--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Affluent Society not only changed the…" description: "\"“The Affluent Society not only changed the way the country viewed itself, but gave new phrases to the language: Conventional wisdom, the bland leading ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efb/amartya-sen-2518_affluent_the-affluent-society-not-only-changed-th_880067.png" --- # The Affluent Society not only changed the way the country… ![“The Affluent Society not only changed the way the country viewed itself, but gave new phrases to the language: Conventional wisdom, the bland leading the bland, private opulence and public squalor.” quote by Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efb/amartya-sen-2518_affluent_the-affluent-society-not-only-changed-th_880067.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efb/amartya-sen-2518_affluent_the-affluent-society-not-only-changed-th_880067.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efb/amartya-sen-2518_affluent_the-affluent-society-not-only-changed-th_880067.png) > ““The Affluent Society not only changed the way the country viewed itself, but gave new phrases to the language: Conventional wisdom, the bland leading the bland, private opulence and public squalor.”” [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He notes that wealth reshapes national self‑image and introduces new terms describing inequality and excess **In simple terms:** Rich societies create new language about disparity Key Takeaway Recognize hidden inequalities in prosperity Themes inequality language social critique Mood critical analytical Type sociopolitical inquisitive When to use this quote - urban planning - media analysis - education curricula Key Concepts economic sociology public policy Questions to Reflect On - What does "private opulence" mean to you? - How can language reveal hidden power structures? A Different Perspective Terms may oversimplify complex issues ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Affluent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affluent/) [Affluent Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affluent-society-255380/) [Changed Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changed-way/) [Conventional wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conventional-wisdom/) [New Phrases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-phrases-846787/) [Society Changed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society-changed-308359/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [The affluent society has built well in terms of economic progress, but has neglected the protection of the very water we drink as well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-church/the-affluent-society-has-built-well-in-terms-of-economic-progress-but/) [Frank Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-church/) > [With breathtaking rapidity, we are destroying all that was lovely to look at and turning America into a prison house of the spirit. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-sevareid/with-breathtaking-rapidity-we-are-destroying-all-that-was-lovely-to/) [Eric Sevareid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-sevareid/) > [In the affluent society, no useful distinction can be made between luxuries and necessities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/in-the-affluent-society-no-useful-distinction-can-be-made-between/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [Unfortunately, our affluent society has also been an effluent society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-h-humphrey/unfortunately-our-affluent-society-has-also-been-an-effluent-society/) [Hubert H. Humphrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-h-humphrey/) > [One of the advantages of being born in an affluent society is that if one has any intelligence at all, one will realize that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/one-of-the-advantages-of-being-born-in-an-affluent-society-is-that-if/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) > [The untalented are more at ease in a society that gives them valid alibis for not achieving than in one where opportunities are abundant.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-untalented-are-more-at-ease-in-a-society-that-gives-them-valid/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [But most Canadians have recognized to a greater or lesser extent that despite much of the so-called progress of the affluent society, essential ingredients…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-campbell/but-most-canadians-have-recognized-to-a-greater-or-lesser-extent-that/) [Alex Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-campbell/) > [Kids are really tougher than adults, but we tend to forget this in an affluent society that lets kids indulge themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-voigt/kids-are-really-tougher-than-adults-but-we-tend-to-forget-this-in-an/) [Cynthia Voigt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-voigt/) > [Things that come from the private sector are in abundant supply; things that depend on the public sector are widely a problem. We're a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/things-that-come-from-the-private-sector-are-in-abundant-supply/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [To knot a sentence up properly, it has to be thought out carefully, and revised. New phrases have to be put in; sudden changes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleister-crowley/to-knot-a-sentence-up-properly-it-has-to-be-thought-out-carefully-and/) [Aleister Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleister-crowley/) > [I know all the new phrases: 'cowabunga,' 'radical,' cat's pajamas,' 'duh,' and 'hey, homie don't play that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/si-robertson/i-know-all-the-new-phrases-cowabunga-radical-cat-s-pajamas-duh-and/) [Si Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/si-robertson/) > [“Pop art: only possible in an affluent society, where one can be free to enjoy ironic consumption.