--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: B.C. sat back in his chair. “Whatever…" description: "\"“B.C. sat back in his chair. “Whatever America needs, the world will supply. Cocaine? Colombia steps to the plate. Shortage of farmworkers, corn detass..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5d/abraham-verghese-1533_america_b-c-sat-back-in-his-chair-whatever-ameri_134895.jpg" --- # B.C. sat back in his chair. “Whatever America needs, the… ![“B.C. sat back in his chair. “Whatever America needs, the world will supply. Cocaine? Colombia steps to the plate. Shortage of farmworkers, corn detasselers? Thank God for Mexico. Baseball players? Viva Dominicana. Need more interns? India, Philippines zindabad” quote by Abraham Verghese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5d/abraham-verghese-1533_america_b-c-sat-back-in-his-chair-whatever-ameri_134895.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5d/abraham-verghese-1533_america_b-c-sat-back-in-his-chair-whatever-ameri_134895.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5d/abraham-verghese-1533_america_b-c-sat-back-in-his-chair-whatever-ameri_134895.jpg) > ““B.C. sat back in his chair. “Whatever America needs, the world will supply. Cocaine? Colombia steps to the plate. Shortage of farmworkers, corn detasselers? Thank God for Mexico. Baseball players? Viva Dominicana. Need more interns? India, Philippines zindabad”” [Abraham Verghese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-verghese/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker lists various global resources and labor pools the United States relies on, highlighting dependency on other nations for essential services and goods. **In simple terms:** America depends on many countries for its needs. Key Takeaway Acknowledge and address reliance on global labor and resources. Themes globalization interdependence labor markets resource dependence political commentary Mood analytical thought‑provoking concerned Type political economic ethical When to use this quote - policy making - business strategy - human resources - public health planning - education Key Concepts economic dependency immigration supply chain geopolitics Questions to Reflect On - What are the implications of such dependencies? - How can societies balance reliance with fairness? A Different Perspective The statement may simplify complex geopolitical relationships and ignore ethical concerns. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [America Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america-needs/) [Ball player](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ball-player/) [Baseball player](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baseball-player/) [Baseball Players](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baseball-players/) [Dominicana Need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dominicana-need-1538319/) [Needs World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs-world-787131/) [Shortage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shortage/) [Thank god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thank-god/) [World Supply](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-supply-1538318/) ## Related quotes > [We look at the world and analyze the world, and see what we can do that is in line of our mutual interest and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-macapagal-arroyo/we-look-at-the-world-and-analyze-the-world-and-see-what-we-can-do/) [Gloria Macapagal Arroyo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-macapagal-arroyo/) > [“An empathetic leader needs to be out in the world, meeting people where they live and seeing how the technology we create affects their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/satya-nadella/an-empathetic-leader-needs-to-be-out-in-the-world-meeting-people/) [Satya Nadella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/satya-nadella/) > [Once again, victims of disaster have turned to the UN and the international community in their time of need, .. The world needs the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-turner/once-again-victims-of-disaster-have-turned-to-the-un-and-the/) [Ted Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-turner/) > [Your calling is where your own greatest joy intersects with the needs of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/your-calling-is-where-your-own-greatest-joy-intersects-with-the-needs/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [There are so many needs in the world, and our hearts cannot carry them all. You must walk to the priorities God has set…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/there-are-so-many-needs-in-the-world-and-our-hearts-cannot-carry-them/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [You're the only one who can make me feel so right. Who needs the world when I got you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jv/you-re-the-only-one-who-can-make-me-feel-so-right-who-needs-the-world/) [JV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jv/) > [“I think we often look at the great needs in the world and see all the things we can’t do, which keeps us from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-formsma/i-think-we-often-look-at-the-great-needs-in-the-world-and-see-all-the/) [Brad Formsma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-formsma/) > [At that point in life where your talent meets the needs of the world, that is where God wants you to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/at-that-point-in-life-where-your-talent-meets-the-needs-of-the-world/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [So the American economy needs the world, and the world needs the American economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodrigo-rato/so-the-american-economy-needs-the-world-and-the-world-needs-the/) [Rodrigo Rato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodrigo-rato/) > [“I cannot do all the good that the world needs. But the world needs all the good that I can do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jana-stanfield/i-cannot-do-all-the-good-that-the-world-needs-but-the-world-needs-all/) [Jana Stanfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jana-stanfield/) > [I think the main message is that world rugby needs New Zealand and New Zealand needs world rugby.