--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There will be no room, here, for the smug…" description: "\"There will be no room, here, for the smug myopia which views American civilization as the final solution to all world problems; which recommends our in..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8a/george-f-kennan-13238_adoption_there-will-be-no-room-here-for-the-smug_1298046.jpg" --- # There will be no room, here, for the smug myopia which… ![“There will be no room, here, for the smug myopia which views American civilization as the final solution to all world problems; which recommends our institutions for universal adoption and turns away with contempt from the serious study of the institutions of peoples whose civilizations may seem…” quote by George F. Kennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8a/george-f-kennan-13238_adoption_there-will-be-no-room-here-for-the-smug_1298046.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8a/george-f-kennan-13238_adoption_there-will-be-no-room-here-for-the-smug_1298046.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8a/george-f-kennan-13238_adoption_there-will-be-no-room-here-for-the-smug_1298046.jpg) > “There will be no room, here, for the smug myopia which views American civilization as the final solution to all world problems; which recommends our institutions for universal adoption and turns away with contempt from the serious study of the institutions of peoples whose civilizations may seem to us to be materially less advanced.” [George F. Kennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-f-kennan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Warns against imposing American ideals as universal, urging respect for diverse cultures and their institutions. **In simple terms:** Don't assume US model works everywhere. Key Takeaway Seek humility and study other societies. Themes cultural relativism imperialism policy humility Mood cautious critical Type political philosophical When to use this quote - diplomacy - international aid - education reform - multicultural collaboration Key Concepts civilization universalism ethnocentrism Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance global cooperation with cultural respect? - What are the risks of imposing one system on all? A Different Perspective Western bias can ignore local solutions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adoption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adoption/) [Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization/) [Contempt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contempt/) [Institutions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/institutions/) [Myopia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myopia/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World problems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-problems/) ## Related quotes > [To me, 'Kita y Fernanda' is very much an American story, and I know some people are going to think it's a Latina story,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanya-saracho/to-me-kita-y-fernanda-is-very-much-an-american-story-and-i-know-some/) [Tanya Saracho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanya-saracho/) > [There's not a single doubt in my mind that the whole of Chrysler organization views itself as an American car producer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-marchionne/there-s-not-a-single-doubt-in-my-mind-that-the-whole-of-chrysler/) [Sergio Marchionne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-marchionne/) > [I think that extreme right wing views are not what the American people are looking for right now. They want to see us create…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/i-think-that-extreme-right-wing-views-are-not-what-the-american/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [American civilization, from its beginnings, had combined a dogmatic confidence in the future with a naive puzzlement over what the future might bring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-boorstin/american-civilization-from-its-beginnings-had-combined-a-dogmatic/) [Daniel J. Boorstin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-boorstin/) > [The enemies of American civilization-- for such are the enemies of slavery-- seem to be more on the alert than its friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-walker/the-enemies-of-american-civilization-for-such-are-the-enemies-of/) William Walker > [We strain to tell Americans and aliens in this country that there's nothing unique about America, nothing unique about American civilization, nothing that requires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-tancredo/we-strain-to-tell-americans-and-aliens-in-this-country-that-there-s/) [Tom Tancredo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-tancredo/) > [The character of Anglo-American civilization . . . is the product . . . of two perfectly distinct elements that elsewhere have often made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/the-character-of-anglo-american-civilization-is-the-product-of-two/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [Perhaps the two most valuable and satisfactory products of American civilization are the librarian on the one hand and the cocktail in the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-stanley/perhaps-the-two-most-valuable-and-satisfactory-products-of-american/) Louis Stanley > [It was one of the great mass achievements of American civilization, and we did it because we thought if you were going to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hass/it-was-one-of-the-great-mass-achievements-of-american-civilization/) [Robert Hass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hass/) > [I have no misgivings about, or lack of confidence in the cause in which I am engaged, and my courage does not falter. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sullivan-ballou/i-have-no-misgivings-about-or-lack-of-confidence-in-the-cause-in/) Sullivan Ballou > [“the character of American civilization is a bundle of contradictions,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-davison-hunter/the-character-of-american-civilization-is-a-bundle-of-contradictions/) [James Davison Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-davison-hunter/) > [“American civilization isn’t advancing as fast as our military is. The only problem is we should be retreating.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/american-civilization-isn-t-advancing-as-fast-as-our-military-is-the/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [If we have an element of Americans here that reject western civilization, and that's a big element, that reject western civilization, then what have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-king/if-we-have-an-element-of-americans-here-that-reject-western/) [Steve King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-king/) > [We live in a new and exceptional age. America is another word for Opportunity. Our whole history appears like a last effort of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/we-live-in-a-new-and-exceptional-age-america-is-another-word-for/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The keynote of American civilization is a sort of warm-hearted vulgarity. The Americans have none of the irony of the English, none of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-chandler/the-keynote-of-american-civilization-is-a-sort-of-warm-hearted/) [Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-chandler/) ## More by George F. Kennan > [Heroism is endurance for one moment more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-f-kennan/heroism-is-endurance-for-one-moment-more/) [George F. Kennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-f-kennan/) > [We should not lose ourselves in vainglorious sohemes for changing human nature all over the planet. Rather, we should learn to view ourselves with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-f-kennan/we-should-not-lose-ourselves-in-vainglorious-sohemes-for-changing/) [George F. Kennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-f-kennan/) > [Forms of government are forged mainly in the fire of practice, not in the vacuum of theory. They respond to national character and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-f-kennan/forms-of-government-are-forged-mainly-in-the-fire-of-practice-not-in/) [George F. Kennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-f-kennan/) > [“In the face of this situation we would be better off