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/pop-art-only-possible-in-an-affluent-society-where-one-can-be-free-to/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [“In an affluent society there ought to be an income floor under every man below which society will not allow him to go –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-berton/in-an-affluent-society-there-ought-to-be-an-income-floor-under-every/) [Pierre Berton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-berton/) > [As society has changed, what had formerly been unacceptable has become colorful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iggy-pop/as-society-has-changed-what-had-formerly-been-unacceptable-has-become/) [Iggy Pop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iggy-pop/) > [Yeah, I think society has changed and women's sport has reaped the benefits from it. Women's sport pushes those social norms as well and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-williamson/yeah-i-think-society-has-changed-and-women-s-sport-has-reaped-the/) [Leah Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-williamson/) ## More by Amartya Sen > [Capability is just a concept of what is it we're looking at. Now how far we can go along that and what new capabilities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/capability-is-just-a-concept-of-what-is-it-we-re-looking-at-now-how/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [Human life consists of doing certain things ... to take part in the life of the community; to be able to talk about subjects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/human-life-consists-of-doing-certain-things-to-take-part-in-the-life/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [“Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high; Where knowledge is free; Where the world has not been broken up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/where-the-mind-is-without-fear-and-the-head-is-held-high-where/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [Violence is fomented by the imposition of singular and belligerent identities on gullible people, championed by proficient artisans of terror.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/violence-is-fomented-by-the-imposition-of-singular-and-belligerent/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [I think the whole progress over the last two or three millennia has been entirely dependent on ideas and techniques and commodities and people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/i-think-the-whole-progress-over-the-last-two-or-three-millennia-has/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [No famine has ever taken place in the history of the world in a functioning democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/no-famine-has-ever-taken-place-in-the-history-of-the-world-in-a/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [To say that certainly America was very lucky to get a large amount of land, and the native Indians were extremely unlucky to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/to-say-that-certainly-america-was-very-lucky-to-get-a-large-amount-of/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [The lack of economic freedom could be a very major reason for loss of liberty, liberty of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/the-lack-of-economic-freedom-could-be-a-very-major-reason-for-loss-of/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [We need to ask the moral questions: Do I have a right to be rich? And do I have a right to be content…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/we-need-to-ask-the-moral-questions-do-i-have-a-right-to-be-rich-and/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [“He wrote extensively on how schools should be made more attractive to boys and girls and thus more productive. His own co-educational school at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/he-wrote-extensively-on-how-schools-should-be-made-more-attractive-to/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [One has to be realistic. One’s concern for equity and justice in the world must not carry one into the alien territory of unreasoned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/one-has-to-be-realistic-one-s-concern-for-equity-and-justice-in-the/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [While I am interested both in economics and in philosophy, the union of my interests in the two fields far exceeds their intersection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/while-i-am-interested-both-in-economics-and-in-philosophy-the-union/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [I was born in a University campus and seem to have lived all my life in one campus or another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/i-was-born-in-a-university-campus-and-seem-to-have-lived-all-my-life/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [If jobs are important, education is important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/if-jobs-are-important-education-is-important/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [Thailand's economic development was driven by educational expansion. That has been a very dramatic factor, and South Asia had been pretty miserable in not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/thailand-s-economic-development-was-driven-by-educational-expansion/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) [Explore all 162 Amartya Sen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) ## More Affluent quotes > [From the clayey soil of northern Wyoming is mined bentonite, which is used as filler in candy, gum, and lipstick. We Americans are great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretel-ehrlich/from-the-clayey-soil-of-northern-wyoming-is-mined-bentonite-which-is/) [Gretel Ehrlich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretel-ehrlich/) > [Developed and benefited from the unsustainable patterns of production and consumption which have produced our present dilemma. It is clear that current lifestyles and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-strong/developed-and-benefited-from-the-unsustainable-patterns-of-production/) [Maurice Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-strong/) > [Tax