---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's just a passing thing,' Vishnu had…"
description: "\"“It's just a passing thing,' Vishnu had told me about his girlfriend's beliefs. 'It's like their way of assimilating into the West. It's like a social ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/817/gary-shteyngart-2177_faith_it-s-just-a-passing-thing-vishnu-had-tol_988563.png"
---

#  It's just a passing thing,' Vishnu had told me about his…

![“It's just a passing thing,' Vishnu had told me about his girlfriend's beliefs. 'It's like their way of assimilating into the West. It's like a social club. One more generation, it'll be over.” quote by Gary Shteyngart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/817/gary-shteyngart-2177_faith_it-s-just-a-passing-thing-vishnu-had-tol_988563.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/817/gary-shteyngart-2177_faith_it-s-just-a-passing-thing-vishnu-had-tol_988563.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/817/gary-shteyngart-2177_faith_it-s-just-a-passing-thing-vishnu-had-tol_988563.png)

> ““It's just a passing thing,' Vishnu had told me about his girlfriend's beliefs. 'It's like their way of assimilating into the West. It's like a social club. One more generation, it'll be over.””

[Gary Shteyngart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-shteyngart/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Cultural assimilation is often framed as a temporary, generational process that eventually dissolves differences.

**In simple terms:** Assimilation is seen as a short‑term, generational shift.

Key Takeaway

Question the notion of “temporary” assimilation.

Themes

culture identity assimilation

Mood

reflective critical

Type

social cultural

When to use this quote

- immigration
- family dynamics
- education
- community building

Key Concepts

generational change social integration

Questions to Reflect On

- What does “temporary” assimilation mean for identity?
- How can cultures retain uniqueness while integrating?

A Different Perspective

Assimilation can be forced and loss‑inducing.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Generation Ll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generation-ll-1639520/) [Girlfriend Beliefs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/girlfriend-beliefs-2009955/) [Thing Vishnu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-vishnu-2009956/) [Told Girlfriend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/told-girlfriend-1390778/) [Vishnu Told](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vishnu-told-2009954/)

## Related quotes

> [I am somebody who focuses on a dialogue between generations - that's the drive of my work. I believe the young generation take the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raf-simons/i-am-somebody-who-focuses-on-a-dialogue-between-generations-that-s/)

[Raf Simons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raf-simons/)

> [I think by the next generation either we'll have a lot of idiots who are just completely immersed in media and corporatized information, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aloe-blacc/i-think-by-the-next-generation-either-we-ll-have-a-lot-of-idiots-who/)

[Aloe Blacc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aloe-blacc/)

> [We'll never surrender, we'll win or die you've to fight the next generation and the next … and I'll live more than my hanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-mukhtar/we-ll-never-surrender-we-ll-win-or-die-you-ve-to-fight-the-next/)

[Omar Mukhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-mukhtar/)

> [In a way, I feel sorry for the children of our generation. They'll have parents who know how to check browsing history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-a-way-i-feel-sorry-for-the-children-of-our-generation-they-ll-have/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“You told me, girlfriend. Will your boyfriend be jealous we're tossing bitchy banter back and forth?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorelei-james/you-told-me-girlfriend-will-your-boyfriend-be-jealous-we-re-tossing/)

[Lorelei James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorelei-james/)

> [I told my girlfriend that a praying mantis female eats its mate after copulation. She didn't take the hint.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-floyd/i-told-my-girlfriend-that-a-praying-mantis-female-eats-its-mate-after/)

[James Floyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-floyd/)

> [Most romAntic line: A boy told his girlfriend- Your eyes are just too beautiful!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/butterfly-kisses/most-romantic-line-a-boy-told-his-girlfriend-your-eyes-are-just-too-2/)

[Butterfly\_Kisses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/butterfly-kisses/)

> [Have you ever been in love your best friend? because I have and I wished that I told him that!!! but now I can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sha-ronda-johnson/have-you-ever-been-in-love-your-best-friend-because-i-have-and-i/)

[Sha'ronda Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sha-ronda-johnson/)

> [This past Christmas, I told my girlfriend for months in advance that all I wanted was an Xbox. That's it. Beginning and end of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/this-past-christmas-i-told-my-girlfriend-for-months-in-advance-that/)

[Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/)

