--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Certainly the most obvious . . . example…" description: "\"Certainly the most obvious . . . example of the strictly infantile essence of America's all-conquering mentality greets our eyes daily, anywhere and ev..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f41/e-e-cummings-2586_america_certainly-the-most-obvious-example-of-th_2066246.jpg" --- # Certainly the most obvious . . . example of the strictly… ![“Certainly the most obvious . . . example of the strictly infantile essence of America's all-conquering mentality greets our eyes daily, anywhere and everywhere, in the guise of the tabloid newspaper. The tabloid newspaper actually means to the typical American of the era what the Bible is…” quote by e. e. cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f41/e-e-cummings-2586_america_certainly-the-most-obvious-example-of-th_2066246.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f41/e-e-cummings-2586_america_certainly-the-most-obvious-example-of-th_2066246.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f41/e-e-cummings-2586_america_certainly-the-most-obvious-example-of-th_2066246.jpg) > “Certainly the most obvious . . . example of the strictly infantile essence of America's all-conquering mentality greets our eyes daily, anywhere and everywhere, in the guise of the tabloid newspaper. The tabloid newspaper actually means to the typical American of the era what the Bible is popularly supposed to have meant to the typical Pilgrim Father: viz. a very present help in times of trouble, plus a means of keeping out of trouble via harmless, since vicarious, indulgence in the pomps and vanities of this wicked world.” [e. e. cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-e-cummings/) ## 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 critiques how tabloid newspapers serve as a modern, superficial moral guide, mirroring the Bible's role for early settlers, offering escapist relief while reinforcing a conquering, infantile mindset. **In simple terms:** Tabloids act as a shallow moral compass for many Americans. Key Takeaway Recognize media influence and seek deeper truth. Themes media criticism American culture morality consumerism Mood critical reflective Type analytical commentary When to use this quote - daily news consumption - political discourse - media literacy - public opinion formation Key Concepts tabloid influence cultural infantilism escapism Questions to Reflect On - How do tabloids shape your perception of reality? - What alternatives offer more substantive guidance? A Different Perspective Such media can also inform critical thinking and civic engagement when examined. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Bible Popularly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible-popularly-3967547/) [Conquer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conquer/) [Eras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eras/) [Essence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essence/) [Example](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/example/) [Eye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eye/) [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Guise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guise/) [Helping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping/) [Indulgence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indulgence/) [Infantile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infantile/) [Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalism/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Mentality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mentality/) [Newspaper Actually](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/newspaper-actually-3967548/) [Newspaper Tabloid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/newspaper-tabloid-3967546/) [Newspapers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/newspapers/) [Obvious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obvious/) [Pilgrim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pilgrim/) [Plus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plus/) [Tabloid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tabloid/) [Tabloid Newspaper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tabloid-newspaper-3931288/) [Tabloids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tabloids/) [Times of trouble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/times-of-trouble/) [Trouble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trouble/) [Typical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/typical/) [Ur Eyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ur-eyes/) [Vanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vanity/) [Vicarious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vicarious/) [Wicked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wicked/) [Wicked world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wicked-world/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Recently it's become much to my surprise, something that does happen. 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Jacques Barzun, 1959 all ignorance toboggans into know and trudges up to ignorance again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-e-cummings/the-intellectuals-chief-cause-of-anguish-are-one-another-s-works/) [e. e. cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-e-cummings/) > [There is no music unless the drum and the drummer are one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-e-cummings/there-is-no-music-unless-the-drum-and-the-drummer-are-one/) [e. e. cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-e-cummings/) > [“...for life's not a paragraph/ and death, i think, is no parenthesis.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-e-cummings/for-life-s-not-a-paragraph-and-death-i-think-is-no-parenthesis/) [e. e. cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-e-cummings/) > [The symbol of all art is the Prism. The goal is unrealism. The method is destructive. 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