--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was growing up in the projects in…" description: "\"When I was growing up in the projects in Philadelphia in the 1970s and 80s, Cadillac was the car to have. But I always wanted a Mercedes.\" — Dawn Staley" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/333/dawn-staley-4962_1970s_when-i-was-growing-up-in-the-projects-in_146654.png" --- # When I was growing up in the projects in Philadelphia in… ![“When I was growing up in the projects in Philadelphia in the 1970s and 80s, Cadillac was the car to have. But I always wanted a Mercedes.” quote by Dawn Staley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/333/dawn-staley-4962_1970s_when-i-was-growing-up-in-the-projects-in_146654.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/333/dawn-staley-4962_1970s_when-i-was-growing-up-in-the-projects-in_146654.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/333/dawn-staley-4962_1970s_when-i-was-growing-up-in-the-projects-in_146654.png) > “When I was growing up in the projects in Philadelphia in the 1970s and 80s, Cadillac was the car to have. But I always wanted a Mercedes.” [Dawn Staley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-staley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A personal aspiration for a higher-status symbol reflects deeper desires for achievement beyond material symbols. **In simple terms:** Wanting better reflects deeper goals. Key Takeaway Aim beyond symbols to true goals. Themes aspiration identity social status Mood reflective ambitious Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career goals - social mobility - self‑esteem - cultural influence Key Concepts material desire personal ambition Questions to Reflect On - What does the car symbolize for you? - How can you pursue goals beyond material items? A Different Perspective Focusing on status can distract from intrinsic values. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [1970s](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/zz-1970s-440/) [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Car](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/car/) [Car Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/car-wanted-1642794/) [Cars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cars/) [Growing up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-up/) [Mercedes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mercedes/) [Philadelphia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philadelphia/) [Philadelphia 1970S](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philadelphia-1970s-1642795/) [Projects Philadelphia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/projects-philadelphia-1642796/) [Wanted Mercedes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted-mercedes-1642793/) ## Related quotes > [“I wanted a monument to myself in granite. I wanted my face in seven different colours. I wanted I LOVE YOU in giant red…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-emshwiller/i-wanted-a-monument-to-myself-in-granite-i-wanted-my-face-in-seven/) [Carol Emshwiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-emshwiller/) > [When I was a child, I was living in the housing projects of Philadelphia. I didn't even have a Christmas tree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-cosby/when-i-was-a-child-i-was-living-in-the-housing-projects-of/) [Bill Cosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-cosby/) > [“Take care of your car in the garage, and the car will take care of you on the road.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/take-care-of-your-car-in-the-garage-and-the-car-will-take-care-of-you/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [Success is not only one thing. It's not only having a nice house in Beverly Hills and driving a nice Mercedes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malik-bendjelloul/success-is-not-only-one-thing-it-s-not-only-having-a-nice-house-in/) [Malik Bendjelloul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malik-bendjelloul/) > [We want to be a works partner. Ferrari and Mercedes have their own works teams so where would you be in the pecking order…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-horner/we-want-to-be-a-works-partner-ferrari-and-mercedes-have-their-own/) [Christian Horner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-horner/) > [When I raced with Mercedes, I thought I'd learn German. But my wife didn't want to live in Germany.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-manuel-fangio/when-i-raced-with-mercedes-i-thought-i-d-learn-german-but-my-wife/) [Juan Manuel Fangio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-manuel-fangio/) > [I have every single Ferrari that came out. I have all the Mercedes they came out with, all the Jaguars they came out with,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ion-tiriac/i-have-every-single-ferrari-that-came-out-i-have-all-the-mercedes/) [Ion Tiriac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ion-tiriac/) > [I've sold my Mercedes and I'll be getting something electric. I work out of a thatch shed on the roof.