--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For generations, Americans who aren't…" description: "\"For generations, Americans who aren't rich have been generous and admiring of their wealthy compatriots - want a country where people who work hard can..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35f/dee-dee-myers-7880_admiring_for-generations-americans-who-aren-t-ric_1297725.jpg" --- # For generations, Americans who aren't rich have been… ![“For generations, Americans who aren't rich have been generous and admiring of their wealthy compatriots - want a country where people who work hard can succeed, where the same rules apply to everyone. They expect to have their own shot at getting rich. But increasingly, they are seeing that the…” quote by Dee Dee Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35f/dee-dee-myers-7880_admiring_for-generations-americans-who-aren-t-ric_1297725.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35f/dee-dee-myers-7880_admiring_for-generations-americans-who-aren-t-ric_1297725.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35f/dee-dee-myers-7880_admiring_for-generations-americans-who-aren-t-ric_1297725.jpg) > “For generations, Americans who aren't rich have been generous and admiring of their wealthy compatriots - want a country where people who work hard can succeed, where the same rules apply to everyone. They expect to have their own shot at getting rich. But increasingly, they are seeing that the game is rigged.” [Dee Dee Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-dee-myers/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote highlights the tension between the American Dream of equal opportunity and the perception that economic rules now favor the wealthy, making success feel unattainable for many. **In simple terms:** People feel the system is unfair and rigged against them. Key Takeaway Recognize systemic bias and advocate for fair policies. Themes equality American Dream economic disparity social mobility political perception Mood frustrated hopeful critical Type political social commentary motivational When to use this quote - policy reform - grassroots activism - community support - education initiatives Key Concepts Meritocracy wealth inequality social justice political cynicism Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance personal effort with systemic change? - What policies could level the playing field? A Different Perspective The view may overlook individual agency and success stories despite challenges. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game/) [Generations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generations/) [Generous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generous/) [Getting Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/getting-rich/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Rules](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rules/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Work hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-hard/) ## Related quotes > [If you're so smart, why aren't you rich?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/if-you-re-so-smart-why-aren-t-you-rich/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [Many people aren't rich because they're liars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/many-people-aren-t-rich-because-they-re-liars/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [Society tells men that if they aren't rich then they're worthless. Don't let society tell you who you are or what you're worth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/society-tells-men-that-if-they-aren-t-rich-then-they-re-worthless-don/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [“Ach, darling, why aren't we rich? We have such marvellous ideas of what to do with it. There are so many rich people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-maria-remarque/ach-darling-why-aren-t-we-rich-we-have-such-marvellous-ideas-of-what/) [Erich Maria Remarque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-maria-remarque/) > [You can tax the rich all you want. The problem is there aren't enough of the rich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-packwood/you-can-tax-the-rich-all-you-want-the-problem-is-there-aren-t-enough/) [Bob Packwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-packwood/) > [If you know the wavefunction of the universe, why aren't you rich?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-gell-mann/if-you-know-the-wavefunction-of-the-universe-why-aren-t-you-rich/) [Murray Gell-Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-gell-mann/) > [“If you're THAT smart...why aren't you THAT rich?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-akomas-jr/if-you-re-that-smart-why-aren-t-you-that-rich/) [George Akomas Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-akomas-jr/) > [“I was asked once, 'you're a smart man,why aren't you rich?' I replied, 'you're a rich man, why aren't you smart?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacque-fresco/i-was-asked-once-you-re-a-smart-man-why-aren-t-you-rich-i-replied-you/) [Jacque Fresco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacque-fresco/) > [One of the reasons people aren't rich is because almost everyone has more excuses than money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/one-of-the-reasons-people-aren-t-rich-is-because-almost-everyone-has/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [If you aren't rich you should always look useful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/if-you-aren-t-rich-you-should-always-look-useful/) [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [“Farmers aren't rich. They have land but no money." Actually, my father didn't even have that much land. He had once stood on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/farmers-aren-t-rich-they-have-land-but-no-money-actually-my-father/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) > [As long as the G.O.P., led by its increasingly visible women, continues to insist that the problem is not their policies but women's failure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-dee-myers/as-long-as-the-g-o-p-led-by-its-increasingly-visible-women-continues/) [Dee Dee Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-dee-myers/) > [The