reduction has an almost irresistible appeal to the politician, and it is no doubt also gratifying to the citizen. It means more dollars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/tax-reduction-has-an-almost-irresistible-appeal-to-the-politician-and/) [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) > [Professionalism in medicine has given us medial miracles for the affluent but hospitals that will charge $35 for aspirin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-james/professionalism-in-medicine-has-given-us-medial-miracles-for-the/) [Bill James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-james/) > [We fought hard for socialism in a devastating war of independence and reunification. To build an affluent and prosperous society, we chose the path…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nguyen-minh-triet/we-fought-hard-for-socialism-in-a-devastating-war-of-independence-and/) [Nguyen Minh Triet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nguyen-minh-triet/) > [We get richer and richer in filthier and filthier communities until we reach a final state of affluent misery - crocus on a garbage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/we-get-richer-and-richer-in-filthier-and-filthier-communities-until/) [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) > [When I first began visiting West Germany in the early 1980s, I was startled by the contrast between Birmingham, where I went to school,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-harding/when-i-first-began-visiting-west-germany-in-the-early-1980s-i-was/) [Luke Harding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-harding/) > [The American people are extraordinarily comfortable, affluent, and secure. It's easy for us to make the argument that God's purpose is being fulfilled through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-russell-mead/the-american-people-are-extraordinarily-comfortable-affluent-and/) [Walter Russell Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-russell-mead/) > [“It rankled her that people richer than she were so often less worthy and attractive. More slobbish and louty. Comfort could be found in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-franzen/it-rankled-her-that-people-richer-than-she-were-so-often-less-worthy/) [Jonathan Franzen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-franzen/) > [I come from a very affluent family. I have been educated in one of the finest institutions of the world. Money was never a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adnan-sami/i-come-from-a-very-affluent-family-i-have-been-educated-in-one-of-the/) [Adnan Sami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adnan-sami/) > [Rich people in poor places want to show off their wealth. And their less affluent counterparts feel pressure to fake it, at least in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-postrel/rich-people-in-poor-places-want-to-show-off-their-wealth-and-their/) [Virginia Postrel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-postrel/) > [...no matter how complex or affluent, human societies are nothing but subsystems of the biosphere, the Earth's thin veneer of life, which is ultimately…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-smil/no-matter-how-complex-or-affluent-human-societies-are-nothing-but/) [Vaclav Smil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-smil/) > [Obama's assault on the affluent rests upon a sky-high stack of lies. Obama is too well staffed and too well informed not to know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deroy-murdock/obama-s-assault-on-the-affluent-rests-upon-a-sky-high-stack-of-lies/) [Deroy Murdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deroy-murdock/) > [“Integrity is more significant than income. Honor is more opulent than fame. Self worth is more affluent than net worth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sravani-saha-nakhro/integrity-is-more-significant-than-income-honor-is-more-opulent-than/) [Sravani Saha Nakhro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sravani-saha-nakhro/) > [It's amazing how people can get so excited about a rocket to the moon and not give a damn about smog, oil leaks, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/it-s-amazing-how-people-can-get-so-excited-about-a-rocket-to-the-moon/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) [Browse all 164 Affluent quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affluent/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The Affluent Society not only changed the way the country viewed itself, but gave new phrases to the language: Conventional wisdom, the bland leading the bland, private opulence and public squalor.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Amartya Sen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/the-affluent-society-not-only-changed-the-way-the-country-viewed/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Affluent" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/the-affluent-society-not-only-changed-the-way-the-country-viewed/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efb/amartya-sen-2518_affluent_the-affluent-society-not-only-changed-th_880067.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efb/amartya-sen-2518_affluent_the-affluent-society-not-only-changed-th_880067.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efb/amartya-sen-2518_affluent_the-affluent-society-not-only-changed-th_880067.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The Affluent Society not only changed the way the country viewed itself, but gave new phrases to the…” — Amartya Sen", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Amartya Sen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The Affluent Society not only changed...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/the-affluent-society-not-only-changed-the-way-the-country-viewed/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/the-affluent-society-not-only-changed-the-way-the-country-viewed/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```