--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My father was a civil servant, so having…" description: "\"My father was a civil servant, so having a regular job, being respectable is a big deal for me. Respectable in the sense that I support my family. That..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a45/hanif-kureishi-3233_big-deal_my-father-was-a-civil-servant-so-having_316057.jpg" --- # My father was a civil servant, so having a regular job… ![“My father was a civil servant, so having a regular job, being respectable is a big deal for me. Respectable in the sense that I support my family. That's what I mean by respectability.” quote by Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a45/hanif-kureishi-3233_big-deal_my-father-was-a-civil-servant-so-having_316057.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a45/hanif-kureishi-3233_big-deal_my-father-was-a-civil-servant-so-having_316057.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a45/hanif-kureishi-3233_big-deal_my-father-was-a-civil-servant-so-having_316057.jpg) > “My father was a civil servant, so having a regular job, being respectable is a big deal for me. Respectable in the sense that I support my family. That's what I mean by respectability.” [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Family expectations shape personal identity, linking respectability to steady work and providing for loved ones. **In simple terms:** Respectability means having a reliable job and supporting family. Key Takeaway Balance personal aspirations with family duties. Themes family identity social expectations respectability Mood contemplative empathetic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career planning - family counseling - social mobility discussions - personal goal setting Key Concepts social class career cultural duty self-worth Questions to Reflect On - How does your job define your self‑respect? - Can you redefine respectability beyond employment? A Different Perspective Rigid notions of respectability can limit personal freedom and self‑expression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Big deal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-deal/) [Bigs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/) [Deals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deals/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Job Respectable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/job-respectable-2989137/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Mean Respectability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean-respectability-2989138/) [My family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-family/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Respectability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respectability/) [Respectable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respectable/) [Respectable Sense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respectable-sense-2989139/) [Servant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/servant/) [Support](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/support/) ## Related quotes > [A mere literary man is a dull man; a man who is solely a man of business is a selfish man; but when literature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/a-mere-literary-man-is-a-dull-man-a-man-who-is-solely-a-man-of/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [You are all alike, you respectable people. 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Respectability hangs like a pall over the orchestra and the boxes; a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marya-mannes/a-musical-audience-is-at-best-uninspiring-at-worst-definitely-drab/) [Marya Mannes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marya-mannes/) > [Advice,' Doña Vorchenza chuckled. 'Advice. The years play a sort of alchemical trick, transmuting one's mutterings to a state of respectability. 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You just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/one-would-hope-as-well-that-intimacy-would-leave-more-of-a-mark-that/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [“You see people truly when they enjoy the most.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/you-see-people-truly-when-they-enjoy-the-most/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [I guess writing is a kind of therapy in the sense that there are things you need to say and you say them, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/i-guess-writing-is-a-kind-of-therapy-in-the-sense-that-there-are/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [What a quality of innocence people have when they don't expect to be harmed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/what-a-quality-of-innocence-people-have-when-they-don-t-expect-to-be/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [“People who were only ever half right about things drove me mad. 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That's a big deal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-schneider/making-sure-that-people-have-access-to-preventive-medicine-for-the/) [Brad Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-schneider/) > [“You weren't out there that long, were you? I can't bear to think that no one found you right away." Noah shook his head.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/you-weren-t-out-there-that-long-were-you-i-can-t-bear-to-think-that/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [Everyone's just laughing at me. I hate it. Big breasts, big ass, big deal, Can't I be anything else ? Gee, how long can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/everyone-s-just-laughing-at-me-i-hate-it-big-breasts-big-ass-big-deal/) [Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/) > [“Eventually, Edgard said, “She doesn’t know anything about me. Not even that we were roping partners. Not that we were…” He looked at Trevor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorelei-james/eventually-edgard-said-she-doesn-t-know-anything-about-me-not-even/) [Lorelei James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorelei-james/) > [Humility simply means that you do a great job at everything and it isn't really a big deal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/humility-simply-means-that-you-do-a-great-job-at-everything-and-it/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“Being responsible for someone’s childhood is a big deal. 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