--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am one of those servants – butlers…" description: "\"“I am one of those servants – butlers usually – who respectfully points out when their master is about to do something stupid: \"You should probably onl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c1/joe-dunthorne-14534_blackmail_i-am-one-of-those-servants-butlers-usual_2438784.png" --- # I am one of those servants – butlers usually – who… ![“I am one of those servants – butlers usually – who respectfully points out when their master is about to do something stupid: "You should probably only burn the document once the blackmail has been completed, m' lady.” quote by Joe Dunthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c1/joe-dunthorne-14534_blackmail_i-am-one-of-those-servants-butlers-usual_2438784.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c1/joe-dunthorne-14534_blackmail_i-am-one-of-those-servants-butlers-usual_2438784.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c1/joe-dunthorne-14534_blackmail_i-am-one-of-those-servants-butlers-usual_2438784.png) > ““I am one of those servants – butlers usually – who respectfully points out when their master is about to do something stupid: "You should probably only burn the document once the blackmail has been completed, m' lady.”” [Joe Dunthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dunthorne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A servant politely warns a master about the consequences of burning a document before blackmail is complete. **In simple terms:** Advice on timing and consequences. Key Takeaway Consider consequences before acting. Themes ethics advice power dynamics Mood cautious wry Type satirical practical When to use this quote - legal negotiations - corporate strategy - personal relationships Key Concepts decision making risk assessment Questions to Reflect On - When is timing crucial? - How to handle power imbalances? A Different Perspective Advice may be ignored. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Blackmail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blackmail/) [Blackmail Completed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blackmail-completed-468676/) [Butlers Usually](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/butlers-usually-468673/) [Document Blackmail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/document-blackmail-468675/) [Humour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humour/) [Servants Butlers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/servants-butlers-468674/) ## Related quotes > [“Jordana is in the umpire's highchair. I walk under the rugby posts and on to the tennis courts, stopping a few metres in front…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dunthorne/jordana-is-in-the-umpire-s-highchair-i-walk-under-the-rugby-posts-and/) [Joe Dunthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dunthorne/) > [“Ah, shit. She’s been crying. This is not good. I swear to God, a girl crying is fucking blackmail. It just makes you feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-mcclean/ah-shit-she-s-been-crying-this-is-not-good-i-swear-to-god-a-girl/) [J.C. McClean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-mcclean/) > [“When that bastard calls back, you tell him he’s won this round. I’ll marry him. But I don’t take well to being blackmailed, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/when-that-bastard-calls-back-you-tell-him-he-s-won-this-round-i-ll/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [You know, it's hard to say this, but I suspect that Obama is afraid either of blackmail potential or even worse. And he has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-mcgovern/you-know-it-s-hard-to-say-this-but-i-suspect-that-obama-is-afraid/) [Ray McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-mcgovern/) > [Russia has shown it's not above the temptation of using some bargaining power or blackmail. It shows that if there is a way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-gros/russia-has-shown-it-s-not-above-the-temptation-of-using-some/) [Daniel Gros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-gros/) > [Neither the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina nor the international community will accept such blackmail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-petritsch/neither-the-citizens-of-bosnia-and-herzegovina-nor-the-international/) [Wolfgang Petritsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-petritsch/) > [If the minority is able to successfully undo the Affordable Care Act by blackmail, it will be the undoing of the democratic nature of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerrold-nadler/if-the-minority-is-able-to-successfully-undo-the-affordable-care-act/) [Jerrold Nadler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerrold-nadler/) > [I'm constantly lying to my dog. He only responds to manipulation and blackmail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riley-keough/i-m-constantly-lying-to-my-dog-he-only-responds-to-manipulation-and/) [Riley Keough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riley-keough/) > [“You don’t get to say it’s not a big thing. This is a big fucking thing, okay? This was supposed to be—this is mine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-albertalli/you-don-t-get-to-say-it-s-not-a-big-thing-this-is-a-big-fucking-thing/) [Becky Albertalli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-albertalli/) > [“The bonds of friendship dwindle with age, Oliver. But a little blackmail lasts forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hunt/the-bonds-of-friendship-dwindle-with-age-oliver-but-a-little/) [Stephen Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hunt/) > [Being nice to people gets you nowhere. Being arrogant gets you nowhere. Blackmail, now that's a thing that will get you everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-nice-to-people-gets-you-nowhere-being-arrogant-gets-you-nowhere/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“He is a brilliant man, said Miss Doggett. She helped him a good deal in his work, I think. Mrs. Bonner says that she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-pym/he-is-a-brilliant-man-said-miss-doggett-she-helped-him-a-good-deal-in/) [Barbara Pym](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-pym/) > [“I’m afraid I don’t suffer petty bureaucrats gladly. A very bad habit, but one I find hard to break. Nevertheless, you will find, Dr.