--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People think, \"Wow, people in America…" description: "\"People think, \"Wow, people in America have so much money, they're sending hundreds of pencils to this guy.\" I don't think those people realize that mos..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd8/david-rees-13338_america_people-think-wow-people-in-america-have_627665.png" --- # People think, "Wow, people in America have so much money… ![“People think, "Wow, people in America have so much money, they're sending hundreds of pencils to this guy." I don't think those people realize that most people who are buying these pencils are buying them as art objects or conversation pieces.” quote by David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd8/david-rees-13338_america_people-think-wow-people-in-america-have_627665.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd8/david-rees-13338_america_people-think-wow-people-in-america-have_627665.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd8/david-rees-13338_america_people-think-wow-people-in-america-have_627665.png) > “People think, "Wow, people in America have so much money, they're sending hundreds of pencils to this guy." I don't think those people realize that most people who are buying these pencils are buying them as art objects or conversation pieces.” [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Many assume the pencils are for practical use, but they are actually purchased as art or conversation pieces, revealing a gap between perception and reality. **In simple terms:** People think pencils are functional, but they’re bought as art. Key Takeaway Question assumptions about the purpose behind purchases. Themes consumerism art perception Mood analytical curious Type critical observational When to use this quote - collecting - gift-giving - museum curation Key Concepts economics cultural studies marketing Questions to Reflect On - Why do we assign value to objects beyond utility? - How does context change perception? A Different Perspective Assumptions can obscure the true value or intent of objects. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Buying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buying/) [Buying Pencils](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buying-pencils-5065463/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Conversation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conversation/) [Guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guy/) [Hundreds Pencils](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hundreds-pencils-5065462/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Objects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/objects/) [Pencils](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pencils/) [Pencils Buying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pencils-buying-5065461/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Buying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-buying-255164/) [People Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-think/) [Pieces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pieces/) [Realizing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realizing/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [This guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/this-guy/) [Wow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wow/) ## Related quotes > [It would be amazing to tell my grandchildren, like, 'Yeah, I was paid to sharpen 1,000 pencils.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/it-would-be-amazing-to-tell-my-grandchildren-like-yeah-i-was-paid-to/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [I started sharpening pencils at the census and how that was a difficult time in my life because my marriage was ending and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-started-sharpening-pencils-at-the-census-and-how-that-was-a/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [I hardly ever use pencils. I'm left-handed and it's really messy if you're left-handed because of the graphite smudging. I use them more now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-hardly-ever-use-pencils-i-m-left-handed-and-it-s-really-messy-if/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [I never thought I would make a living as a pencil-sharpener. The first goal was: I don't want to lose money. And then the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-never-thought-i-would-make-a-living-as-a-pencil-sharpener-the-first/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [I liked sharpening pencils and I was like, "Oh, I wonder if I could get paid to do it." And I figured it out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-liked-sharpening-pencils-and-i-was-like-oh-i-wonder-if-i-could-get/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [Everyone has pencils in their house, no matter how hip and contemporary they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/everyone-has-pencils-in-their-house-no-matter-how-hip-and/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [I didn't dare to dream of making money. But now of course, I've made many thousands of dollars sharpening pencils.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-didn-t-dare-to-dream-of-making-money-but-now-of-course-i-ve-made/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [I've been really surprised about a lot of the negative comments about artisanal pencil sharpening. Like, it really rubs some people the wrong way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-ve-been-really-surprised-about-a-lot-of-the-negative-comments-about/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [To me, if you're lucky enough to make stuff that people will pay money for, do a good job. Really do a good job.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/to-me-if-you-re-lucky-enough-to-make-stuff-that-people-will-pay-money/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [Once you use a toothbrush to clean a pencil sharpener, you should no longer use it to clean your teeth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/once-you-use-a-toothbrush-to-clean-a-pencil-sharpener-you-should-no/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [People, buying my stuff, can take it wherever they go and can rebuild it if they choose. If they keep it in their heads,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-weiner/people-buying-my-stuff-can-take-it-wherever-they-go-and-can-rebuild/) [Lawrence Weiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-weiner/) > [I do think there is continuing sense in people buying recipe books from somebody they trust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-stein/i-do-think-there-is-continuing-sense-in-people-buying-recipe-books/) [Rick Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-stein/) > [“Too many people are buying things they can't afford, with money that they don't