--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Some have an idea that the reason we in…" description: "\"Some have an idea that the reason we in this country discard things so readily is because we have so much. The facts are exactly opposite-the reason we..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/377/alfred-p-sloan-22832_country_some-have-an-idea-that-the-reason-we-in_3042934.jpg" --- # Some have an idea that the reason we in this country… ![“Some have an idea that the reason we in this country discard things so readily is because we have so much. The facts are exactly opposite-the reason we have so much is simply because we discard things so readily. We replace the old in return for something that will serve us better.” quote by Alfred P. Sloan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/377/alfred-p-sloan-22832_country_some-have-an-idea-that-the-reason-we-in_3042934.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/377/alfred-p-sloan-22832_country_some-have-an-idea-that-the-reason-we-in_3042934.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/377/alfred-p-sloan-22832_country_some-have-an-idea-that-the-reason-we-in_3042934.jpg) > “Some have an idea that the reason we in this country discard things so readily is because we have so much. The facts are exactly opposite-the reason we have so much is simply because we discard things so readily. We replace the old in return for something that will serve us better.” [Alfred P. Sloan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-p-sloan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Abundance leads to waste; we discard because we have excess, not scarcity. **In simple terms:** We waste because we have too much. Key Takeaway Recognize and curb overconsumption. Themes consumerism waste abundance economics Mood reflective critical Type observational analytical When to use this quote - household budgeting - corporate procurement - environmental policy - personal consumption - urban planning Key Concepts sustainability behavioral economics material culture Questions to Reflect On - How does excess shape your daily choices? - What habits could reduce unnecessary discarding? A Different Perspective Abundance can also inspire generosity, not just waste. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Opposites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opposites/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) ## Related quotes > [You cannot simply discard God like a box that has been emptied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-walser/you-cannot-simply-discard-god-like-a-box-that-has-been-emptied/) [Martin Walser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-walser/) > [“In the end, people are unable to discard things either because they are attached to the past or afraid of the future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-kondo/in-the-end-people-are-unable-to-discard-things-either-because-they/) [Marie Kondō](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-kondo/) > [Our spiritual manhood in heaven will discard many things which we now count precious, as a full-grown man discards the treasures of his childhood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/our-spiritual-manhood-in-heaven-will-discard-many-things-which-we-now/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [“that jail existed for the opposite reason from why your home existed”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/that-jail-existed-for-the-opposite-reason-from-why-your-home-existed/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [Faith is not the opposite of reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/faith-is-not-the-opposite-of-reason/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Faith is not the opposite of reason. Faith rests squarely upon reason, but with the added component of revelation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/faith-is-not-the-opposite-of-reason-faith-rests-squarely-upon-reason/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [“Emotion is not the opposite of reason. Instead, emotion provides information that reason can use. You make better decisions when you’re able to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-a-bradley/emotion-is-not-the-opposite-of-reason-instead-emotion-provides/) [Brent A. Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-a-bradley/) > [“Sorting papers Rule of thumb—discard everything Once”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-kondo/sorting-papers-rule-of-thumb-discard-everything-once/) [Marie Kondō](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-kondo/) > [Goethe said there would be little left of him if he were to discard what he owed to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-saunders-cushman/goethe-said-there-would-be-little-left-of-him-if-he-were-to-discard/) [Charlotte Saunders Cushman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-saunders-cushman/) > [Keep only those things that speak to your heart. Then take the plunge and discard all the rest. By doing this, you can reset…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-kondo/keep-only-those-things-that-speak-to-your-heart-then-take-the-plunge/) [Marie Kondo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-kondo/) > [The challenge to Asia is to discard the dry, meatless bone of mysticism and fatalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferdinand-marcos/the-challenge-to-asia-is-to-discard-the-dry-meatless-bone-of/) [Ferdinand Marcos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferdinand-marcos/) > [“Study whatever you were told very carefully. Make the best choices for the best brands and discard the rest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/study-whatever-you-were-told-very-carefully-make-the-best-choices-for/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [The notion that you could discard the old world and now make a new one. This is what was so bad about Modernism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-jacobs/the-notion-that-you-could-discard-the-old-world-and-now-make-a-new/) [Jane Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-jacobs/) > [“What people discard could make a nation”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/what-people-discard-could-make-a-nation/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [In science, each new result, sometimes quite surprising, heralds