--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's a ridiculous function of modern work…" description: "\"It's a ridiculous function of modern work life that we can't just be sick, we then have to beat ourselves up about being sick.\" — Katty Kay" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac0/katty-kay-8472_beat_it-s-a-ridiculous-function-of-modern-wor_653188.jpg" --- # It's a ridiculous function of modern work life that we… ![“It's a ridiculous function of modern work life that we can't just be sick, we then have to beat ourselves up about being sick.” quote by Katty Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac0/katty-kay-8472_beat_it-s-a-ridiculous-function-of-modern-wor_653188.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac0/katty-kay-8472_beat_it-s-a-ridiculous-function-of-modern-wor_653188.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac0/katty-kay-8472_beat_it-s-a-ridiculous-function-of-modern-wor_653188.jpg) > “It's a ridiculous function of modern work life that we can't just be sick, we then have to beat ourselves up about being sick.” [Katty Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katty-kay/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Modern work culture pressures people to self‑criticize even when ill, turning sickness into a personal failure. **In simple terms:** Work makes us feel guilty for being sick. Key Takeaway Accept illness without self‑blame. Themes work culture mental health self‑criticism Mood frustrated reflective Type advice observational When to use this quote - remote work - sick leave policies - employee wellness programs - personal health management Key Concepts productivity pressure well‑being social expectations Questions to Reflect On - How does your workplace view sick leave? - What habits can reduce self‑criticism when ill? A Different Perspective Self‑compassion may be seen as reduced productivity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beat/) [Beat Sick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beat-sick-3876816/) [Being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) [Doctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctor/) [Just Sick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-sick-1001566/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Modern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern/) [Modern Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern-work-2081978/) [Sick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sick/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Work Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-life/) ## Related quotes > [The 'Can It Be' beat was sick!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ghostface-killah/the-can-it-be-beat-was-sick/) [Ghostface Killah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ghostface-killah/) > [It is better to imitate ancient than modern work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/it-is-better-to-imitate-ancient-than-modern-work/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [The modern work of art, as I have said, is a symbol.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-read/the-modern-work-of-art-as-i-have-said-is-a-symbol/) [Herbert Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-read/) > [“The trouble is, the modern work paradigm gives us so little sense of completion or clear space that it feels like we’re constantly straining…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-allcott/the-trouble-is-the-modern-work-paradigm-gives-us-so-little-sense-of/) [Graham Allcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-allcott/) > [I got so I was really just sick of sculpture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rauschenberg/i-got-so-i-was-really-just-sick-of-sculpture/) [Robert Rauschenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rauschenberg/) > [“Just get sick sometime and go visit yourself, and you'll find out how tactless you are! 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Worst beating I ever got in my life, my mother said, "I am just sick..." And I said, "And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-cosby/and-tired-always-followed-sick-worst-beating-i-ever-got-in-my-life-my/) [Bill Cosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-cosby/) > [These damn meds ain't working, I'm just too sick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/these-damn-meds-ain-t-working-i-m-just-too-sick/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I was just sick, beaten, in a city of millions, of suffering by myself. I was twenty-seven going on sixty-five. I should have received…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffanie-debartolo/i-was-just-sick-beaten-in-a-city-of-millions-of-suffering-by-myself-i/) [Tiffanie DeBartolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffanie-debartolo/) > [I'm just sick of food going in the garbage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-douglas/i-m-just-sick-of-food-going-in-the-garbage/) [Tom Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-douglas/) > [Jesus did not help just the sick who could afford to pay for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/jesus-did-not-help-just-the-sick-who-could-afford-to-pay-for-it/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [I feel like Drake is doing exactly what I plan on doing, just being sick for all of, what, a decade now? And just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-nas-x/i-feel-like-drake-is-doing-exactly-what-i-plan-on-doing-just-being/) [Lil Nas X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-nas-x/) ## More by Katty Kay > [“For years, she had a debilitating habit. She would sit on the bus on the way home from her lab creating a long list…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katty-kay/for-years-she-had-a-debilitating-habit-she-would-sit-on-the-bus-on/) [Katty Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katty-kay/) > [Economists argue about the relative impact of immigrants versus robots on wage stagnation - voters don't care much. They blame immigrants. It's easier to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katty-kay/economists-argue-about-the-relative-impact-of-immigrants-versus/) [Katty Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katty-kay/) > [Globalisation, with inexorable speed, has changed the world we live in. For all of us. Jobs have changed, the way we trade has changed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katty-kay/globalisation-with-inexorable-speed-has-changed-the-world-we-live-in/) [Katty Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katty-kay/) > [People are far too wrapped up in their own lives to care about