used to looking at my toes while one of my barbaric elders thrashed my arse off.””

[Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Elders enforce harsh norms, and questioning them can feel like personal humiliation.

**In simple terms:** Respect for elders can be oppressive.

Key Takeaway

Challenge unjust authority.

Themes

family authority humiliation tradition

Mood

conflicted defiant

Type

narrative emotional

When to use this quote

- personal growth
- intergenerational conflict
- cultural critique

Key Concepts

social hierarchy power dynamics

Questions to Reflect On

- When should you obey tradition?
- How to confront abusive authority?

A Different Perspective

Elders may also provide wisdom; not all tradition is harmful.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/)

## Related quotes

> [I said this before, for me I will always respect the fighter that shows up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/artem-lobov/i-said-this-before-for-me-i-will-always-respect-the-fighter-that/)

[Artem Lobov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/artem-lobov/)

> [“Sullivan, just pick it up." "My way is more genteel." "Your way is more tight ass." "Your respect for me, Sentinel, is astounding." "I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-neill/sullivan-just-pick-it-up-my-way-is-more-genteel-your-way-is-more/)

[Chloe Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-neill/)

> [They said they respect me, which means, their judgment is crazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/they-said-they-respect-me-which-means-their-judgment-is-crazy/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I've always said that I respect the coach's decisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorenzo-insigne/i-ve-always-said-that-i-respect-the-coach-s-decisions/)

[Lorenzo Insigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorenzo-insigne/)

> [My relationship with Triple H has been fantastic. He has kept his word on everything that he has said to me and I respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-backlund/my-relationship-with-triple-h-has-been-fantastic-he-has-kept-his-word/)

[Bob Backlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-backlund/)

> [I think there is a lot to be said for the respect that our parents had for children, and for my brothers and sisters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-kennedy/i-think-there-is-a-lot-to-be-said-for-the-respect-that-our-parents/)

[Rory Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-kennedy/)

> [“Since when do you and I talk about the world,” she said. “The world is what it is.” “Yeah, I know.” “Not only do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-parker/since-when-do-you-and-i-talk-about-the-world-she-said-the-world-is/)

[Robert B. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-parker/)

## More by Diana Gabaldon

> [Alright, all right," I said. "What if I tell you a story, instead?" Highlanders loved stories, and Jamie was no exception. "Oh, aye, "…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/alright-all-right-i-said-what-if-i-tell-you-a-story-instead/)

[Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/)

> [There were moments, of course. Those small spaces in time, too soon gone, when everything seems to stand still, and existence is balanced on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/there-were-moments-of-course-those-small-spaces-in-time-too-soon-gone/)

[Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/)

> [If it was a sin for you to choose me . . . then I would go to the Devil himself and bless him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/if-it-was-a-sin-for-you-to-choose-me-then-i-would-go-to-the-devil/)

[Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/)

> [When I turned 35, I thought, 'Mozart was dead at 36, so I set the bar: I'm going to start writing a book on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/when-i-turned-35-i-thought-mozart-was-dead-at-36-so-i-set-the-bar-i-m/)

[Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/)

> [I stagger out of bed, take the dogs outside, and then I'll get a Diet Coke and a couple of dog biscuits and go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/i-stagger-out-of-bed-take-the-dogs-outside-and-then-i-ll-get-a-diet/)

[Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/)

> [“It was…hard. I didna call out, or let them see I was scairt, but I couldna keep my feet. Halfway through it, I fell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/it-was-hard-i-didna-call-out-or-let-them-see-i-was-scairt-but-i/)

[Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/)

> [I have all the time and space in the world when I write a book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/i-have-all-the-time-and-space-in-the-world-when-i-write-a-book/)

[Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/)

> [I discovered that, given the indescribable nature of what I write, the only way to sell it is to give people free samples.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/i-discovered-that-given-the-indescribable-nature-of-what-i-write-the/)

[Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/)

> [“We are bound,you and I, and nothing on this earth shall part me from you."One large hand rose to stroke my hair. "D'ye mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/we-are-bound-you-and-i-and-nothing-on-this-earth-shall-part-me-from/)

[Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/)

> [I think characters are going to be, if not a reflection of the author, at least some refraction of some part of their personality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/i-think-characters-are-going-to-be-if-not-a-reflection-of-the-author/)

[Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/)

> [My husband asked me once why I read so many mysteries, and part of it is just intellectual, part of it is the joy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/my-husband-asked-me-once-why-i-read-so-many-mysteries-and-part-of-it/)

[Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/)

> [“My Da says you’re never drunk, so long as ye can hold on to the floor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/my-da-says-you-re-never-drunk-so-long-as-ye-can-hold-on-to-the-floor/)

[Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/)

> [When you're an artist, you can't write with the intent of affecting anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/when-you-re-an-artist-you-can-t-write-with-the-intent-of-affecting/)

[Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/)

> [“But a man is not forgotten, as long as there are two people left under the sky. One, to tell the story; the other,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/but-a-man-is-not-forgotten-as-long-as-there-are-two-people-left-under/)

[Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/)

> [“I didn’t answer, occupied in dissolving the penicillin tablets in the vial of sterile water. I selected a glass barrel, fitted a needle, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/i-didn-t-answer-occupied-in-dissolving-the-penicillin-tablets-in-the/)

[Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/)

[Explore all 952 Diana Gabaldon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/)

## More Habits quotes

> [“Malchut is also the Alma D’Itgalya, “the Revealed World.” Here our latent potential is actualized through behavior and expression.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laibl-wolf/malchut-is-also-the-alma-d-itgalya-the-revealed-world-here-our-latent/)

Laibl Wolf

> [I would drink gallons of coffee a day. Even now, off caffeine, I talk faster than anyone you've ever met. I finally recognized that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-englander/i-would-drink-gallons-of-coffee-a-day-even-now-off-caffeine-i-talk/)

[Nathan Englander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-englander/)

> [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/)

[Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/)

> [I doubt that we Americans can come to terms with our money neuroses without understanding the more florid pathology of the very rich for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-slater/i-doubt-that-we-americans-can-come-to-terms-with-our-money-neuroses/)

[Philip Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-slater/)

> [Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-lombardi/winning-is-a-habit-unfortunately-so-is-losing/)

[Vince Lombardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-lombardi/)

> [“the mind-numbing routine. It was the castration of thought,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-howey/the-mind-numbing-routine-it-was-the-castration-of-thought/)

[Hugh Howey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-howey/)

> [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/)

[Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/)

> [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“When it comes to smarts, adolescents like Jesse have plenty. What they lack, however, are some of the brain-based skills that we all need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-guare/when-it-comes-to-smarts-adolescents-like-jesse-have-plenty-what-they/)

[Richard Guare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-guare/)

> [“I settled into a contented routine of working, spending my free time with Veronica and, back in my student room, wanking explosively to fantasies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/i-settled-into-a-contented-routine-of-working-spending-my-free-time/)

[Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/)

> [We need to discover all over again that worship is natural to the Christian, as it was to the godly Israelites who wrote the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/we-need-to-discover-all-over-again-that-worship-is-natural-to-the/)

[J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/)

> [Chaos often breeds life, when order breeds habit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/chaos-often-breeds-life-when-order-breeds-habit/)

[Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/)

> [“Prayer of an Anonymous Abbess: Lord, thou knowest better than myself that I am growing older and will soon be old. Keep me from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/prayer-of-an-anonymous-abbess-lord-thou-knowest-better-than-myself/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [If you're in a meeting and a man talks loudly over you, rather than copying that behaviour and normalising it, what you could do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-foster/if-you-re-in-a-meeting-and-a-man-talks-loudly-over-you-rather-than/)

[Dawn Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-foster/)

> [Transparency pertains to impartial behavior, implies openness, communication, and accountability. Inculcate transparency in attitude and experience a life free of controversy and blame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-anil-kr-sinha/transparency-pertains-to-impartial-behavior-implies-openness/)

[Dr Anil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-anil-kr-sinha/)

[Browse all 12,567 Habits quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Once I told him I thought beating your son was a most uncivilized method of getting your own way. He said I’d about as much sense as the post I was standing next to, if as much. He said respect for your elders was one of the cornerstones of civilized behavior, and until I learned that, I’d better get used to looking at my toes while one of my barbaric elders thrashed my arse off.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Diana Gabaldon"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/once-i-told-him-i-thought-beating-your-son-was-a-most-uncivilized/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Habits"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/once-i-told-him-i-thought-beating-your-son-was-a-most-uncivilized/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b8/diana-gabaldon-185_habits_once-i-told-him-i-thought-beating-your-s_2237000.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b8/diana-gabaldon-185_habits_once-i-told-him-i-thought-beating-your-s_2237000.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b8/diana-gabaldon-185_habits_once-i-told-him-i-thought-beating-your-s_2237000.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Once I told him I thought beating your son was a most uncivilized method of getting your own way. He said…” — Diana Gabaldon",
                "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": "Diana Gabaldon",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Once I told him I thought...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/once-i-told-him-i-thought-beating-your-son-was-a-most-uncivilized/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/once-i-told-him-i-thought-beating-your-son-was-a-most-uncivilized/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