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-preston-lincoln-child-2/i-m-afraid-i-don-t-suffer-petty-bureaucrats-gladly-a-very-bad-habit/) [Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-preston-lincoln-child-2/) > [Lobbying' is the activity of attempting to influence legislation by privately influencing the legislators. It is the result and creation of a mixed economy-of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/lobbying-is-the-activity-of-attempting-to-influence-legislation-by/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [“Either you want to try and blackmail me or you're hitting on me. Which is it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-tushmore/either-you-want-to-try-and-blackmail-me-or-you-re-hitting-on-me-which/) [Melanie Tushmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-tushmore/) ## More by Joe Dunthorne > [“Our Welsh teacher thinks he is young. He tells us that the Welsh for skiving in town is ‘mitchio yn y dre’.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dunthorne/our-welsh-teacher-thinks-he-is-young-he-tells-us-that-the-welsh-for/) [Joe Dunthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dunthorne/) > [I don't know if I've come of age, but I'm certainly older now. I feel shrunken, as if there's a tiny ancient Oliver Tate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dunthorne/i-don-t-know-if-i-ve-come-of-age-but-i-m-certainly-older-now-i-feel/) [Joe Dunthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dunthorne/) > [“One more word that may be useful in the heat of passion: dong. Dong sounds like someone very important has just arrived.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dunthorne/one-more-word-that-may-be-useful-in-the-heat-of-passion-dong-dong/) [Joe Dunthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dunthorne/) > [My mother tells me I do not chew my food enough; she says I am making it harder for my body to get the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dunthorne/my-mother-tells-me-i-do-not-chew-my-food-enough-she-says-i-am-making/) [Joe Dunthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dunthorne/) > [“I tell my parents I'm going out for pudding. They think this might be a nickname for heroin.Mum makes the international face for 'is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dunthorne/i-tell-my-parents-i-m-going-out-for-pudding-they-think-this-might-be/) [Joe Dunthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dunthorne/) > [“I authorize an air strike that reduces my street to rubble; I fold Swansea Bay like an enormous omelette and scoff it all”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dunthorne/i-authorize-an-air-strike-that-reduces-my-street-to-rubble-i-fold/) [Joe Dunthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dunthorne/) > [I spin around on the swivel chair and look up at the ceiling; Oliver being Oliver being Oliver being Oliver. I am suddenly aware…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dunthorne/i-spin-around-on-the-swivel-chair-and-look-up-at-the-ceiling-oliver/) [Joe Dunthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dunthorne/) > [“I want the evening upon which we lose our collective virginities to be special. I'm no parthenologist but I suspect that Jordana's virginity is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dunthorne/i-want-the-evening-upon-which-we-lose-our-collective-virginities-to/) [Joe Dunthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dunthorne/) > [“Oliver, we’ve got something to tell you,” Dad says, dumping a cardboard box full of garden waste into a toad green mangler. Unlike the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dunthorne/oliver-we-ve-got-something-to-tell-you-dad-says-dumping-a-cardboard/) [Joe Dunthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dunthorne/) > [To us and a wonderful evening of love making.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dunthorne/to-us-and-a-wonderful-evening-of-love-making/) [Joe Dunthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dunthorne/) > [“I am running low on solutions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dunthorne/i-am-running-low-on-solutions/) [Joe Dunthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dunthorne/) > [For my last birthday, Dad bought me a pocket-sized Collins English Dictionary. It would only fit in a pocket that had been specially designed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dunthorne/for-my-last-birthday-dad-bought-me-a-pocket-sized-collins-english/) [Joe Dunthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dunthorne/) > [...I want to grab her collarbones as if they were handlebars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dunthorne/i-want-to-grab-her-collarbones-as-if-they-were-handlebars/) [Joe Dunthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dunthorne/) > [“Seducing Jordana was solid – she's got such high standards – but when I finally got the snogs in it was all worth it."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dunthorne/seducing-jordana-was-solid-she-s-got-such-high-standards-but-when-i/) [Joe Dunthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dunthorne/) > [I find that the only way to get through life is to picture myself in an entirely disconnected reality. I often imagine how people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dunthorne/i-find-that-the-only-way-to-get-through-life-is-to-picture-myself-in/) [Joe Dunthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dunthorne/) [Explore all 45 Joe Dunthorne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dunthorne/) ## More Blackmail quotes > [“Either you want to try and blackmail me or you're hitting on me. Which is it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-tushmore/either-you-want-to-try-and-blackmail-me-or-you-re-hitting-on-me-which/) [Melanie Tushmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-tushmore/) > [Lobbying' is the activity of attempting to influence legislation by privately influencing the legislators. It is the result and creation of a mixed economy-of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/lobbying-is-the-activity-of-attempting-to-influence-legislation-by/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [“I’m afraid I don’t suffer petty bureaucrats gladly. A very bad habit, but one I find hard to break. Nevertheless, you will find, Dr.