--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's a tragedy, in a way, that Americans…" description: "\"It's a tragedy, in a way, that Americans are brought up to think that they cannot feel for other people and other beings just because they are differen..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8f/alice-walker-347_american_it-s-a-tragedy-in-a-way-that-americans-a_2905576.png" --- # It's a tragedy, in a way, that Americans are brought up to… ![“It's a tragedy, in a way, that Americans are brought up to think that they cannot feel for other people and other beings just because they are different. They think they're different. It's very limiting.” quote by Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8f/alice-walker-347_american_it-s-a-tragedy-in-a-way-that-americans-a_2905576.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8f/alice-walker-347_american_it-s-a-tragedy-in-a-way-that-americans-a_2905576.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8f/alice-walker-347_american_it-s-a-tragedy-in-a-way-that-americans-a_2905576.png) > “It's a tragedy, in a way, that Americans are brought up to think that they cannot feel for other people and other beings just because they are different. They think they're different. It's very limiting.” [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. American culture often teaches emotional distance from those who seem different, limiting empathy. **In simple terms:** People are taught to feel less for those who differ. Key Takeaway Challenge cultural narratives that restrict empathy. Themes social empathy culture Mood reflective concerned Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - classroom discussions - diversity training - community outreach Key Concepts psychology social conditioning Questions to Reflect On - How does upbringing shape empathy? - What barriers prevent feeling for others? A Different Perspective Some may argue empathy is innate, not taught. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Americans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/americans/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Think different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-different/) [Tragedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tragedy/) ## Related quotes > [The task that has fallen to us as Americans is to move the conscience of the world, to keep alive the hope and dream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-task-that-has-fallen-to-us-as-americans-is-to-move-the-conscience/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [“Maybe the Americans should have brought baseballs instead of bombs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-e-burg/maybe-the-americans-should-have-brought-baseballs-instead-of-bombs/) [Ann E. Burg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-e-burg/) > [Americans are not brought up with meter. They're not brought up with poetry. If you try to get them to recite, they're too embarrassed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-walcott/americans-are-not-brought-up-with-meter-they-re-not-brought-up-with/) [Derek Walcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-walcott/) > [Americans are brought up to believe they can grow up to be the president of the United States. Brits are told, It won't happen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/americans-are-brought-up-to-believe-they-can-grow-up-to-be-the/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [In the past, Americans have brought forth their best in times of crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-auchincloss/in-the-past-americans-have-brought-forth-their-best-in-times-of-crisis/) [Jake Auchincloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-auchincloss/) > [You really can't be a good artist if you can't say what you really feel. And people may be offended, but, you know, that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/you-really-can-t-be-a-good-artist-if-you-can-t-say-what-you-really/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [What matters is the way we Americans think about ourselves. We think about ourselves as incapable of committing crimes. Everything we do, we make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/what-matters-is-the-way-we-americans-think-about-ourselves-we-think/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [We're loving something to death in a way, which Americans tend to do a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-phillips/we-re-loving-something-to-death-in-a-way-which-americans-tend-to-do-a/) [John Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-phillips/) > [“It made no sense, the way Americans sometimes went bananas over certain people for absolutely no reason, as if they were just drawing names…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/it-made-no-sense-the-way-americans-sometimes-went-bananas-over/) [Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-ray-pollock/) > [The way the Americans behaved created among the South Vietnamese a lot of habits, a lot of bad habits I would say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bui-diem/the-way-the-americans-behaved-created-among-the-south-vietnamese-a/) [Bui Diem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bui-diem/) > [Europeans hate the way Americans talk. They think we're loud and uncouth and they don't like our jokes, except for Michael Moore. Plus, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-boyles/europeans-hate-the-way-americans-talk-they-think-we-re-loud-and/) Denis Boyles > [I know a way for no Americans to die in Iraq: Leave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralphie-may/i-know-a-way-for-no-americans-to-die-in-iraq-leave/) [Ralphie May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralphie-may/) > [You know the way it is: sometimes Americans think of us as their backward little cousin. It's the whole shamrock, potatoes, famine, leprechaun thing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheamus/you-know-the-way-it-is-sometimes-americans-think-of-us-as-their/) [Sheamus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheamus/) > [Whether you agree or disagree with Barack Obama, he is getting some things done, though not in the way most Americans would prefer or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perry/whether-you-agree-or-disagree-with-barack-obama-he-is-getting-some/) [Rick Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perry/) > [The way I grew up playing, and the way most Americans have grown up, is that you hit the ball up in the air…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-duval/the-way-i-grew-up-playing-and-the-way-most-americans-have-grown-up-is/) [David Duval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-duval/) ## More by Alice Walker > [I gave my archive to Emory University because there's a really dear friend who teaches there, Rudolph Byrd, and he's the editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-gave-my-archive-to-emory-university-because-there-s-a-really-dear/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Just be what it is that you are, and that is just fine. You don't have to be what you're not in any way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/just-be-what-it-is-that-you-are-and-that-is-just-fine-you-don-t-have/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [“Remember this-- say it & know it is true: Alice loves me Alice loves me and I am not blamed for this. ... she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/remember-this-say-it-know-it-is-true-alice-loves-me-alice-loves-me/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [“Only the sky above us do we hold in common.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/only-the-sky-above-us-do-we-hold-in-common/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [“Why aren't you happy in America, if everyone there drives motorcars?