--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm interested in what it means to be an…" description: "\"I'm interested in what it means to be an American. I'm interested in what it means to live in America. I'm interested in the kind of country that we li..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/714/bruce-springsteen-546_america_i-m-interested-in-what-it-means-to-be-an_1845214.jpg" --- # I'm interested in what it means to be an American. I'm… ![“I'm interested in what it means to be an American. I'm interested in what it means to live in America. I'm interested in the kind of country that we live in and leave our kids. I'm interested in trying to define what that country is.” quote by Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/714/bruce-springsteen-546_america_i-m-interested-in-what-it-means-to-be-an_1845214.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/714/bruce-springsteen-546_america_i-m-interested-in-what-it-means-to-be-an_1845214.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/714/bruce-springsteen-546_america_i-m-interested-in-what-it-means-to-be-an_1845214.jpg) > “I'm interested in what it means to be an American. I'm interested in what it means to live in America. I'm interested in the kind of country that we live in and leave our kids. I'm interested in trying to define what that country is.” [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Exploring national identity and future legacy for oneself and children. **In simple terms:** Thinking about what it means to be American and the country's future. Key Takeaway Reflect on civic values and shape a better nation. Themes identity citizenship future legacy Mood thoughtful patriotic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - community service - political engagement - family discussions Key Concepts nationalism social responsibility Questions to Reflect On - What defines American identity for you? - How can you contribute to a positive future? A Different Perspective Complex political realities may challenge idealistic views. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) ## Related quotes > [I'm interested in what it means to live in America. I'm interested in the kind of country that we live in and leave our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-m-interested-in-what-it-means-to-live-in-america-i-m-interested-in/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [America is interested in re-arranging the region as it sees fit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/america-is-interested-in-re-arranging-the-region-as-it-sees-fit/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [America is interested in change and reform in the Middle East but in a stable way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/america-is-interested-in-change-and-reform-in-the-middle-east-but-in/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [And children, if your parents haven't been teaching you what it means to be an American, let 'em know and nail 'em on it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/and-children-if-your-parents-haven-t-been-teaching-you-what-it-means/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [My parents taught me by example what it means to be American: to hope and to dream, and to work hard for those hopes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karine-jean-pierre/my-parents-taught-me-by-example-what-it-means-to-be-american-to-hope/) [Karine Jean-Pierre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karine-jean-pierre/) > [“You say your city the way some Americans say this is their country. You never feel right saying that - my country. For some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-castillo/you-say-your-city-the-way-some-americans-say-this-is-their-country/) [Ana Castillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-castillo/) > [I'm really interested in the United States, what it means to be American - maybe because my father's an immigrant and my grandparents were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/micah-perks/i-m-really-interested-in-the-united-states-what-it-means-to-be/) [Micah Perks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/micah-perks/) > [A lot of people have had good discussions about what it means to be American, and we need to broaden our definition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-isaac-chung/a-lot-of-people-have-had-good-discussions-about-what-it-means-to-be/) [Lee Isaac Chung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-isaac-chung/) > [We are a part of this unique, complex, and complicated fabric of what it means to be an American. Americans come in all colors,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamlyn-tomita/we-are-a-part-of-this-unique-complex-and-complicated-fabric-of-what/) [Tamlyn Tomita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamlyn-tomita/) > [And this President wakes up every morning, looks out across America and is proud to announce, 'It could be worse.' It could be worse?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/and-this-president-wakes-up-every-morning-looks-out-across-america/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [New Brown America represents a whole generation of kids that are descendants of either immigrants or immigrants themselves, that are coming to America, enriching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hasan-minhaj/new-brown-america-represents-a-whole-generation-of-kids-that-are/) [Hasan Minhaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hasan-minhaj/) > [I think what it means to be an 'American Girl,' and what I wrote the song about, is our freedoms. The idea that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-mckee/i-think-what-it-means-to-be-an-american-girl-and-what-i-wrote-the/) [Bonnie McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-mckee/) > [I think that everybody has their own interpretations of what it means to be American. But from my vantage point, being black and successful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vic-mensa/i-think-that-everybody-has-their-own-interpretations-of-what-it-means/) [Vic Mensa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vic-mensa/) > [What does it mean to be an American today? The question of that is always pointing at now. It allows someone to say what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-davis/what-does-it-mean-to-be-an-american-today-the-question-of-that-is/) Will Davis > [“That's what it means to be an American. To be free to love who and what you want, and to keep a lot in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neela-vaswani/that-s-what-it-means-to-be-an-american-to-be-free-to-love-who-and/) Neela Vaswani ## More by Bruce Springsteen > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [When I die throw my body in the back and drive me to the junk yard in my Cadillac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/when-i-die-throw-my-body-in-the-back-and-drive-me-to-the-junk-yard-in/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [When you start talking about elections being rigged, you're pushing people beyond democratic governance. And it's a very, very dangerous thing to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/when-you-start-talking-about-elections-being-rigged-you-re-pushing/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I got Mary pregnant and man that's all she wrote. And for my 19th birthday, I got a union card and a factory coat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-got-mary-pregnant-and-man-that-s-all-she-wrote-and-for-my-19th/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [ I don't know if I know anyone, with the exception of the early inventors of rock music \[who wasn't influenced by something\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-don-t-know-if-i-know-anyone-with-the-exception-of-the-early/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [People see you onstage and, yeah, I'd want to be that guy.I want to be that guy myself very often.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/people-see-you-onstage-and-yeah-i-d-want-to-be-that-guy-i-want-to-be/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [You know, my music utilizes things from the past, because that's what the past is for. It's to learn from. It's not to limit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/you-know-my-music-utilizes-things-from-the-past-because-that-s-what/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [From the town of Lincoln Nebraska with a sawed off .410 on my lap, through the Badlands of Wyoming I killed everything in my path.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/from-the-town-of-lincoln-nebraska-with-a-sawed-off-410-on-my-lap/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I want a thousand guitars . . .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-want-a-thousand-guitars/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [In America everything's about who's number one today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/in-america-everything-s-about-who-s-number-one-today/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [A pop song is a condensed version of a life in three minutes, whereas, when you go to write your prose, you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/a-pop-song-is-a-condensed-version-of-a-life-in-three-minutes-whereas/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I walked a thousand miles just to slip this skin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-walked-a-thousand-miles-just-to-slip-this-skin/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [The moment you begin to depend on audience reaction, you're doing the wrong thing. You're doin' it wrong, it's a mistake, it's not right.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/the-moment-you-begin-to-depend-on-audience-reaction-you-re-doing-the/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [The name 'Boss' started with people that worked for me... It was not meant like Boss, capital B, it was meant like 'Boss, where's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/the-name-boss-started-with-people-that-worked-for-me-it-was-not-meant/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [The country we carry in our hearts is waiting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/the-country-we-carry-in-our-hearts-is-waiting/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) [Explore all 484 Bruce Springsteen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! 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. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm interested in what it means to be an American. I'm interested in what it means to live in America. I'm interested in the kind of country that we live in and leave our kids. 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