Logo - Feel The Words

Manual Quotes

On hands-on work and doing things the manual way

These manual quotes touch on both meanings of the word, from an honest dislike of reading instruction manuals to real pride in manual, hands-on labor passed down through a family.

I hate having to read the manual.

Quotes by Trevor Horn

I class myself as a manual laborer.

Quotes by Theodore White

I've got a Range Rover. It's brilliant actually but it's manual.

Quotes by Mick Ralphs

My father was a manual worker.

Quotes by Diane Abbott

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the two senses of 'manual' used here?
Instruction manuals people avoid reading, and manual, hands-on labor that others take real pride in doing.
Is there a quote about disliking instructions?
Yes, one speaker admits they hate having to read the manual at all, preferring to figure things out directly.
Does the collection touch on family and work?
Yes, one line recalls a father who was a manual worker, tying the word to a specific family history.
Is there a quote about cars in this collection?
Yes, one speaker praises their Range Rover for being manual despite its more luxurious features, favoring simplicity.
How is manual labor generally portrayed here?
With respect, as something the speakers identify with rather than look down on.

One line even praises a manual transmission in a comfortable luxury car, tying the word to a preference for simplicity over convenience. See also Identity quotes.