> [“With your lips on mine, your song still in my ears, I forget that I never said yes, that all of it - the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-demetrios/with-your-lips-on-mine-your-song-still-in-my-ears-i-forget-that-i/)

[Heather Demetrios](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-demetrios/)

> [I've always been told whoever has me as a girlfriend is going to be lucky, I think I can agree, but only time will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ve-always-been-told-whoever-has-me-as-a-girlfriend-is-going-to-be/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [After 0ur Last Argument, I Told My Girlfriend, I Hope Your Next Boyfriend Appreciates The Improvements I've Made In You .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azgraybebly-josland/after-0ur-last-argument-i-told-my-girlfriend-i-hope-your-next/)

[Azgraybebly Josland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azgraybebly-josland/)

> [Most romAntic line: A boy told his girlfriend- Your eyes are just too beautiful! D girl replied- yes,they r beautiful,only bcoz u stAy in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/most-romantic-line-a-boy-told-his-girlfriend-your-eyes-are-just-too/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Eternal Trinity... mystery deep as the sea, You could give me no greater gift than the gift of Yourself. For You are a fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/eternal-trinity-mystery-deep-as-the-sea-you-could-give-me-no-greater/)

[St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/)

> [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/)

[Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/)

## More by Gary Shteyngart

> [“These are all good things, I said. But no one knows where your country is or who you are. You don't have a familiar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-shteyngart/these-are-all-good-things-i-said-but-no-one-knows-where-your-country/)

[Gary Shteyngart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-shteyngart/)

> [Italy has sun and tomatoes, and Russia just has real problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-shteyngart/italy-has-sun-and-tomatoes-and-russia-just-has-real-problems/)

[Gary Shteyngart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-shteyngart/)

> [Don't be pretentious is my first advice to young writers. This is the big problem - just because you're getting an MFA doesn't mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-shteyngart/don-t-be-pretentious-is-my-first-advice-to-young-writers-this-is-the/)

[Gary Shteyngart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-shteyngart/)

> [I read real books. On paper. You know, those printed books? I feel like this is the last thing I do to support my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-shteyngart/i-read-real-books-on-paper-you-know-those-printed-books-i-feel-like/)

[Gary Shteyngart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-shteyngart/)

> [Russia tried to introduce beer as kind of the new vodka - and it's working with younger people in major cities - but you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-shteyngart/russia-tried-to-introduce-beer-as-kind-of-the-new-vodka-and-it-s/)

[Gary Shteyngart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-shteyngart/)

> [“There's something outrageously simple about extending yourself toward a goal the way a plant seeks the sun's rays or a gopher the crunch of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-shteyngart/there-s-something-outrageously-simple-about-extending-yourself-toward/)

[Gary Shteyngart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-shteyngart/)

> [Silence has been destroyed, but also the idea that it's important to learn how another person thinks, to enter the mind of another person.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-shteyngart/silence-has-been-destroyed-but-also-the-idea-that-it-s-important-to/)

[Gary Shteyngart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-shteyngart/)

> [“This red-fading-into-brown defines Queens for me; it is quiet and melancholy and postsuccessful, vaguely British in its disposition.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-shteyngart/this-red-fading-into-brown-defines-queens-for-me-it-is-quiet-and/)

[Gary Shteyngart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-shteyngart/)

> [If I still lived in Russia, I'd be dead... or a really effective oligarch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-shteyngart/if-i-still-lived-in-russia-i-d-be-dead-or-a-really-effective-oligarch/)

[Gary Shteyngart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-shteyngart/)

> [“The fact that my sexual awakening peripherally involves Steve Guttenberg I have gradually accepted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-shteyngart/the-fact-that-my-sexual-awakening-peripherally-involves-steve/)

[Gary Shteyngart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-shteyngart/)

> [“The simple trill of her laugh has not declined over the years; if anything it's been buffeted by her endless sorrows and disappointments.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-shteyngart/the-simple-trill-of-her-laugh-has-not-declined-over-the-years-if/)

[Gary Shteyngart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-shteyngart/)

> [“We know summer is the height of of being alive. We don't believe in God or the prospect of an afterlife mostly, so we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-shteyngart/we-know-summer-is-the-height-of-of-being-alive-we-don-t-believe-in/)

[Gary Shteyngart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-shteyngart/)