to dispense now with a number of the concepts which have underlined our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-f-kennan/in-the-face-of-this-situation-we-would-be-better-off-to-dispense-now/) [George F. Kennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-f-kennan/) > [“If you accept a democratic system, this means that you are prepared to put up with those of its workings, legislative or administrative, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-f-kennan/if-you-accept-a-democratic-system-this-means-that-you-are-prepared-to/) [George F. Kennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-f-kennan/) > [War is a highly overrated tool of foreign policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-f-kennan/war-is-a-highly-overrated-tool-of-foreign-policy/) [George F. Kennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-f-kennan/) > [The jealous and intolerant eye of the Kremlin can distinguish, in the end, only vassals and enemies, and the neighbors of Russia, if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-f-kennan/the-jealous-and-intolerant-eye-of-the-kremlin-can-distinguish-in-the/) [George F. Kennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-f-kennan/) > [Do people ever reflect, one wonders, that the best way to protect against the penetration of one's secrets by others is to have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-f-kennan/do-people-ever-reflect-one-wonders-that-the-best-way-to-protect/) [George F. Kennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-f-kennan/) > [Actually, the inability of any society to resist immigration, the inability to find other solutions to the problem of employment at the lower, more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-f-kennan/actually-the-inability-of-any-society-to-resist-immigration-the/) [George F. Kennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-f-kennan/) > [There is more respect to be won in the opinion of this world by a resolute and courageous liquidation of unsound positions than by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-f-kennan/there-is-more-respect-to-be-won-in-the-opinion-of-this-world-by-a/) [George F. Kennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-f-kennan/) > [The nuclear bomb is the most useless weapon ever invented. It can be employed to no rational purpose. It is not even an effective…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-f-kennan/the-nuclear-bomb-is-the-most-useless-weapon-ever-invented-it-can-be/) [George F. Kennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-f-kennan/) > [The United States cannot reshape other countries in its own image and that, with a few exceptions, its efforts to police the world are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-f-kennan/the-united-states-cannot-reshape-other-countries-in-its-own-image-and/) [George F. Kennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-f-kennan/) > [Whenever you have a possibility of going in two ways, either for peace or for war, for peaceful methods of for military methods, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-f-kennan/whenever-you-have-a-possibility-of-going-in-two-ways-either-for-peace/) [George F. Kennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-f-kennan/) > [Perfect discipline requires recognition of infallibility. Infallibility requires the observance of discipline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-f-kennan/perfect-discipline-requires-recognition-of-infallibility/) [George F. Kennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-f-kennan/) > [Anyone who has ever studied the history of American diplomacy, especially military diplomacy, knows that you might start in a war with certain things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-f-kennan/anyone-who-has-ever-studied-the-history-of-american-diplomacy/) [George F. Kennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-f-kennan/) [Explore all 51 George F. Kennan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-f-kennan/) ## More Adoption quotes > [The purpose of this book is to supply, in the form suitable for laymen, guidance in the adoption and execution of an investment policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/the-purpose-of-this-book-is-to-supply-in-the-form-suitable-for-laymen/) [Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I think adoption becomes complicated whenever the biological parents are alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-haven/i-think-adoption-becomes-complicated-whenever-the-biological-parents/) [James Haven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-haven/) > [Somehow destiny comes into play. These children end up with you and you end up with them. It's something quite magical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-kidman/somehow-destiny-comes-into-play-these-children-end-up-with-you-and/) [Nicole Kidman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-kidman/) > [I have a lot of respect for my birth mother I know she must have had a lot of love for me to want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faith-hill/i-have-a-lot-of-respect-for-my-birth-mother-i-know-she-must-have-had/) [Faith Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faith-hill/) > [Despite the reams of paperwork, obstacles worthy of a horse show, and a wait that can rival an elephant's gestation, adoption feels no different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-simon/despite-the-reams-of-paperwork-obstacles-worthy-of-a-horse-show-and-a/) [Scott Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-simon/) > [“Some adventures should never be repeated.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-l-hopper/some-adventures-should-never-be-repeated/) Mike L. Hopper > [Some women just skip having babies or adopt because they don't want to get fat or they haven't put in the time to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaime-pressly/some-women-just-skip-having-babies-or-adopt-because-they-don-t-want/) [Jaime Pressly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaime-pressly/) > [“I love Russia because Russia gave me you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-simmons/i-love-russia-because-russia-gave-me-you/) John M. Simmons > [I've never been keen on open adoption. It doesn't seem to solve the main problem with adoption, which is that somebody feels she was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/i-ve-never-been-keen-on-open-adoption-it-doesn-t-seem-to-solve-the/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [“Yes, I see why we endured infertility and a lengthy adoption process now, but I don’t know all the reasons for all the struggles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-wells/yes-i-see-why-we-endured-infertility-and-a-lengthy-adoption-process/) Ashley Wells > [As we grew to love South Australia, we felt that we were in an expanding society, still feeling the bond to the motherland, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-helen-spence/as-we-grew-to-love-south-australia-we-felt-that-we-were-in-an/) [Catherine Helen Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-helen-spence/) > [Every great movement must experience three stages: ridicule, discussion, adoption.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/every-great-movement-must-experience-three-stages-ridicule-discussion/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [With all the chaos, pain and suffering in the world, the fact that my adoption of a child from who was living in an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/with-all-the-chaos-pain-and-suffering-in-the-world-the-fact-that-my/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) > [“The Friends Thou Hast And Their Adoption Tried Grapple Them To Thy Soul With Hooks Of Steel”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/the-friends-thou-hast-and-their-adoption-tried-grapple-them-to-thy-2/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) [Browse all 560 Adoption quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adoption/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There will be no room, here, for the smug myopia which views American civilization as the final solution to all world problems; which recommends our institutions for universal adoption and turns away with contempt from the serious study of the institutions of peoples whose civilizations may seem to us to be materially less advanced.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George F. 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