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/why-aren-t-you-happy-in-america-if-everyone-there-drives-motorcars/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [“She saw poetry where other writers merely saw failure to cope with English.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/she-saw-poetry-where-other-writers-merely-saw-failure-to-cope-with/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [My mother had handed down respect for the possibilities...and the will to grasp them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/my-mother-had-handed-down-respect-for-the-possibilities-and-the-will/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Helped are those who are content to be themselves; they will never lack mystery in their lives and the joys of self-discovery will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/helped-are-those-who-are-content-to-be-themselves-they-will-never/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [“As others might prepare for an exam whose subject matter is unknown to them, so I must study, cram, for every conversation with my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/as-others-might-prepare-for-an-exam-whose-subject-matter-is-unknown/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [The original crime of niggers and lesbians is that they prefer themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/the-original-crime-of-niggers-and-lesbians-is-that-they-prefer/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [My mother was very strong. Once, she picked up a coconut and smashed it against my father's head. It taught me about women defending…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/my-mother-was-very-strong-once-she-picked-up-a-coconut-and-smashed-it/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Many readers fail to realize this, but 'The Color Purple' is a theological text. It is about the reclamation of one's original God: the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/many-readers-fail-to-realize-this-but-the-color-purple-is-a/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [The good news may be that Nature is phasing out the white man, but the bad news is that's who She thinks we all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/the-good-news-may-be-that-nature-is-phasing-out-the-white-man-but-the/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Humans - whatever billions we are - we don't have the control. We are considered expendable, basically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/humans-whatever-billions-we-are-we-don-t-have-the-control-we-are/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [All my life I had to fight. I had to fight my daddy. I had to fight my uncles. I had to fight my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/all-my-life-i-had-to-fight-i-had-to-fight-my-daddy-i-had-to-fight-my/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) [Explore all 654 Alice Walker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) ## More American quotes > [I wasn't attracted to American cinema, but I fell in love with Los Angeles the minute I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-wasn-t-attracted-to-american-cinema-but-i-fell-in-love-with-los/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [William Maxwell's my favorite North American writer, I think. And an Irish writer who used to write for 'The New Yorker' called Maeve Brennan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/william-maxwell-s-my-favorite-north-american-writer-i-think-and-an/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [I have fallen in love with American names, the sharp names that never get fat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vincent-benet/i-have-fallen-in-love-with-american-names-the-sharp-names-that-never/) [Stephen Vincent Benet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vincent-benet/) > [I really like a lot of American country stuff, so my music has that influence, but I don't like to be set within a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade-bird/i-really-like-a-lot-of-american-country-stuff-so-my-music-has-that/) [Jade Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade-bird/) > [I certainly don't think that the heirs of the American Revolution were a particularly noble class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-brands/i-certainly-don-t-think-that-the-heirs-of-the-american-revolution/) [H. W. Brands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-w-brands/) > [Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act in a tremendous investment to support millions of workers without a paycheck and behind on bills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-auchincloss/congress-passed-the-american-rescue-plan-act-in-a-tremendous/) [Jake Auchincloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-auchincloss/) > [Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy and employ almost half of the working population. Yet because of their size, they rarely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-lipinski/small-businesses-are-the-backbone-of-the-american-economy-and-employ/) [Dan Lipinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-lipinski/) > [Although I write in English, and despite the fact that I'm from America, I consider myself an Armenian writer. The words I use are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/although-i-write-in-english-and-despite-the-fact-that-i-m-from/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/when-we-first-sold-the-wallace-and-gromit-shorts-to-america-people/) [Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/) > [Firefighters and rescue workers are American superheroes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-kennedy/firefighters-and-rescue-workers-are-american-superheroes/) [Kerry Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-kennedy/) > [France has not only built a bureaucratic barrier against American culture, it has constructed a notorious intellectual case against it as well. The French…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/france-has-not-only-built-a-bureaucratic-barrier-against-american/) [Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/) > [New York and San Francisco are distinctly different. San Francisco is driving the American media, not New York. You have young, microwaved millionaires and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-whitlock/new-york-and-san-francisco-are-distinctly-different-san-francisco-is/) [Jason Whitlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-whitlock/) > [Well look, CIA is an agency that has to collect intelligence, do operations. We have to take risks and it's important that we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/well-look-cia-is-an-agency-that-has-to-collect-intelligence-do/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [Food as a hobby used to be an elite pastime, and it has become something that is totally ordinary for people of every background.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-goodyear/food-as-a-hobby-used-to-be-an-elite-pastime-and-it-has-become/) [Dana Goodyear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-goodyear/) > [It's important for American soldiers to be culturally sensitive when deployed in foreign countries. But it's just as important for the U.S. never to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/it-s-important-for-american-soldiers-to-be-culturally-sensitive-when/) [Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/) Browse all 7,717 American quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's a tragedy, in a way, that Americans are brought up to think that they cannot feel for other people and other beings just because they are different. They think they're different. 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