have... to impress people that they don't like!" Nothing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/too-many-people-are-buying-things-they-can-t-afford-with-money-that/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [Fashion is, after all, a form of escapism, and in fact people are buying more special things than ever, nowadays. They deny and deny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-ford/fashion-is-after-all-a-form-of-escapism-and-in-fact-people-are-buying/) [Tom Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-ford/) > [There's no publicist, no advertisements, and no one's pushing us. If people are buying our records, it's because big brothers and sisters or friends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-moody/there-s-no-publicist-no-advertisements-and-no-one-s-pushing-us-if/) [Spencer Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-moody/) ## More by David Rees > [I have a really analytical approach to art. And the whole idea that you can't analyze what makes a joke funny...I do not agree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-have-a-really-analytical-approach-to-art-and-the-whole-idea-that/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [The thing that was interesting to me about Relationshapes - as opposed to most of the other cartoons I've ever made - was I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/the-thing-that-was-interesting-to-me-about-relationshapes-as-opposed/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [I don't even drink Coke. It tastes like robot sweat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-don-t-even-drink-coke-it-tastes-like-robot-sweat/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [I didn't dare to dream of making money. But now of course, I've made many thousands of dollars sharpening pencils.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-didn-t-dare-to-dream-of-making-money-but-now-of-course-i-ve-made/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [I just wanted a really simple, dramatic way so that fans, people who were reading my comic, would be like, "This is something different."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-just-wanted-a-really-simple-dramatic-way-so-that-fans-people-who/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [Everyone has pencils in their house, no matter how hip and contemporary they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/everyone-has-pencils-in-their-house-no-matter-how-hip-and/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [I was just worried that someone was gonna think that I had been commissioned by Jamba Juice to make cartoons about Jamba Juice. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-was-just-worried-that-someone-was-gonna-think-that-i-had-been/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [I never thought I would make a living as a pencil-sharpener. The first goal was: I don't want to lose money. And then the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-never-thought-i-would-make-a-living-as-a-pencil-sharpener-the-first/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [I don't like when performers rag on their ex-girlfriend or ex-boyfriend in absentia. If they're not there, it just feels rude... I'm never going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-don-t-like-when-performers-rag-on-their-ex-girlfriend-or-ex/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [I would make a comic for Rolling Stone every two weeks, because they're biweekly. And then I would make weekly comics for my weekly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-would-make-a-comic-for-rolling-stone-every-two-weeks-because-they/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [The way you make money is to do something you don't like to do. And that's how you know you're a virtuous person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/the-way-you-make-money-is-to-do-something-you-don-t-like-to-do-and/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [I started sharpening pencils at the census and how that was a difficult time in my life because my marriage was ending and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-started-sharpening-pencils-at-the-census-and-how-that-was-a/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [I'm interested in the structure of art and how it works. And the content is also interesting, but I don't want to keep the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-m-interested-in-the-structure-of-art-and-how-it-works-and-the/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [“And you know what happened next in my dream? Dick Cheney and I said the same thing at the same time: "Well, we had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/and-you-know-what-happened-next-in-my-dream-dick-cheney-and-i-said/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [Any working cartoonist will tell you this, anybody who's working in a creative field: at some point, it's a job. You have deadlines. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/any-working-cartoonist-will-tell-you-this-anybody-who-s-working-in-a/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) [Explore all 50 David Rees quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) ## 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": "People think, \"Wow, people in America have so much money, they're sending hundreds of pencils to this guy.\" I don't think those people realize that most people who are buying these pencils are buying them as art objects or conversation pieces.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Rees" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/people-think-wow-people-in-america-have-so-much-money-they-re-sending/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "America" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/people-think-wow-people-in-america-have-so-much-money-they-re-sending/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd8/david-rees-13338_america_people-think-wow-people-in-america-have_627665.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd8/david-rees-13338_america_people-think-wow-people-in-america-have_627665.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd8/david-rees-13338_america_people-think-wow-people-in-america-have_627665.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“People think, \"Wow, people in America have so much money, they're sending hundreds of pencils to this guy.\"…” — David Rees", "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": "David Rees", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "People think, \"Wow, people in America...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/people-think-wow-people-in-america-have-so-much-money-they-re-sending/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/people-think-wow-people-in-america-have-so-much-money-they-re-sending/#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 } } ] } ```