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-preston-lincoln-child-2/i-m-afraid-i-don-t-suffer-petty-bureaucrats-gladly-a-very-bad-habit/) [Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-preston-lincoln-child-2/) > [“He is a brilliant man, said Miss Doggett. She helped him a good deal in his work, I think. Mrs. Bonner says that she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-pym/he-is-a-brilliant-man-said-miss-doggett-she-helped-him-a-good-deal-in/) [Barbara Pym](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-pym/) > [Being nice to people gets you nowhere. Being arrogant gets you nowhere. Blackmail, now that's a thing that will get you everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-nice-to-people-gets-you-nowhere-being-arrogant-gets-you-nowhere/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The bonds of friendship dwindle with age, Oliver. But a little blackmail lasts forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hunt/the-bonds-of-friendship-dwindle-with-age-oliver-but-a-little/) [Stephen Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hunt/) > [“You don’t get to say it’s not a big thing. This is a big fucking thing, okay? This was supposed to be—this is mine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-albertalli/you-don-t-get-to-say-it-s-not-a-big-thing-this-is-a-big-fucking-thing/) [Becky Albertalli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-albertalli/) > [I'm constantly lying to my dog. He only responds to manipulation and blackmail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riley-keough/i-m-constantly-lying-to-my-dog-he-only-responds-to-manipulation-and/) [Riley Keough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riley-keough/) > [If the minority is able to successfully undo the Affordable Care Act by blackmail, it will be the undoing of the democratic nature of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerrold-nadler/if-the-minority-is-able-to-successfully-undo-the-affordable-care-act/) [Jerrold Nadler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerrold-nadler/) > [“Ah, shit. She’s been crying. This is not good. I swear to God, a girl crying is fucking blackmail. It just makes you feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-mcclean/ah-shit-she-s-been-crying-this-is-not-good-i-swear-to-god-a-girl/) [J.C. McClean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-mcclean/) > [Neither the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina nor the international community will accept such blackmail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-petritsch/neither-the-citizens-of-bosnia-and-herzegovina-nor-the-international/) [Wolfgang Petritsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-petritsch/) > [Russia has shown it's not above the temptation of using some bargaining power or blackmail. It shows that if there is a way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-gros/russia-has-shown-it-s-not-above-the-temptation-of-using-some/) [Daniel Gros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-gros/) > [You know, it's hard to say this, but I suspect that Obama is afraid either of blackmail potential or even worse. And he has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-mcgovern/you-know-it-s-hard-to-say-this-but-i-suspect-that-obama-is-afraid/) [Ray McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-mcgovern/) > [“When that bastard calls back, you tell him he’s won this round. I’ll marry him. But I don’t take well to being blackmailed, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/when-that-bastard-calls-back-you-tell-him-he-s-won-this-round-i-ll/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [The police had a practice of entrapping people. This was done all over the country, but we had a particularly vicious group here in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-hay/the-police-had-a-practice-of-entrapping-people-this-was-done-all-over/) [Harry Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-hay/) [Browse all 157 Blackmail quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blackmail/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I am one of those servants – butlers usually – who respectfully points out when their master is about to do something stupid: \"You should probably only burn the document once the blackmail has been completed, m' lady.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joe Dunthorne" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dunthorne/i-am-one-of-those-servants-butlers-usually-who-respectfully-points/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Blackmail" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dunthorne/i-am-one-of-those-servants-butlers-usually-who-respectfully-points/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c1/joe-dunthorne-14534_blackmail_i-am-one-of-those-servants-butlers-usual_2438784.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c1/joe-dunthorne-14534_blackmail_i-am-one-of-those-servants-butlers-usual_2438784.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c1/joe-dunthorne-14534_blackmail_i-am-one-of-those-servants-butlers-usual_2438784.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I am one of those servants – butlers usually – who respectfully points out when their master is about to do…” — Joe Dunthorne", "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": "Joe Dunthorne", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dunthorne/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I am one of those servants...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dunthorne/i-am-one-of-those-servants-butlers-usually-who-respectfully-points/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dunthorne/i-am-one-of-those-servants-butlers-usually-who-respectfully-points/#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 } } ] } ```