--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As a group who can never afford the…" description: "\"“As a group who can never afford the expensive fiction of having a nation—and whose bodies suffer from nationalism by being used as its means of reprod..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e9/gloria-steinem-277_essays_as-a-group-who-can-never-afford-the-expe_962766.jpg" --- # As a group who can never afford the expensive fiction of… ![“As a group who can never afford the expensive fiction of having a nation—and whose bodies suffer from nationalism by being used as its means of reproduction—women of all races and cultures may be the most motivated to ask: How can we create a future beyond nationalism? After all, it has been…” quote by Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e9/gloria-steinem-277_essays_as-a-group-who-can-never-afford-the-expe_962766.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e9/gloria-steinem-277_essays_as-a-group-who-can-never-afford-the-expe_962766.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e9/gloria-steinem-277_essays_as-a-group-who-can-never-afford-the-expe_962766.jpg) > ““As a group who can never afford the expensive fiction of having a nation—and whose bodies suffer from nationalism by being used as its means of reproduction—women of all races and cultures may be the most motivated to ask: How can we create a future beyond nationalism? After all, it has been around for less than five percent of humanity’s history. We know we have had more migratory and communal ways of sharing this Spaceship Earth. There could be again.”” [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Women, marginalized by nationalism, may be driven to envision a post‑national future, recalling humanity’s longer history of migration and shared stewardship of Earth. **In simple terms:** Women may seek alternatives to nationalism, drawing on historic global cooperation. Key Takeaway Explore inclusive, transnational solutions. Themes feminism nation migration globalism environment Mood hopeful inspirational Type philosophical visionary When to use this quote - activism - policy making - community building - education - artistic expression Key Concepts Intersectionality post‑national identity collective stewardship Questions to Reflect On - What would a post‑national world look like? - How can we foster global solidarity? A Different Perspective Nationalism can provide a sense of belonging for some. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Essays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essays/) [Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Future Nationalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future-nationalism-1793051/) [Having Nation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/having-nation-1793055/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Nationalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nationalism/) [Nationalism Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nationalism-used-899481/) [Patriotism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriotism/) [Radical feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/radical-feminism/) [Suffer Nationalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffer-nationalism-1793053/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Women 's rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women-s-rights/) [Women-s-liberation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women-s-liberation/) ## Related quotes > [“I used to think I would be rewarded for good behavior. Therefore, if I wasn’t understood, I must not be understandable; if I wasn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/i-used-to-think-i-would-be-rewarded-for-good-behavior-therefore-if-i/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [“I used to indulge in magical thinking when problems seemed insurmountable. Often, this focused on men, for they seemed to be the only ones…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/i-used-to-indulge-in-magical-thinking-when-problems-seemed/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [“Now I look at artificial boundaries—lines that can stop no current of air or drought or polluted river—and mourn the violence lavished on defending…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/now-i-look-at-artificial-boundaries-lines-that-can-stop-no-current-of/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [“God may be in the details, but the goddess is in the questions. Once we begin to ask them, there’s no turning back. Instead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/god-may-be-in-the-details-but-the-goddess-is-in-the-questions-once-we-2/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [“The truth is that every country has its own organic feminism. Far more than communism, capitalism, or any other philosophy I can think of,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/the-truth-is-that-every-country-has-its-own-organic-feminism-far-more/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [“I’m not sure feminism should require an adjective. Believing in the full social, political, and economic quality of women, which is what the dictionary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/i-m-not-sure-feminism-should-require-an-adjective-believing-in-the/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [“I recommend the freedom that comes from asking: Compared to what? Hierarchical systems prevail by making us feel inadequate and imperfect. Whatever we do,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/i-recommend-the-freedom-that-comes-from-asking-compared-to-what/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [“We understand that being able to help dependent children find what they need can be a gift in itself. Why shouldn’t we feel the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/we-understand-that-being-able-to-help-dependent-children-find-what/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [“I’ve come to realize the pleasures of being a nothing-to-lose, take-no-shit older woman; of looking at what once seemed to be outer limits but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/i-ve-come-to-realize-the-pleasures-of-being-a-nothing-to-lose-take-no/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [“Most of us have a few events that divide our lives into “before” and “after.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/most-of-us-have-a-few-events-that-divide-our-lives-into-before-and/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [“When a woman fears the punishment that comes from calling herself a feminist, I ask: Will you be so unpunished if you don’t? When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/when-a-woman-fears-the-punishment-that-comes-from-calling-herself-a/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [“The ancient bond between the tsarist state and Russian nationalism could be used to create powerful emotions when the enemy came from the heathen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orlando-figes/the-ancient-bond-between-the-tsarist-state-and-russian-nationalism/) [Orlando Figes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orlando-figes/) > [In every century, there are a handful of writers who help the human race to evolve. Andrea is one of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/in-every-century-there-are-a-handful-of-writers-who-help-the-human/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [“Feminism...is not 'women as victims' but women refusing to be victims.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/feminism-is-not-women-as-victims-but-women-refusing-to-be-victims/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [“Ô, Wanderess, Wanderess When did you feel your most euphoric kiss? Was I the source of your greatest bliss?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-payne/wanderess-wanderess-when-did-you-feel-your-most-euphoric-kiss-was-i/) [Roman Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-payne/) ## More by Gloria Steinem > [People waste more time waiting for someone to take charge of their lives than they do in any other pursuit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/people-waste-more-time-waiting-for-someone-to-take-charge-of-their/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [Nothing will happen automatically. Change depends on what you and I do every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/nothing-will-happen-automatically-change-depends-on-what-you-and-i-do/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [Women are never again going to be mindless coffee-makers or mindless policy-makers in politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/women-are-never-again-going-to-be-mindless-coffee-makers-or-mindless/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [The state of female artists is very good. 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But if you say. I'm a feminist, that's a transformation of society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/if-you-say-i-m-for-equal-pay-that-s-a-reform-but-if-you-say-i-m-a/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [I think that part of everybody's success is due to their looks, but it just works in different ways. If you're whatever society calls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/i-think-that-part-of-everybody-s-success-is-due-to-their-looks-but-it/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [Of course, we can change. We're very adaptable. But it takes a while.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/of-course-we-can-change-we-re-very-adaptable-but-it-takes-a-while/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) [Explore all 766 Gloria Steinem quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) ## More Essays quotes > [I began writing early - very, very early... 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After all, it has been around for less than five percent of humanity’s history. We know we have had more migratory and communal ways of sharing this Spaceship Earth. 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