> [“The novel was set in an unspecified near future, because setting a novel in the present in a time of unprecedented technological and social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-shteyngart/the-novel-was-set-in-an-unspecified-near-future-because-setting-a/)

[Gary Shteyngart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-shteyngart/)

> [One should learn from a book. Books have a lot to teach us. They have a lot of empathy to impart to us, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-shteyngart/one-should-learn-from-a-book-books-have-a-lot-to-teach-us-they-have-a/)

[Gary Shteyngart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-shteyngart/)

> [I always think that good writers should be growing up on the brink of death - it really lets them see mortality very clearly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-shteyngart/i-always-think-that-good-writers-should-be-growing-up-on-the-brink-of/)

[Gary Shteyngart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-shteyngart/)

[Explore all 179 Gary Shteyngart quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-shteyngart/)

## More Faith quotes

> [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/)

[Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/)

> [Eternal Trinity... mystery deep as the sea, You could give me no greater gift than the gift of Yourself. For You are a fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/eternal-trinity-mystery-deep-as-the-sea-you-could-give-me-no-greater/)

[St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/)

> [Keep the faith, and keep going strong!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doreen-virtue/keep-the-faith-and-keep-going-strong/)

[Doreen Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doreen-virtue/)

> [It’s so important to create in your own voice, to hold onto what makes you unique, and have faith in your vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/it-s-so-important-to-create-in-your-own-voice-to-hold-onto-what-makes/)

[John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/)

> [Faith gives you a certain structure and meaning to your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riffat-hassan/faith-gives-you-a-certain-structure-and-meaning-to-your-life/)

[Riffat Hassan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riffat-hassan/)

> [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/)

[Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/)

> [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/)

[Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/)

> [“No man is prejudiced in favour of a thing, knowing it to be wrong. He is attached to it on the belief of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/no-man-is-prejudiced-in-favour-of-a-thing-knowing-it-to-be-wrong-he/)

[Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/)

> [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/)

[John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/)

> [Holiness sincerity, and faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/holiness-sincerity-and-faith/)

[Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

> [“The only limitations for your life are the limiting beliefs in your mind. —Matt Morris”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-morris-1/the-only-limitations-for-your-life-are-the-limiting-beliefs-in-your/)

[Matt Morris (1](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-morris-1/)

> [“Just because your faith is shaken doesn’t mean the faith is shaken. The eternal truths of the Kingdom aren’t altered or affected by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-arthur/just-because-your-faith-is-shaken-doesn-t-mean-the-faith-is-shaken/)

[Sarah Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-arthur/)

> [Grit, determination, the right amount of crazy, self belief - everything it takes to be a champion. I have that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-poirier/grit-determination-the-right-amount-of-crazy-self-belief-everything/)

[Dustin Poirier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-poirier/)

> [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/)

[Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/)

> [Once you pull the trigger, you've got to throw balls aggressively and with conviction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/once-you-pull-the-trigger-you-ve-got-to-throw-balls-aggressively-and/)

[Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/)

[Browse all 37,796 Faith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“It's just a passing thing,' Vishnu had told me about his girlfriend's beliefs. 'It's like their way of assimilating into the West. It's like a social club. One more generation, it'll be over.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Gary Shteyngart"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-shteyngart/it-s-just-a-passing-thing-vishnu-had-told-me-about-his-girlfriend-s/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Faith"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-shteyngart/it-s-just-a-passing-thing-vishnu-had-told-me-about-his-girlfriend-s/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/817/gary-shteyngart-2177_faith_it-s-just-a-passing-thing-vishnu-had-tol_988563.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/817/gary-shteyngart-2177_faith_it-s-just-a-passing-thing-vishnu-had-tol_988563.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/817/gary-shteyngart-2177_faith_it-s-just-a-passing-thing-vishnu-had-tol_988563.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“It's just a passing thing,' Vishnu had told me about his girlfriend's beliefs. 'It's like their way of…” — Gary Shteyngart",
                "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": "Gary Shteyngart",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-shteyngart/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“It's just a passing thing,' Vishnu...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-shteyngart/it-s-just-a-passing-thing-vishnu-had-told-me-about-his-girlfriend-s/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-shteyngart/it-s-just-a-passing-thing-vishnu-had-told-me-about-his-girlfriend-s/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