game is rigged to work for those who already have money and power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/the-game-is-rigged-to-work-for-those-who-already-have-money-and-power/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [Certainly the game is rigged. Don't let that stop you; if you don't bet you can't win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/certainly-the-game-is-rigged-don-t-let-that-stop-you-if-you-don-t-bet/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [The politics of grievance is pervasive. It's spreading. And when you have an economy that has been ripped to shreds like this, and when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-politics-of-grievance-is-pervasive-it-s-spreading-and-when-you/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) ## More by Dee Dee Myers > [It isn't fate but fecklessness that has shoved Sarah Palin to the sidelines of national politics. The real tragedy is that she's taken a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-dee-myers/it-isn-t-fate-but-fecklessness-that-has-shoved-sarah-palin-to-the/) [Dee Dee Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-dee-myers/) > [I was supposed to be authoritative, but at the same time had to be likeable, a quality that is a bonus, not a requirement,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-dee-myers/i-was-supposed-to-be-authoritative-but-at-the-same-time-had-to-be/) [Dee Dee Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-dee-myers/) > [It was what became something of a pattern in the first couple of years of the Clinton White House and maybe even longer, where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-dee-myers/it-was-what-became-something-of-a-pattern-in-the-first-couple-of/) [Dee Dee Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-dee-myers/) > [Throughout his presidency, Clinton made a point of getting close - physically and emotionally - to the people whose problems his administration was working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-dee-myers/throughout-his-presidency-clinton-made-a-point-of-getting-close/) [Dee Dee Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-dee-myers/) > [The fight is always the same within the Democratic Party, isn't it? The more things change, the more they stay the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-dee-myers/the-fight-is-always-the-same-within-the-democratic-party-isn-t-it-the/) [Dee Dee Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-dee-myers/) > [Women have to be the biggest champions in the world of other women's choices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-dee-myers/women-have-to-be-the-biggest-champions-in-the-world-of-other-women-s/) [Dee Dee Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-dee-myers/) > [And Clinton was like that - he saw the whole playing field. He didn't just see the event that he was at or the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-dee-myers/and-clinton-was-like-that-he-saw-the-whole-playing-field-he-didn-t/) [Dee Dee Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-dee-myers/) > [Even tax breaks that are supposed to help the middle class too often skew toward the wealthy. Consider the mortgage interest deduction. While political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-dee-myers/even-tax-breaks-that-are-supposed-to-help-the-middle-class-too-often/) [Dee Dee Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-dee-myers/) > [Almost all first ladies have had tremendous power on personnel issues, whether the public realized it or not, whether it was Barbara Bush or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-dee-myers/almost-all-first-ladies-have-had-tremendous-power-on-personnel-issues/) [Dee Dee Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-dee-myers/) > [Part of Obama's persona is self-reliance. He's calm; he's cool; he's self-possessed. In many ways, he has tried to define himself in opposition to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-dee-myers/part-of-obama-s-persona-is-self-reliance-he-s-calm-he-s-cool-he-s/) [Dee Dee Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-dee-myers/) > [Obama has become too dependent on formal speeches and set town halls. His idea of mixing it up is taking off his jacket.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-dee-myers/obama-has-become-too-dependent-on-formal-speeches-and-set-town-halls/) [Dee Dee Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-dee-myers/) > [President Barack Obama would do well to take a page or two from Clinton's playbook.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-dee-myers/president-barack-obama-would-do-well-to-take-a-page-or-two-from/) [Dee Dee Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-dee-myers/) > [In a way I think Bill Clinton is more likely to forgive and move on or at least try to woo people who don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-dee-myers/in-a-way-i-think-bill-clinton-is-more-likely-to-forgive-and-move-on/) [Dee Dee Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-dee-myers/) > [No doubt, the White House thinks the American people know Obama's story. But since the Inauguration, we've seen only the president's present: his perfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-dee-myers/no-doubt-the-white-house-thinks-the-american-people-know-obama-s/) [Dee Dee Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-dee-myers/) > [Many differences are rooted in biology and reinforced through culture, so it's important to acknowledge that. Because if you say men and women are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-dee-myers/many-differences-are-rooted-in-biology-and-reinforced-through-culture/) [Dee Dee Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-dee-myers/) [Explore all 86 Dee Dee Myers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-dee-myers/) ## More Admiring quotes > [The hidden child wants to be able to participate and to co-create in art, rather than being simply an admiring viewer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-morgenstern/the-hidden-child-wants-to-be-able-to-participate-and-to-co-create-in/) [Christian Morgenstern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-morgenstern/) > [Hillary Clinton