Like all my family and class, I considered it a sign of weakness to show affection to have been caught kissing my mother would have been a disgrace, and to have shown affection for my father would have been a disaster.

Summary

The quote reflects the viewpoint held by the speaker's family and societal class, where expressing affection is seen as a weakness or vulnerability. Kissing the mother would be considered shameful and displaying affection towards the father would be seen as extremely problematic. The explanation indicates the prevailing cultural expectations that discourage open displays of emotion within the family.

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