---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Meat workers may have been looked down…"
description: "\"Meat workers may have been looked down upon socially, but at least they were well-paid and were a fit and lively bunch as a result of hard, honest phys..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50f/michael-leunig-2274_been_meat-workers-may-have-been-looked-down-u_1088206.jpg"
---

#  Meat workers may have been looked down upon socially, but…

![“Meat workers may have been looked down upon socially, but at least they were well-paid and were a fit and lively bunch as a result of hard, honest physical work.” quote by Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50f/michael-leunig-2274_been_meat-workers-may-have-been-looked-down-u_1088206.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50f/michael-leunig-2274_been_meat-workers-may-have-been-looked-down-u_1088206.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50f/michael-leunig-2274_been_meat-workers-may-have-been-looked-down-u_1088206.jpg)

> “Meat workers may have been looked down upon socially, but at least they were well-paid and were a fit and lively bunch as a result of hard, honest physical work.”

[Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/)

## About This Quote

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

Physical labor yields social respect and good wages, contrasting with societal disdain.

**In simple terms:** Hard work can be rewarding despite social stigma.

Key Takeaway

Value honest labor and its benefits.

Themes

work social class respect

Mood

reflective thoughtful

Type

social philosophical

When to use this quote

- industrial jobs
- artisan crafts
- community projects

Key Concepts

labor economics social perception physical health

Questions to Reflect On

- How does society view different types of work?
- What can change perceptions of manual labor?

A Different Perspective

Not all labor is equally valued across cultures.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Been](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/been/) [Bunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bunch/) [Down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/down/) [Fit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fit/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest/) [Lively](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lively/) [Looked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looked/) [Looked Socially](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looked-socially-2798536/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Meat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meat/) [Meat Workers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meat-workers-2798534/) [Physical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physical/) [Result](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/result/) [Socially](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/socially/) [Socially Paid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/socially-paid-2798537/) [Were](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/were/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Workers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/workers/) [Workers Looked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/workers-looked-2798535/)

## Related quotes

> [My father was a meat worker. He was a union organizer in the meat workers union.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/my-father-was-a-meat-worker-he-was-a-union-organizer-in-the-meat/)

[Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/)

> [As soon as you start writing about how human beings interact with each other socially, you're into politics, aren't you?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-coe/as-soon-as-you-start-writing-about-how-human-beings-interact-with/)

[Jonathan Coe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-coe/)

> [I know people socially who live in countries where the wealth gap is more extreme than it is in America, and they live with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-johnson/i-know-people-socially-who-live-in-countries-where-the-wealth-gap-is/)

[Jamie Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-johnson/)

> [Living my life socially means there is a swagger to how I dress, walk; it's not about being 'cool,' it's just being me -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bj-the-chicago-kid/living-my-life-socially-means-there-is-a-swagger-to-how-i-dress-walk/)

[BJ the Chicago Kid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bj-the-chicago-kid/)

> [For those who struggle with anti-pagan prejudices and stereotypes, Humanist Paganism might be a powerful educational tool. It can show that a pagan can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-myers/for-those-who-struggle-with-anti-pagan-prejudices-and-stereotypes/)

[Brendan Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-myers/)

> [I could go on a long rant about how much I despise e-mail. I wish it was more socially acceptable to ignore people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-huffman/i-could-go-on-a-long-rant-about-how-much-i-despise-e-mail-i-wish-it/)

[Steve Huffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-huffman/)

> [Nonsense is socially OK, but not stupidity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/nonsense-is-socially-ok-but-not-stupidity/)

[Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/)

> [Novelists in particular love to rhapsodize about the glory of the solitary mind; this is natural, because their job requires them to sit in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-thompson/novelists-in-particular-love-to-rhapsodize-about-the-glory-of-the/)

[Clive Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-thompson/)

> [I met Mr. Hoover socially. I never talked to him about anything connected with his work. We just met him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sherman-cooper/i-met-mr-hoover-socially-i-never-talked-to-him-about-anything/)

[John Sherman Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sherman-cooper/)

> [If you really think everything in your life, everything that you benefit from comes from socially aware, like-minded, good-hearted people, then you're out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-che/if-you-really-think-everything-in-your-life-everything-that-you/)

[Michael Che](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-che/)

> [The government has once again made the right socially acceptable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elfriede-jelinek/the-government-has-once-again-made-the-right-socially-acceptable/)

[Elfriede Jelinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elfriede-jelinek/)

> [Using a broad brushstroke, I think Libertarian - most of America are socially accepting and fiscally responsible. I'm in that category. I think, broadly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-johnson/using-a-broad-brushstroke-i-think-libertarian-most-of-america-are/)

[Gary Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-johnson/)

> [I don't really have loads of friends - three or four who are close. The thing that I love the most is playing with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-odell/i-don-t-really-have-loads-of-friends-three-or-four-who-are-close-the/)

[Tom Odell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-odell/)

> [I was socially sheltered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glorilla/i-was-socially-sheltered/)

[GloRilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glorilla/)

> [I've always been interested in socially political, or overtly political, comedy. And I guess I've always liked to channel some kind of personal element…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/i-ve-always-been-interested-in-socially-political-or-overtly/)

[John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/)

## More by Michael Leunig

> [In my journey as a cartoonist, I seem to have accidentally stumbled into all sorts of traps, damnations and blacklists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/in-my-journey-as-a-cartoonist-i-seem-to-have-accidentally-stumbled/)

[Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/)

> [Have I got the right to experiment with my child's life?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/have-i-got-the-right-to-experiment-with-my-child-s-life/)

[Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/)

> [There are only two feelings, Love and fear: There are only two languages, Love and fear: There are only two activities, Love and fear:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/there-are-only-two-feelings-love-and-fear-there-are-only-two/)

[Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/)

> [If European symbols and traditions have grown tired, perfunctory and oppressively banal in Australia, or been drained of spirit and meaning by the dreary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/if-european-symbols-and-traditions-have-grown-tired-perfunctory-and/)

[Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/)

> [Socialised humanity represses nature and degrades human nature; it takes life and waters it down - probably to control it - diluting existence with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/socialised-humanity-represses-nature-and-degrades-human-nature-it/)

[Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/)

> [I became a cartoonist because I'd sort of failed at everything else, really. I mean, it was by default.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/i-became-a-cartoonist-because-i-d-sort-of-failed-at-everything-else/)

[Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/)

> [I never really understood who the Magi were as a child. What is a Magi? Not a word I would use, but a magpie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/i-never-really-understood-who-the-magi-were-as-a-child-what-is-a-magi/)

[Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/)

> [God bless this tiny little boat, And me who travels in it. It stays afloat for years and years, And sinks within a minute.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/god-bless-this-tiny-little-boat-and-me-who-travels-in-it-it-stays/)

[Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/)

> [There can be many reasons to travel, but wandering into the world for no particular reason is a sublime madness, which in all its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/there-can-be-many-reasons-to-travel-but-wandering-into-the-world-for/)

[Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/)

> [I'm totally deaf in my right ear, yeah.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/i-m-totally-deaf-in-my-right-ear-yeah/)

[Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/)

> [Emotional stability has not been America's gift to the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/emotional-stability-has-not-been-america-s-gift-to-the-world/)

[Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/)

> [Life seems sadly mishandled by humans, as if it's all too much for them - they spend so much time and energy hurting each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/life-seems-sadly-mishandled-by-humans-as-if-it-s-all-too-much-for/)

[Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/)

> [If you know anything about ducks, you know a baby duck will imprint itself on you. It misses its mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/if-you-know-anything-about-ducks-you-know-a-baby-duck-will-imprint/)

[Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/)

> [I think melancholy is part of the natural condition, you know. Anyway, I think it's the artist's function to have their melancholy and not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/i-think-melancholy-is-part-of-the-natural-condition-you-know-anyway-i/)

[Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/)

> [At last, after completing year 12, I failed the great final examination, repeated the following year and failed again even more dismally than before.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/at-last-after-completing-year-12-i-failed-the-great-final-examination/)

[Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/)

[Explore all 175 Michael Leunig quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/)

## More Been quotes

> [When I was trying to come up with a stage name, I thought 'Lord' was super rad, but really masculine - ever since I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorde/when-i-was-trying-to-come-up-with-a-stage-name-i-thought-lord-was/)

[Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorde/)

> [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/)

[Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/)

> [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/)

[Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/)

> [Here's the reality. The image of a white Jesus has been used to justify enslavement, conquest, colonialism, the genocide of indigenous peoples. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/here-s-the-reality-the-image-of-a-white-jesus-has-been-used-to/)

[Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/)

> [I would have done well as a gypsy child, I think. A circus baby. I coulda played a great street urchin or ragamuffin. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-lyonne/i-would-have-done-well-as-a-gypsy-child-i-think-a-circus-baby-i/)

[Natasha Lyonne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-lyonne/)

> [A lot of people have been saying 'The 100' reminds them of 'Lord Of The Flies,' 'Lost' and 'Battlestar Galactica,' and all of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-avgeropoulos/a-lot-of-people-have-been-saying-the-100-reminds-them-of-lord-of-the/)

[Marie Avgeropoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-avgeropoulos/)

> [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/)

[Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/)

> [Well, I've been politically involved for a really long time. Growing up in the segregated South, it was a very painful experience for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cybill-shepherd/well-i-ve-been-politically-involved-for-a-really-long-time-growing-up/)

[Cybill Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cybill-shepherd/)

> [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/)

[Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/)

> [I have always been a big meta guy because I think the way journalism is practiced in Washington, and the way everyone sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-have-always-been-a-big-meta-guy-because-i-think-the-way-journalism/)

[Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/)

> [Windmills and solar cells are carbon-free sources of electricity. But they are costly. If you've been investing in those, give it up. That game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-fisher/windmills-and-solar-cells-are-carbon-free-sources-of-electricity-but/)

[Kenneth Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-fisher/)

> [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/)

[Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/)

> [I have never been in, nor have I had any strong particular desire to be in, what is termed a costume drama, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-have-never-been-in-nor-have-i-had-any-strong-particular-desire-to/)

[Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/)

> [There has always been a feeling with people that they love my singing but not always the choice of material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/there-has-always-been-a-feeling-with-people-that-they-love-my-singing/)

[Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/)

> [I've always been a believer in research. It's great to have an instinctual human reaction to a character, too, of course, but it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/i-ve-always-been-a-believer-in-research-it-s-great-to-have-an/)

[Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/)

[Browse all 13,699 Been quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/been/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Meat workers may have been looked down upon socially, but at least they were well-paid and were a fit and lively bunch as a result of hard, honest physical work.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Michael Leunig"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/meat-workers-may-have-been-looked-down-upon-socially-but-at-least/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Been"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/meat-workers-may-have-been-looked-down-upon-socially-but-at-least/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50f/michael-leunig-2274_been_meat-workers-may-have-been-looked-down-u_1088206.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50f/michael-leunig-2274_been_meat-workers-may-have-been-looked-down-u_1088206.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50f/michael-leunig-2274_been_meat-workers-may-have-been-looked-down-u_1088206.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Meat workers may have been looked down upon socially, but at least they were well-paid and were a fit and…” — Michael Leunig",
                "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": "Michael Leunig",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Meat workers may have been looked...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/meat-workers-may-have-been-looked-down-upon-socially-but-at-least/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/meat-workers-may-have-been-looked-down-upon-socially-but-at-least/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