was in rural America during the Iowa caucuses, but I think the nature of a campaign makes it more difficult once you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-vilsack/hillary-clinton-was-in-rural-america-during-the-iowa-caucuses-but-i/) [Tom Vilsack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-vilsack/) > [“Start admiring and noticing your beautiful nature, body, talents, and intelligence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-vickers/start-admiring-and-noticing-your-beautiful-nature-body-talents-and/) [Lee Vickers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-vickers/) > [The Bible is to us what the star was to the wise men; but if we spend all our time in gazing upon it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-adams/the-bible-is-to-us-what-the-star-was-to-the-wise-men-but-if-we-spend/) [Thomas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-adams/) > [There never was a liar that had not a spot in him where he could not help admiring truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/there-never-was-a-liar-that-had-not-a-spot-in-him-where-he-could-not/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [I've grown up watching and admiring Norm. Sherie actually starred in the first off-Broadway show I ever saw in New York, which was The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tituss-burgess/i-ve-grown-up-watching-and-admiring-norm-sherie-actually-starred-in/) [Tituss Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tituss-burgess/) > [“Miles couldn't help admiring women for their ability to dismiss the evidence of their senses. If that's what explained it. If it wasn't simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/miles-couldn-t-help-admiring-women-for-their-ability-to-dismiss-the/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [If I ever let my head fall.. I promise , I would be simply admiring my shoes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mercy-pheona/if-i-ever-let-my-head-fall-i-promise-i-would-be-simply-admiring-my/) [Mercy Pheona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mercy-pheona/) > [I take all day to climb mountains and then spend about 10 minutes at the top admiring the view.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-thrun/i-take-all-day-to-climb-mountains-and-then-spend-about-10-minutes-at/) [Sebastian Thrun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-thrun/) > [Great geniuses have the shortest biographies. Their cousins can tell you nothing about them. They lived in their writings, and sotheir house and street…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/great-geniuses-have-the-shortest-biographies-their-cousins-can-tell/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Because I'm a musician aspiring to write good stuff and put on good shows, I'm hyperaware of what they're doing and what they're putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-harmer/because-i-m-a-musician-aspiring-to-write-good-stuff-and-put-on-good/) [Sarah Harmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-harmer/) > [Juan gave Bones the most admiring look he’d bestowed on him yet. “You talked her into going without panties all these years? Madre de…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/juan-gave-bones-the-most-admiring-look-he-d-bestowed-on-him-yet-you/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) > [I've been an admirer of Helen Mirren for a long time. As I get older, I find myself admiring older women who have poise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-haden-church/i-ve-been-an-admirer-of-helen-mirren-for-a-long-time-as-i-get-older-i/) [Thomas Haden Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-haden-church/) > [You grow up watching certain films or admiring certain filmmakers, and to write a love letter to one and have them validate it, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-pegg/you-grow-up-watching-certain-films-or-admiring-certain-filmmakers-and/) [Simon Pegg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-pegg/) > [In the candle's flickering light, the library's thousands of books emerged from the shadows, and for a moment Nicholas could not help admiring them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trenton-lee-stewart/in-the-candle-s-flickering-light-the-library-s-thousands-of-books/) [Trenton Lee Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trenton-lee-stewart/) Browse all 177 Admiring quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "For generations, Americans who aren't rich have been generous and admiring of their wealthy compatriots - want a country where people who work hard can succeed, where the same rules apply to everyone. They expect to have their own shot at getting rich. But increasingly, they are seeing that the game is rigged.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dee Dee Myers" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-dee-myers/for-generations-americans-who-aren-t-rich-have-been-generous-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Admiring" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-dee-myers/for-generations-americans-who-aren-t-rich-have-been-generous-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35f/dee-dee-myers-7880_admiring_for-generations-americans-who-aren-t-ric_1297725.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35f/dee-dee-myers-7880_admiring_for-generations-americans-who-aren-t-ric_1297725.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35f/dee-dee-myers-7880_admiring_for-generations-americans-who-aren-t-ric_1297725.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“For generations, Americans who aren't rich have been generous and admiring of their wealthy compatriots…” — Dee Dee Myers", "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": "Dee Dee Myers", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-dee-myers/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "For generations, Americans who aren't rich...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-dee-myers/for-generations-americans-who-aren-t-rich-have-been-generous-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-dee-myers/for-generations-americans-who-aren-t-rich-have-been-generous-and/#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 } } ] } ```