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-paul/i-ve-sold-my-mercedes-and-i-ll-be-getting-something-electric-i-work/) [Amala Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-paul/) > [You can't develop a great car and sell it as an independent. You can develop a great car and make a deal with Mercedes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-fellner/you-can-t-develop-a-great-car-and-sell-it-as-an-independent-you-can/) [Eric Fellner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-fellner/) > [When I was in my 20s I went through my testosterone phase and had a Mercedes to show that I'm rich, and they used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-densmore/when-i-was-in-my-20s-i-went-through-my-testosterone-phase-and-had-a/) [John Densmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-densmore/) > [Let me tell you, there's nothing like pulling up to Fox Studios bumping Jeezy in your Mercedes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-rel-howery/let-me-tell-you-there-s-nothing-like-pulling-up-to-fox-studios/) [Lil Rel Howery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-rel-howery/) > [I have a Lamborghini Diablo. I have Mercedes 600, a 500, a 300, a 190. I have a Ferrari Testarossa, a Porsche speedster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ion-tiriac/i-have-a-lamborghini-diablo-i-have-mercedes-600-a-500-a-300-a-190-i/) [Ion Tiriac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ion-tiriac/) > [I drive a Mercedes SLS, which is fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-ramsey/i-drive-a-mercedes-sls-which-is-fun/) [Aaron Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-ramsey/) > [Our target is to compete with Ferrari and Mercedes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-horner/our-target-is-to-compete-with-ferrari-and-mercedes/) [Christian Horner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-horner/) > [I've driven Ferrari 488 GTB, the 488 Spider, the Mclaren 570s and 540c, the Bentley GT3R, GT Speed and V8s, Mercedes AMG GTs, Lamborghini…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-hirsch/i-ve-driven-ferrari-488-gtb-the-488-spider-the-mclaren-570s-and-540c/) [Alex Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-hirsch/) ## More by Dawn Staley > [I'm not the one to back down and I don't give up, and believe me, I'm not perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-staley/i-m-not-the-one-to-back-down-and-i-don-t-give-up-and-believe-me-i-m/) [Dawn Staley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-staley/) > [Aside from their talent, a prerequisite of us actually recruiting a young lady is their relationship with their parents because if they respect their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-staley/aside-from-their-talent-a-prerequisite-of-us-actually-recruiting-a/) [Dawn Staley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-staley/) > [I like the challenge of getting players to rise to certain levels, but that's the easy part. The biggest challenge is to get them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-staley/i-like-the-challenge-of-getting-players-to-rise-to-certain-levels-but/) [Dawn Staley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-staley/) > [I don't coach to win awards, I really don't. I'm very, very satisfied with just being there for my players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-staley/i-don-t-coach-to-win-awards-i-really-don-t-i-m-very-very-satisfied/) [Dawn Staley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-staley/) > [I grew up in the projects in North Philly. And when you grow up in the projects in North Philly, no one thinks you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-staley/i-grew-up-in-the-projects-in-north-philly-and-when-you-grow-up-in-the/) [Dawn Staley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-staley/) > [I'm not one that really has a huge social life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-staley/i-m-not-one-that-really-has-a-huge-social-life/) [Dawn Staley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-staley/) > [A lot of people notice when you succeed, but they don't see what it takes to get there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-staley/a-lot-of-people-notice-when-you-succeed-but-they-don-t-see-what-it/) [Dawn Staley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-staley/) > [I think I'm very consistent with who I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-staley/i-think-i-m-very-consistent-with-who-i-am/) [Dawn Staley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-staley/) > [I grew up in a disciplined household, and I have never been afraid of working hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-staley/i-grew-up-in-a-disciplined-household-and-i-have-never-been-afraid-of/) [Dawn Staley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-staley/) > [If there were ever a secret to being a great coach, that's it: the connection. I need to have a personal relationship with each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-staley/if-there-were-ever-a-secret-to-being-a-great-coach-that-s-it-the/) [Dawn Staley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-staley/) > [It's my nature just to teach, help and simplify basketball, that's my mentality. To not make the game so hard. It's really an easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-staley/it-s-my-nature-just-to-teach-help-and-simplify-basketball-that-s-my/) [Dawn Staley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-staley/) > [Some of my earliest lessons in perseverance were being turned away from the basketball court by the guys in the neighborhood when all I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-staley/some-of-my-earliest-lessons-in-perseverance-were-being-turned-away/) [Dawn Staley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-staley/) > [It's not often you see great players just improve year after year after year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-staley/it-s-not-often-you-see-great-players-just-improve-year-after-year/) [Dawn