--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: New York is hard, cynical, ruthless, even…" description: "\"New York is hard, cynical, ruthless, even beyond other cities. From their early repression its children emerge sophisticated, both stunted and overdeve..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f1/ernest-gruening-95607_artificiality_new-york-is-hard-cynical-ruthless-even-b_682570.png" --- # New York is hard, cynical, ruthless, even beyond other… ![“New York is hard, cynical, ruthless, even beyond other cities. From their early repression its children emerge sophisticated, both stunted and overdeveloped, perverted, premature, forced by the artificiality of their environment.” quote by Ernest Gruening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f1/ernest-gruening-95607_artificiality_new-york-is-hard-cynical-ruthless-even-b_682570.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f1/ernest-gruening-95607_artificiality_new-york-is-hard-cynical-ruthless-even-b_682570.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f1/ernest-gruening-95607_artificiality_new-york-is-hard-cynical-ruthless-even-b_682570.png) > “New York is hard, cynical, ruthless, even beyond other cities. From their early repression its children emerge sophisticated, both stunted and overdeveloped, perverted, premature, forced by the artificiality of their environment.” Ernest Gruening ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A critical view of New York’s harsh, artificial environment shaping children into complex, often stunted personalities. **In simple terms:** Hard city life creates both sophistication and stunted growth in kids. Key Takeaway Recognize the impact of environment on development. Themes urban pressure environmental influence child development hardship city life Mood critical reflective Type Artificiality:1 Children:1 Cities:1 Cynical:1 Environment:1 Hard:1 New york:1 Premature:1 Repression:1 Ruthless:1 Sophisticated:1 York:0 Hard Cynical:0 Repression Children:0 Ruthless Cities:0 Early Repression:0 Sophisticated Stunted:0 When to use this quote - education - parenting - policy making Key Concepts sociology urban studies psychology Questions to Reflect On - How does environment shape behavior? - Can resilience outweigh negative influences? A Different Perspective The description may overgeneralize residents. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artificiality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artificiality/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Cities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cities/) [Cynical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cynical/) [Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment/) [New york](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-york/) [Repression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/repression/) ## Related quotes > [I understand maybe some people are more impressionable than my hard, cynical self, but maybe they need to figure out how to be less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessa-crispin/i-understand-maybe-some-people-are-more-impressionable-than-my-hard/) [Jessa Crispin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessa-crispin/) > [“I'm not really so hard & cynical after all - in fact I'm still dangerously soft.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-williams/i-m-not-really-so-hard-cynical-after-all-in-fact-i-m-still/) [Tennessee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-williams/) > [I wish I could be hard and cynical. 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The obvious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/there-are-hidden-contradictions-in-the-minds-of-people-who-love/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“Some people think they can find satisfaction in good food, fine clothes, lively music, and sexual pleasure. However, when they have all these things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liezi/some-people-think-they-can-find-satisfaction-in-good-food-fine/) Liezi > [“But the more shrewdly and earnestly we study the histories of men, the less ready shall we be to make use of the word…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/but-the-more-shrewdly-and-earnestly-we-study-the-histories-of-men-the/) [G.K. 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They assume…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sov8840/the-default-digital-world-tone-is-one-of-hyperactive-friendliness/) Sov8840 > [Artificiality is one curse that will drop away the moment we kneel at Jesus' feet and surrender ourselves to His meekness. Then we will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/artificiality-is-one-curse-that-will-drop-away-the-moment-we-kneel-at/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Ernest Gruening > [Leaders often find themselves temporarily alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-gruening/leaders-often-find-themselves-temporarily-alone/) Ernest Gruening Explore all 2 Ernest Gruening quotes ## More Artificiality quotes > [Artificiality is one curse that will drop away the moment we kneel at Jesus' feet and surrender ourselves to His meekness. 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However, when they have all these things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liezi/some-people-think-they-can-find-satisfaction-in-good-food-fine/) Liezi > [There are hidden contradictions in the minds of people who "love Nature" while deploring the "artificialities" with which "Man has spoiled Nature.'" The obvious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/there-are-hidden-contradictions-in-the-minds-of-people-who-love/) [Robert A. 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