--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The overwhelming majority of Americans…" description: "\"The overwhelming majority of Americans are possessed oftwo great qualitiesa sense of humor and a sense of proportion.\" — Franklin D Roosevelt" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b2/franklin-d-roosevelt-2-23592_americans_the-overwhelming-majority-of-americans-a_2699895.png" --- # The overwhelming majority of Americans are possessed oftwo… ![“The overwhelming majority of Americans are possessed oftwo great qualitiesa sense of humor and a sense of proportion.” quote by Franklin D Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b2/franklin-d-roosevelt-2-23592_americans_the-overwhelming-majority-of-americans-a_2699895.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b2/franklin-d-roosevelt-2-23592_americans_the-overwhelming-majority-of-americans-a_2699895.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b2/franklin-d-roosevelt-2-23592_americans_the-overwhelming-majority-of-americans-a_2699895.png) > “The overwhelming majority of Americans are possessed oftwo great qualitiesa sense of humor and a sense of proportion.” [Franklin D Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Americans are noted for humor and perspective, balancing seriousness with levity. **In simple terms:** Americans have humor and perspective. Key Takeaway Cultivate both humor and perspective. Themes humor perspective national character Mood optimistic reflective Type observational cultural When to use this quote - social gatherings - political discourse - media commentary Key Concepts balance cultural traits psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do humor and proportion influence public opinion? - Can perspective prevent cynicism? A Different Perspective Humor can mask deeper issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Americans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/americans/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Sense of humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sense-of-humor/) [Things happen for a reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-happen-for-a-reason/) ## Related quotes > [The overwhelming majority of Americans are possessed of two great qualities a sense of humor and a sense of proportion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/the-overwhelming-majority-of-americans-are-possessed-of-two-great/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [“I sometimes think that the saving grace of America lies in the fact that the overwhelming majority of Americans are possessed of two great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-delano-roosevelt/i-sometimes-think-that-the-saving-grace-of-america-lies-in-the-fact/) [Franklin Delano Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-delano-roosevelt/) > [I remember reading in a comedy book very long ago when I first started, a person said there's a difference between a sense of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-vaughn/i-remember-reading-in-a-comedy-book-very-long-ago-when-i-first/) [Baron Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-vaughn/) > [Haven't lost your sense of humor after all but your sense of identity is what seems to have been misplaced. No. Wrong. You don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-guest/haven-t-lost-your-sense-of-humor-after-all-but-your-sense-of-identity/) [Judith Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-guest/) > [I don't imagine you will dispute the fact that at present the stupid people are in an absolutely overwhelming majority all the world over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/i-don-t-imagine-you-will-dispute-the-fact-that-at-present-the-stupid/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [While bad cops should face the full consequence of the law, the overwhelming majority of good cops have earned our support.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-zeldin/while-bad-cops-should-face-the-full-consequence-of-the-law-the/) [Lee Zeldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-zeldin/) > [“Plato offers this insight: “The overwhelming majority of individuals will prove incapable of resisting the voice of the culture that surrounds them: in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-wiseman/plato-offers-this-insight-the-overwhelming-majority-of-individuals/) [Liz Wiseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-wiseman/) > [I think the overwhelming majority of the American people know that we have got to stand together, that we're going to grow together, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/i-think-the-overwhelming-majority-of-the-american-people-know-that-we/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [“It is interesting to note that the overwhelming majority of all human beings who have ever lived were or currently are Pagans.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-faulkner/it-is-interesting-to-note-that-the-overwhelming-majority-of-all-human/) Mary Faulkner > [Only 3 to 5 percent of people are aware of being a part of history; the overwhelming majority think things will always be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-voinovich/only-3-to-5-percent-of-people-are-aware-of-being-a-part-of-history/) [Vladimir Voinovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-voinovich/) > [The fact is that seven per cent of the global population emits 50 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions, and the proportions are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yann-arthus-bertrand/the-fact-is-that-seven-per-cent-of-the-global-population-emits-50-per/) [Yann Arthus-Bertrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yann-arthus-bertrand/) > [“The majority is never right. Never, I tell you! That's one of these lies in society that no free and intelligent man can help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/the-majority-is-never-right-never-i-tell-you-that-s-one-of-these-lies-2/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [I divide the world into three Classes - The few who make things happen, the many who watch things happen, the overwhelming majority who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-murray-butler/i-divide-the-world-into-three-classes-the-few-who-make-things-happen/) [Nicholas Murray Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-murray-butler/) > [If you talk to these young men and women who are fighting, they'll tell you that they think it's a worthwhile cause, and they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/if-you-talk-to-these-young-men-and-women-who-are-fighting-they-ll/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [For an overwhelming majority of my life, my country has been a source of pain, fear, and embarrassment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hisham-matar/for-an-overwhelming-majority-of-my-life-my-country-has-been-a-source/) [Hisham Matar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hisham-matar/) ## More by Franklin D Roosevelt > [The school is that last expenditure upon which Americans should be willing to economize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/the-school-is-that-last-expenditure-upon-which-americans-should-be/) [Franklin D Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/) > [We look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms. The first is freedom of speech and expressioneverywhere in the world. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/we-look-forward-to-a-world-founded-upon-four-essential-human-freedoms/) [Franklin D Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/) > [We are fighting to save a great and precious form of government for ourselves and for the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/we-are-fighting-to-save-a-great-and-precious-form-of-government-for/) [Franklin D Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/) > [The real truth of the matter is, as you and I know, that a financial element in the large centers has owned the government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/the-real-truth-of-the-matter-is-as-you-and-i-know-that-a-financial-2/) [Franklin D Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/) > [Happiness lies not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the enjoyment of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/happiness-lies-not-in-the-mere-possession-of-money-it-lies-in-the/) [Franklin D Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/) > [We can gain no lasting peace if we approach it with suspicion and mistrust or with fear. We can gain it only if we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/we-can-gain-no-lasting-peace-if-we-approach-it-with-suspicion-and/) [Franklin D Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/) > [The liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it comes stronger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/the-liberty-of-a-democracy-is-not-safe-if-the-people-tolerate-the/) [Franklin D Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/) > [We do our best that we know how at the moment, and if it doesn't turn out, we modify it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/we-do-our-best-that-we-know-how-at-the-moment-and-if-it-doesn-t-turn/) [Franklin D Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/) > [I hope that your committee will not permit doubt as to constitutionality, however reasonable, to block the suggested legislation (the Guffey Coal Control Bill)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/i-hope-that-your-committee-will-not-permit-doubt-as-to-2/) [Franklin D Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/) > [Yesterday, December seventh, 1941, a date which will live in infamy, the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/yesterday-december-seventh-1941-a-date-which-will-live-in-infamy-the/) [Franklin D Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/) > [No business which depends for existence on paying less than living wages to its workers has any right to continue in this country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/no-business-which-depends-for-existence-on-paying-less-than-living-2/) [Franklin D Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/) > [If civilization is to survive, theprinciples of the Prince of Peace must be restored. Shattered trust between nations must be revived. Mostimportant of all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/if-civilization-is-to-survive-theprinciples-of-the-prince-of-peace/) [Franklin D Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/) > [To stand upon ramparts and die for our principles is heroic, but to sally forth to battle and win for our principles is something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/to-stand-upon-ramparts-and-die-for-our-principles-is-heroic-but-to/) [Franklin D Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/) > [If in other lands the press and books and literature of all kinds are censored, we must redouble our efforts here to keep them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/if-in-other-lands-the-press-and-books-and-literature-of-all-kinds-are/) [Franklin D Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/) > [Let us never forget that government is ourselves and not an alien power over us. The ultimate rulers of our democracy are not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/let-us-never-forget-that-government-is-ourselves-and-not-an-alien-2/) [Franklin D Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/) [Explore all 25 Franklin D Roosevelt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/) ## More Americans quotes > [“People – Americans, mostly – realise how attached they are to material comforts when they arrive in India.