Staley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-staley/) > [Coaching - teaching the game - came relatively easy. I connected extremely well with the players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-staley/coaching-teaching-the-game-came-relatively-easy-i-connected-extremely/) [Dawn Staley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-staley/) > [We were rattled. A team like Rutgers, they play in spurts, and they didn't have a large spurt. We certainly knew we had it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-staley/we-were-rattled-a-team-like-rutgers-they-play-in-spurts-and-they-didn/) [Dawn Staley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-staley/) [Explore all 104 Dawn Staley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-staley/) ## More 1970s quotes > [As someone who came to New York in the 1970s, I was, like so many of my friends, a certified member of what we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graydon-carter/as-someone-who-came-to-new-york-in-the-1970s-i-was-like-so-many-of-my/) [Graydon Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graydon-carter/) > [The 1970s, the decade of my teenage years, was a transitional period in American youth culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-allin-cornell/the-1970s-the-decade-of-my-teenage-years-was-a-transitional-period-in/) [Eric Allin Cornell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-allin-cornell/) > [Back in the 1970s, it was mostly all-black audiences coming into the theaters. So, we presented stories they could relate to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-ray-moore/back-in-the-1970s-it-was-mostly-all-black-audiences-coming-into-the/) [Rudy Ray Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-ray-moore/) > [I'm a product of the 1970s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-rushin/i-m-a-product-of-the-1970s/) [Steve Rushin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-rushin/) > [Once, bit-fetching was the job mainly of children. In the 1970s, if I sat too long looking bored, I'd be dispatched to the shop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-dent/once-bit-fetching-was-the-job-mainly-of-children-in-the-1970s-if-i/) [Grace Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-dent/) > [When I joined Ford, in the late 1970s, I felt strongly we could not forever be a huge user of natural resources without there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-i-joined-ford-in-the-late-1970s-i-felt-strongly-we-could-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Wings was one of the first bands in the 1970s to do stadium tours, as well as Led Zeppelin. We had all the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denny-laine/wings-was-one-of-the-first-bands-in-the-1970s-to-do-stadium-tours-as/) [Denny Laine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denny-laine/) > [The whole idea of making 'James' was to make an action film in the style of the 1970s and '80s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-gopal-varma/the-whole-idea-of-making-james-was-to-make-an-action-film-in-the/) [Ram Gopal Varma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-gopal-varma/) > [All I know about 1970s New York City is that it's where I grew up, and you always have an umbilical connection to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-sante/all-i-know-about-1970s-new-york-city-is-that-it-s-where-i-grew-up-and/) [Luc Sante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-sante/) > [I have lived my whole life just outside Youngstown, Ohio. We watched the steel mills close and 50,000 jobs disappear in the late 1970s.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-ryan/i-have-lived-my-whole-life-just-outside-youngstown-ohio-we-watched/) [Tim Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-ryan/) > [I don't really have a treasured possession, but I do love my family's proper old photo album. We all have hundreds of photos on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-walker/i-don-t-really-have-a-treasured-possession-but-i-do-love-my-family-s/) [Nicola Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-walker/) > [My family had been involved in gangs since the 1970s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cabral/my-family-had-been-involved-in-gangs-since-the-1970s/) [Richard Cabral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cabral/) > [When I was in high school in the early 1970s, we knew we were running out of oil; we knew that easy sources were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-safina/when-i-was-in-high-school-in-the-early-1970s-we-knew-we-were-running/) [Carl Safina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-safina/) > [When I was younger, I remember families like mine who had to deal with the disastrous policies of the 1970s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-scheer/when-i-was-younger-i-remember-families-like-mine-who-had-to-deal-with/) [Andrew Scheer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-scheer/) > [My father set up his first business in the 1970s so that he could support his family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priti-patel/my-father-set-up-his-first-business-in-the-1970s-so-that-he-could/) [Priti Patel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priti-patel/) [Browse all 189 1970s quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/zz-1970s-440/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I was growing up in the projects in Philadelphia in the 1970s and 80s, Cadillac was the car to have. 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