what's happening to other people. Even if it is a moment's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katty-kay/people-are-far-too-wrapped-up-in-their-own-lives-to-care-about-what-s/) [Katty Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katty-kay/) > [In Rwanda, which has gone through a devastating civil war and has a per-capita income of $16 per year, half of members of Parliament…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katty-kay/in-rwanda-which-has-gone-through-a-devastating-civil-war-and-has-a/) [Katty Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katty-kay/) > [If you choose not to act, you have little chance of success. What’s more, when you choose to act, you’re able to succeed more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katty-kay/if-you-choose-not-to-act-you-have-little-chance-of-success-what-s/) [Katty Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katty-kay/) > [Politicians live in mortal terror of ever saying they are sorry about anything, because that would suggest they have been wrong. It is often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katty-kay/politicians-live-in-mortal-terror-of-ever-saying-they-are-sorry-about/) [Katty Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katty-kay/) > [I read the news every night to millions of people around the world. It doesnt test my confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katty-kay/i-read-the-news-every-night-to-millions-of-people-around-the-world-it/) [Katty Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katty-kay/) > [Boris Johnson and Donald Trump appeal to the heart not the head, they offer simple solutions in a time of complex problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katty-kay/boris-johnson-and-donald-trump-appeal-to-the-heart-not-the-head-they/) [Katty Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katty-kay/) > [But democracy needs structure to work, in the form of laws and policies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katty-kay/but-democracy-needs-structure-to-work-in-the-form-of-laws-and-policies/) [Katty Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katty-kay/) > [My best teacher was my mother. She was a diplomats wife living in the Arab world in the 70s and 80s who always worked,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katty-kay/my-best-teacher-was-my-mother-she-was-a-diplomats-wife-living-in-the/) [Katty Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katty-kay/) > [In normal circumstances, if you want a job done well, you chose someone with experience doing that job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katty-kay/in-normal-circumstances-if-you-want-a-job-done-well-you-chose-someone/) [Katty Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katty-kay/) > [In the scheme of life, being moved aside from a job, however much you love it, is a small thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katty-kay/in-the-scheme-of-life-being-moved-aside-from-a-job-however-much-you/) [Katty Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katty-kay/) > [Im good at getting information and synthesizing it. Its not that I doubt myself on that. Its, do you have the Ph.D. first-class brain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katty-kay/im-good-at-getting-information-and-synthesizing-it-its-not-that-i/) [Katty Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katty-kay/) > [The skepticism that has grown up about elites is totally justified. Since 2008, no one has gone to jail on Wall Street for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katty-kay/the-skepticism-that-has-grown-up-about-elites-is-totally-justified/) [Katty Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katty-kay/) [Explore all 80 Katty Kay quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katty-kay/) ## More Beat quotes > [Drumming's pretty physical. 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Together we can beat hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-rudd/britain-has-united-to-send-a-strong-message-to-anyone-who-seeks-to/) [Amber Rudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-rudd/) > [If I can beat a proven champion like Canelo, that will take my career to a different level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennady-golovkin/if-i-can-beat-a-proven-champion-like-canelo-that-will-take-my-career/) [Gennady Golovkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennady-golovkin/) > [There are more pleasant things to do than beat up people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/there-are-more-pleasant-things-to-do-than-beat-up-people/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [Only two to three per cent of an audience is interested in words and pays attention to lyrics; most of the rest of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stewart/only-two-to-three-per-cent-of-an-audience-is-interested-in-words-and/) [Al Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stewart/) > [Practice to beat the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-bennett/practice-to-beat-the-best/) [Dick Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-bennett/) > [“I'm an idealist who has outgrown my idealism I have nothing to do the rest of my life but do it and the rest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-m-an-idealist-who-has-outgrown-my-idealism-i-have-nothing-to-do-the/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [You know, I definitely believe that I can beat Manny. There's so many advantages I have against him that people are overlooking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-mosley/you-know-i-definitely-believe-that-i-can-beat-manny-there-s-so-many/) [Shane Mosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-mosley/) > [If I serve good and play aggressive from the baseline, I can beat everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karolina-pliskova/if-i-serve-good-and-play-aggressive-from-the-baseline-i-can-beat/) [Karolina Pliskova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karolina-pliskova/) > [It goes way, way back when we were under Sweden's rule. We always think they are better than us. We played against them so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saku-koivu/it-goes-way-way-back-when-we-were-under-sweden-s-rule-we-always-think/) [Saku Koivu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saku-koivu/) > [I never do any album to beat it. I do it to extend it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/i-never-do-any-album-to-beat-it-i-do-it-to-extend-it/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [Back back back it up, can't no one compete. 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