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-miller/i-think-the-main-message-is-that-world-rugby-needs-new-zealand-and/) [Mike Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-miller/) > [Humanity is no longer the same. Its needs are no longer the same, and the needs of all around the world are recognizable. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-creme/humanity-is-no-longer-the-same-its-needs-are-no-longer-the-same-and/) [Benjamin Creme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-creme/) > [What are the needs of the world? What can I do that won't be done if I don't do it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/what-are-the-needs-of-the-world-what-can-i-do-that-won-t-be-done-if-i/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [There are a thousand needs in the world, and none of them compares to the global need for the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/there-are-a-thousand-needs-in-the-world-and-none-of-them-compares-to/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [“Clients' needs are the most important needs in the world of business.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/utibe-samuel-mbom/clients-needs-are-the-most-important-needs-in-the-world-of-business/) [Utibe Samuel Mbom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/utibe-samuel-mbom/) ## More by Abraham Verghese > [I've never bought this idea of taking a therapeutic distance. If I see a student or house staff cry, I take great faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-verghese/i-ve-never-bought-this-idea-of-taking-a-therapeutic-distance-if-i-see/) [Abraham Verghese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-verghese/) > [I love to read poetry but I haven't written anything that I'm willing to show anybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-verghese/i-love-to-read-poetry-but-i-haven-t-written-anything-that-i-m-willing/) [Abraham Verghese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-verghese/) > [We come unbidden into this life, and if we are lucky we find a purpose beyond starvation, misery, and early death which, lest we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-verghese/we-come-unbidden-into-this-life-and-if-we-are-lucky-we-find-a-purpose/) [Abraham Verghese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-verghese/) > [I think America is really in denial about the degree to which residents, particularly foreign medical graduates, man the county hospitals of this country,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-verghese/i-think-america-is-really-in-denial-about-the-degree-to-which/) [Abraham Verghese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-verghese/) > [“Do they listen?" He held up a finger. "Every year one does," he said, ginning, "But that one makes it worthwhile. Even Jesus only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-verghese/do-they-listen-he-held-up-a-finger-every-year-one-does-he-said/) [Abraham Verghese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-verghese/) > [“It seems we humans never learn. And so we relearn the lesson every generation and then want to write epistles. We proselytize to our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-verghese/it-seems-we-humans-never-learn-and-so-we-relearn-the-lesson-every/) [Abraham Verghese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-verghese/) > [It was all I had, all I've ever had, the only currency, the only proof that I was alive. Memory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-verghese/it-was-all-i-had-all-i-ve-ever-had-the-only-currency-the-only-proof/) [Abraham Verghese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-verghese/) > [“There it was, Hema must have thought; it was both the sorry and the thank-you that was so long overdue, and the funny thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-verghese/there-it-was-hema-must-have-thought-it-was-both-the-sorry-and-the/) [Abraham Verghese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-verghese/) > [“This is my life, I thought, as my taxi slogged through heavy traffic and inched through the tunnel to Logan Airport. I have excised…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-verghese/this-is-my-life-i-thought-as-my-taxi-slogged-through-heavy-traffic/) [Abraham Verghese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-verghese/) > [“I could see that the almost mystical aura of this legendary surgeon -- the single-mindedness, the dedication, the skill -- was mere surface. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-verghese/i-could-see-that-the-almost-mystical-aura-of-this-legendary-surgeon/) [Abraham Verghese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-verghese/) > [“As a child I'd longed for Thomas Stone or at least the idea of him. So many mornings I waited for him at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-verghese/as-a-child-i-d-longed-for-thomas-stone-or-at-least-the-idea-of-him-so/) [Abraham Verghese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-verghese/) > [“The reader, knowing nothing about the ‘dark continent,’ filled in the blanks. Pictured Stone in a tent, kerosene lamp held up by a Hottentot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-verghese/the-reader-knowing-nothing-about-the-dark-continent-filled-in-the/) [Abraham Verghese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-verghese/) > [“This was what growing up was about: hide the corpse, don't bare your heart, do make assumptions about the motives of others. They're certainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-verghese/this-was-what-growing-up-was-about-hide-the-corpse-don-t-bare-your/) [Abraham Verghese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-verghese/) > [“And as for my father? No, he wouldn't ever walk through those gates; I now knew that. 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People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. 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