--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This nation is notorious for its ability…" description: "\"This nation is notorious for its ability to make or fake anything cheaply. 'Made-in-China' goods now fill homes around the world. But our giant country..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b4/ai-weiwei-824_ability_this-nation-is-notorious-for-its-ability_2812418.png" --- # This nation is notorious for its ability to make or fake… ![“This nation is notorious for its ability to make or fake anything cheaply. 'Made-in-China' goods now fill homes around the world. But our giant country has a small problem. We can't manufacture the happiness of our people.” quote by Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b4/ai-weiwei-824_ability_this-nation-is-notorious-for-its-ability_2812418.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b4/ai-weiwei-824_ability_this-nation-is-notorious-for-its-ability_2812418.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b4/ai-weiwei-824_ability_this-nation-is-notorious-for-its-ability_2812418.png) > “This nation is notorious for its ability to make or fake anything cheaply. 'Made-in-China' goods now fill homes around the world. But our giant country has a small problem. We can't manufacture the happiness of our people.” [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. China excels at cheap mass production, but cannot manufacture genuine happiness for its people. **In simple terms:** Material goods don’t equal happiness. Key Takeaway Seek deeper fulfillment. Themes consumerism culture well‑being Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical observational When to use this quote - urban life - policy making - personal development Key Concepts sociology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What truly brings joy? - How can societies foster well‑being? A Different Perspective Economic growth doesn’t guarantee happiness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Around the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/around-the-world/) [Cheaply](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cheaply/) [China](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/china/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Nation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nation/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“There is so much trade between North Korea and China that there are even goods made specifically for the North Korean market, such as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-tudor/there-is-so-much-trade-between-north-korea-and-china-that-there-are/) [Daniel Tudor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-tudor/) > [If I'm going to make a fake movie, it's going to be a fake hit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/if-i-m-going-to-make-a-fake-movie-it-s-going-to-be-a-fake-hit/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [“Don't fake it till you make it. Fake it till you become”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-cuddy/don-t-fake-it-till-you-make-it-fake-it-till-you-become/) [Amy Cuddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-cuddy/) > [If you can't make it, fake it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe/if-you-can-t-make-it-fake-it/) [Chloe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe/) > [One thing I know is go hard young make fake niggas know this blowing money cause you die if you dont live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wiz-khalifa/one-thing-i-know-is-go-hard-young-make-fake-niggas-know-this-blowing/) [Wiz Khalifa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wiz-khalifa/) > [Fake it til you make it. Or make it then you fake it. Either way its fake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isiahnunn/fake-it-til-you-make-it-or-make-it-then-you-fake-it-either-way-its/) Isiahnunn > [Don't fake it till you make it. Fake it till you become it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-fake-it-till-you-make-it-fake-it-till-you-become-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [God created people for them to make, not to fake...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/armee-taylo/god-created-people-for-them-to-make-not-to-fake/) [Armee Taylo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/armee-taylo/) > [It's one thing to be writing in South or Latin America, where, except for Brazil, every country, however small and hard to find on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-korda/it-s-one-thing-to-be-writing-in-south-or-latin-america-where-except/) [Michael Korda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-korda/) > [The minute you become a leader of a country, you go into a very small club. You join that sort of pantheon of other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-morgan/the-minute-you-become-a-leader-of-a-country-you-go-into-a-very-small/) [Peter Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-morgan/) > [And what most people don't understand is the bulk of business in this country is small business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alphonso-jackson/and-what-most-people-don-t-understand-is-the-bulk-of-business-in-this/) [Alphonso Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alphonso-jackson/) > [Every child in every country in every small town should know who I am. There are a handful of people who have achieved that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiger-shroff/every-child-in-every-country-in-every-small-town-should-know-who-i-am/) [Tiger Shroff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiger-shroff/) > [I have been to beaches in many parts of the world, but Maldives is amazing. The country is very small, people are simple, each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milind-soman/i-have-been-to-beaches-in-many-parts-of-the-world-but-maldives-is/) [Milind Soman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milind-soman/) > [Indian country is small, word gets around about how people conduct themselves when they come into your community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-gladstone/indian-country-is-small-word-gets-around-about-how-people-conduct/) [Lily Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-gladstone/) > [I'm a simple, country, small-town girl at heart. I try and stick to the values that I learned as a child, and I lead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-bowie/i-m-a-simple-country-small-town-girl-at-heart-i-try-and-stick-to-the/) [Tori Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-bowie/) ## More by Ai Weiwei > [I'm totally independent. I don't bear any responsibility to any system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/i-m-totally-independent-i-don-t-bear-any-responsibility-to-any-system/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [If my art has nothing to do with people's pain and sorrow, what is 'art' for?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/if-my-art-has-nothing-to-do-with-people-s-pain-and-sorrow-what-is-art/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [Police in China can do whatever they want; after 81 days in arbitrary detention you clearly realise that they don't have to obey their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/police-in-china-can-do-whatever-they-want-after-81-days-in-arbitrary/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [China has a rich history that has spanned millennia. It consists of the histories of many nations and regions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/china-has-a-rich-history-that-has-spanned-millennia-it-consists-of/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [This world should be much more open and should be much more free, so the young people would have the chance to exercise the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/this-world-should-be-much-more-open-and-should-be-much-more-free-so/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [By participating in the society we live in, we understand our conditions and the way we relate to the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/by-participating-in-the-society-we-live-in-we-understand-our/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [I see the Beijing National Stadium as an architectural project. I accepted Herzog and De Meuron's invitation to collaborate on the design, and our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/i-see-the-beijing-national-stadium-as-an-architectural-project-i/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [ I curated this show \[Shanghai Biennale \], I was by no means trying to shock people or be controversial. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/i-curated-this-show-shanghai-biennale-i-was-by-no-means-trying-to/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [I think we cannot have a double standard. We cannot see our art as different from the reality. We cannot use two different sets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/i-think-we-cannot-have-a-double-standard-we-cannot-see-our-art-as/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [It doesn't matter where I am - China will stay in me. I don't know how far I can still walk on this road…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/it-doesn-t-matter-where-i-am-china-will-stay-in-me-i-don-t-know-how/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [Chinese citizens have never had the right to really express their opinions; in the constitution it says you can, but in the real world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/chinese-citizens-have-never-had-the-right-to-really-express-their/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [Your own acts tell the world who you are and what kind of society you think it should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/your-own-acts-tell-the-world-who-you-are-and-what-kind-of-society-you/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [Our lives are bound by physical limits, familial ties, political conditions, and geographical restrictions. Individual freedom takes us beyond them all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/our-lives-are-bound-by-physical-limits-familial-ties-political/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [Now I've come to such a mixed culture: America, Europe, South America, Africa. And the politics are changing everywhere all the time and becoming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/now-i-ve-come-to-such-a-mixed-culture-america-europe-south-america/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [I don't think it's worth discussing new directions in the context of Chinese art - there were no old directions, either. Chinese art has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/i-don-t-think-it-s-worth-discussing-new-directions-in-the-context-of/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) [Explore all 359 Ai Weiwei quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. 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Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "This nation is notorious for its ability to make or fake anything cheaply. 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