--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was only after I'd grown up and left…" description: "\"“It was only after I'd grown up and left that I developed an attitude [towards the South]. And at first my attitude was that I was ashamed of it. But t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cd/v-s-naipaul-3828_family_it-was-only-after-i-d-grown-up-and-left_3147699.png" --- # It was only after I'd grown up and left that I developed… ![“It was only after I'd grown up and left that I developed an attitude [towards the South]. And at first my attitude was that I was ashamed of it. But the older I got the more I realize that the transgressions of the South were the transgressions of mankind, and that there were certain things that…” quote by V. S. Naipaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cd/v-s-naipaul-3828_family_it-was-only-after-i-d-grown-up-and-left_3147699.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cd/v-s-naipaul-3828_family_it-was-only-after-i-d-grown-up-and-left_3147699.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cd/v-s-naipaul-3828_family_it-was-only-after-i-d-grown-up-and-left_3147699.png) > ““It was only after I'd grown up and left that I developed an attitude \[towards the South\]. And at first my attitude was that I was ashamed of it. But the older I got the more I realize that the transgressions of the South were the transgressions of mankind, and that there were certain things that were superior. There is a cultural attitude in the South that embraces respect for family...and in some ways for country. Although patriotism is not among the highest virtues on my list, still, the patriot believes in something larger than himself, and it is therefore a virtue. There is an attitude in the South that there is more to life than the moment.”” [V. S. Naipaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-naipaul/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The South’s values of family respect and patriotism reflect broader human virtues, despite past wrongs. **In simple terms:** Southern values echo universal morals. Key Takeaway Embrace positive cultural traits while acknowledging history. Themes culture morality family patriotism history Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical cultural When to use this quote - community events - family traditions - national holidays Key Concepts ethical reflection cultural critique identity Questions to Reflect On - What virtues from the South resonate with you? - How can we balance pride and critique? A Different Perspective Idealizing any region can ignore its harms. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Country Patriotism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country-patriotism-1585802/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Patriotism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriotism/) [Patriotism Highest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriotism-highest-1477209/) [South Attitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/south-attitude-5636741/) [Virtue Attitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue-attitude-5636742/) ## Related quotes > [The name of American, which belongs to you, in your national capacity, must always exalt the just pride of Patriotism… It should be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/the-name-of-american-which-belongs-to-you-in-your-national-capacity-2/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [America now is stumbling through the darkness of hatred and divisiveness. 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Naipaul > [In Trinidad, where as new arrivals we were a disadvantaged community, that excluding idea was a kind of protection; it enabled us - for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-naipaul/in-trinidad-where-as-new-arrivals-we-were-a-disadvantaged-community/) [V. S. Naipaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-naipaul/) > [Many writers tend to write summing-up books at the end of their lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-naipaul/many-writers-tend-to-write-summing-up-books-at-the-end-of-their-lives/) [V. S. Naipaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-naipaul/) > [My life is short. I can't listen to banality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-naipaul/my-life-is-short-i-can-t-listen-to-banality/) [V. S. Naipaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-naipaul/) > [If you decide to move to another country and to live within its laws you don't express your disregard for the essence of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-naipaul/if-you-decide-to-move-to-another-country-and-to-live-within-its-laws/) [V. S. Naipaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-naipaul/) > [I don't feel I can speak with authority for many other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-naipaul/i-don-t-feel-i-can-speak-with-authority-for-many-other-people/) [V. S. Naipaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-naipaul/) > [To this day, if you ask me how I became a writer, I cannot give you an answer. To this day, if you ask…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-naipaul/to-this-day-if-you-ask-me-how-i-became-a-writer-i-cannot-give-you-an/) [V. S. 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Naipaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-naipaul/) > [In the beginning, before the arrival of the white men, I had considered myself neutral. I had wanted neither side to win, neither the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-naipaul/in-the-beginning-before-the-arrival-of-the-white-men-i-had-considered/) [V. S. Naipaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-naipaul/) > [I'm my own writer. My material means I'm entirely separate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-naipaul/i-m-my-own-writer-my-material-means-i-m-entirely-separate/) [V. S. Naipaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-naipaul/) > [The only lies for which we are truly punished are those we tell ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-naipaul/the-only-lies-for-which-we-are-truly-punished-are-those-we-tell/) [V. S. Naipaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-naipaul/) > [I have always moved by intuition alone. I have no system, literary or political. I have no guiding political idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-naipaul/i-have-always-moved-by-intuition-alone-i-have-no-system-literary-or/) [V. S. Naipaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-naipaul/) > [Where jargon turns living issues into abstractions, and where jargon ends by competing with jargon, people don't have causes. They only have enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-naipaul/where-jargon-turns-living-issues-into-abstractions-and-where-jargon/) [V. S. Naipaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-naipaul/) [Explore all 121 V. S. Naipaul quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-naipaul/) ## More Family quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. 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He slipped his hand around hers. "Friends," he repeated roughly. Her smile was bright enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-smith/she-knew-how-to-play-him-so-very-well-he-slipped-his-hand-around-hers/) [Kathryn Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-smith/) > [As a family, we all loved the Flyers. To me, rooting for the Flyers were how I bonded with my dad especially.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-f-goldberg/as-a-family-we-all-loved-the-flyers-to-me-rooting-for-the-flyers-were/) [Adam F. Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-f-goldberg/) > [The people have always been family to me here in Las Vegas. 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