--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Respectable means rich, and decent means…" description: "\"Respectable means rich, and decent means poor. I should die if I heard my family called decent.\" — Thomas Mann" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/934/thomas-mann-1103_family_respectable-means-rich-and-decent-means_1000356.jpg" --- # Respectable means rich, and decent means poor. I should… ![“Respectable means rich, and decent means poor. I should die if I heard my family called decent.” quote by Thomas Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/934/thomas-mann-1103_family_respectable-means-rich-and-decent-means_1000356.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/934/thomas-mann-1103_family_respectable-means-rich-and-decent-means_1000356.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/934/thomas-mann-1103_family_respectable-means-rich-and-decent-means_1000356.jpg) > “Respectable means rich, and decent means poor. I should die if I heard my family called decent.” [Thomas Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mann/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Contrasts societal labels of wealth and decency, implying moral conflict. **In simple terms:** Rich vs. decent labels clash. Key Takeaway Question societal definitions of worth. Themes class morality identity Mood critical introspective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - family dynamics - career choices - social expectations Key Concepts social constructs self-worth Questions to Reflect On - What defines 'decent' in modern society? - How do labels affect self-perception? A Different Perspective May oversimplify complex socioeconomic issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Called Decent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/called-decent-2107374/) [Decent Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decent-means-2107373/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Means Poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/means-poor-334563/) [Respectable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respectable/) [Respectable Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respectable-means-2099822/) ## Related quotes > [When you say people need to earn respect you fail to consider that who decides what 'respectable' means have historically been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-say-people-need-to-earn-respect-you-fail-to-consider-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Obviously, my wife is very important, very important because in all this time she never watched me with that look that means 'I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-zanardi/obviously-my-wife-is-very-important-very-important-because-in-all/) [Alex Zanardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-zanardi/) > [If the price of being healthy means to be poor...Then so be it. 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