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-william-roberts/people-americans-mostly-realise-how-attached-they-are-to-material/) Paul William Roberts > [Music has an intrinsic value that touches Americans - they love their music, and want more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-rosen/music-has-an-intrinsic-value-that-touches-americans-they-love-their/) [Hilary Rosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-rosen/) > [Americans are very friendly and very suspicious, that is what Americans are and that is what always upsets the foreigner, who deals with them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/americans-are-very-friendly-and-very-suspicious-that-is-what/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [“Medical studies have shown that cursing reduces levels of stress and pain. Repressing your anger is not healthy. It's much better to verbalize it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/medical-studies-have-shown-that-cursing-reduces-levels-of-stress-and/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [Just because the Americans are so good at rattling out accessible and cheap junk food, nobody looks twice when it comes to their food.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-oliver/just-because-the-americans-are-so-good-at-rattling-out-accessible-and/) [Jamie Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-oliver/) > [My parents don't care what Americans think of us; we just care what the other Indian people in our community think of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/himanshu-suri/my-parents-don-t-care-what-americans-think-of-us-we-just-care-what/) [Himanshu Suri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/himanshu-suri/) > [When Americans, who have no idea who I am, laugh at my jokes, it's exactly the same if someone loves you even if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gad-elmaleh/when-americans-who-have-no-idea-who-i-am-laugh-at-my-jokes-it-s/) [Gad Elmaleh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gad-elmaleh/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We Americans tend to be a prodigal lot. We are as careless with our personal resources as we are with the resources of nature,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-crook-de-camp/we-americans-tend-to-be-a-prodigal-lot-we-are-as-careless-with-our/) [Catherine Crook de Camp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-crook-de-camp/) > [Americans will put up with anything provided it doesn't block traffic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-rather/americans-will-put-up-with-anything-provided-it-doesn-t-block-traffic/) [Dan Rather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-rather/) > [Most Americans believe in fairness; we believe that people should work hard but there should be a safety net. We believe in saving the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-maclean/most-americans-believe-in-fairness-we-believe-that-people-should-work/) [Nancy MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-maclean/) > [“Using a wide variety of media, we could demonstrate for our fellow Americans their anxieties, desires, insufficiencies, and frustrations--and how to assuage them all.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/using-a-wide-variety-of-media-we-could-demonstrate-for-our-fellow/) [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) > [The Americans say that we are ungrateful-but I ask them for heaven's sake, what should we be grateful to them for-for murdering our fathers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-walker/the-americans-say-that-we-are-ungrateful-but-i-ask-them-for-heaven-s/) [David Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-walker/) > [So many Korean Americans like me came to this country with the hope of achieving their own American Dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-steel/so-many-korean-americans-like-me-came-to-this-country-with-the-hope/) [Michelle Steel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-steel/) > [You are Americans. You love this country. Together we are entrusted with the principles that represent mankind's greatest political and social achievement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tsongas/you-are-americans-you-love-this-country-together-we-are-entrusted/) [Paul Tsongas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tsongas/) [Browse all 1,536 Americans quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/americans/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The overwhelming majority of Americans are possessed oftwo great qualitiesa sense of humor and a sense of proportion.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Franklin D Roosevelt" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/the-overwhelming-majority-of-americans-are-possessed-oftwo-great/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Americans" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/the-overwhelming-majority-of-americans-are-possessed-oftwo-great/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b2/franklin-d-roosevelt-2-23592_americans_the-overwhelming-majority-of-americans-a_2699895.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b2/franklin-d-roosevelt-2-23592_americans_the-overwhelming-majority-of-americans-a_2699895.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b2/franklin-d-roosevelt-2-23592_americans_the-overwhelming-majority-of-americans-a_2699895.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The overwhelming majority of Americans are possessed oftwo great qualitiesa sense of humor and a sense of…” — Franklin D Roosevelt", "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": "Franklin D Roosevelt", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The overwhelming majority of Americans are...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/the-overwhelming-majority-of-americans-are-possessed-oftwo-great/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/the-overwhelming-majority-of-americans-are-possessed-oftwo-great/#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 } } ] } ```