a step forward and allows one to discard some hypotheses, even though one or two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-b-prusiner/in-science-each-new-result-sometimes-quite-surprising-heralds-a-step/) [Stanley B. Prusiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-b-prusiner/) ## More by Alfred P. Sloan > [The business of business is business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-p-sloan/the-business-of-business-is-business/) [Alfred P. Sloan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-p-sloan/) > [Never inject a man into the top, if it can be avoided. In a big organization, to have to do that, I think, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-p-sloan/never-inject-a-man-into-the-top-if-it-can-be-avoided-in-a-big/) [Alfred P. Sloan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-p-sloan/) > [There is no resting place for an enterprise in a competitive economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-p-sloan/there-is-no-resting-place-for-an-enterprise-in-a-competitive-economy/) [Alfred P. Sloan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-p-sloan/) > [Only in more production and in new production can the American standard of living be increased and the economy be sound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-p-sloan/only-in-more-production-and-in-new-production-can-the-american/) [Alfred P. Sloan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-p-sloan/) > [Give a man a clear-cut job and let him do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-p-sloan/give-a-man-a-clear-cut-job-and-let-him-do-it/) [Alfred P. Sloan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-p-sloan/) > [ \[Could\] motor cars could be produced \[in a country like Germany\] and sold in competition in the American market . . . .In my… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-p-sloan/could-motor-cars-could-be-produced-in-a-country-like-germany-and-sold/) [Alfred P. Sloan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-p-sloan/) > [If we are all in agreement on the decision - then I propose we postpone further discussion of this matter until our next meeting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-p-sloan/if-we-are-all-in-agreement-on-the-decision-then-i-propose-we-postpone/) [Alfred P. 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Sloan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-p-sloan/) > [Competition is the final price determinant and competitive prices may result in profits which force you to accept a rate of return less than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-p-sloan/competition-is-the-final-price-determinant-and-competitive-prices-may/) [Alfred P. Sloan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-p-sloan/) > [The final act of business judgment is intuitive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-p-sloan/the-final-act-of-business-judgment-is-intuitive/) [Alfred P. Sloan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-p-sloan/) > [I see no reason why 1931 should not be an extremely good year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-p-sloan/i-see-no-reason-why-1931-should-not-be-an-extremely-good-year/) [Alfred P. Sloan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-p-sloan/) > [Work hard. There is no short cut.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-p-sloan/work-hard-there-is-no-short-cut/) [Alfred P. Sloan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-p-sloan/) > [In any organization men would move up form the bottom to the top. That develops loyalty, ambition and talent, because there is a chance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-p-sloan/in-any-organization-men-would-move-up-form-the-bottom-to-the-top-that/) [Alfred P. Sloan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-p-sloan/) [Explore all 27 Alfred P. Sloan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-p-sloan/) ## More Country quotes > [I love playing for my country, getting the support. Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) > [ That country \[Carthage\] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinking-into-the-state-of-barbarism/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [For the Scottish government, the practice of having meetings in different parts of the country is well established, but for the U.K. government, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/for-the-scottish-government-the-practice-of-having-meetings-in/) [Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/) > [There's no reason someone who has fought for their country should be homeless of jobless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kyle/there-s-no-reason-someone-who-has-fought-for-their-country-should-be/) [Chris Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kyle/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. 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It's made up of immigrants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bria-vinaite/that-s-what-this-country-is-it-s-made-up-of-immigrants/) [Bria Vinaite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bria-vinaite/) > [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [The reason I was drawn to the Band Perry was because they have a knack for doing rollicking country music that can sound a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-robinson/the-reason-i-was-drawn-to-the-band-perry-was-because-they-have-a/) [Phoebe Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-robinson/) > [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/) > ['Lovecraft Country' is reclaiming all these pulp genres for people of color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misha-green/lovecraft-country-is-reclaiming-all-these-pulp-genres-for-people-of/) [Misha Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misha-green/) > [No judge can stop us from praying for our country and I pray that on May 6, millions of Americans will join me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-graham/no-judge-can-stop-us-from-praying-for-our-country-and-i-pray-that-on/) [Franklin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-graham/) [Browse all 29,881 Country quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Some have an idea that the reason we in this country discard things so readily is because we have so much. 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