--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I know too that we Americans like to…" description: "\"I know too that we Americans like to think of ourselves as cleaner than clean, a healthy nation who would never take anything when a recent poll sugges..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d0/greg-lemond-18034_americans_i-know-too-that-we-americans-like-to-thi_3196675.png" --- # I know too that we Americans like to think of ourselves as… ![“I know too that we Americans like to think of ourselves as cleaner than clean, a healthy nation who would never take anything when a recent poll suggested that 65 per cent of the population would risk dying in 10 years if they would be guaranteed Olympic gold.” quote by Greg LeMond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d0/greg-lemond-18034_americans_i-know-too-that-we-americans-like-to-thi_3196675.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d0/greg-lemond-18034_americans_i-know-too-that-we-americans-like-to-thi_3196675.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d0/greg-lemond-18034_americans_i-know-too-that-we-americans-like-to-thi_3196675.png) > “I know too that we Americans like to think of ourselves as cleaner than clean, a healthy nation who would never take anything when a recent poll suggested that 65 per cent of the population would risk dying in 10 years if they would be guaranteed Olympic gold.” [Greg LeMond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-lemond/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often overestimate their moral purity and underestimate personal risk when faced with tempting rewards. **In simple terms:** We think we’re cleaner than we are, especially when rewards are huge. Key Takeaway Recognize bias and evaluate risks honestly. Themes self‑deception risk perception morality Mood reflective critical Type advisory philosophical When to use this quote - sports decisions - health choices - financial incentives Key Concepts cognitive bias ethical self‑assessment Questions to Reflect On - Do you overestimate your own virtue? - How do incentives cloud your judgment? A Different Perspective Bias can lead to reckless choices despite known dangers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Americans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/americans/) [Gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gold/) [Nation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nation/) [Olympic gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/olympic-gold/) [Polls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/polls/) [Risk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risk/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [In a healthy nation there is a kind of dramatic balance between the will of the people and the government, which prevents its degeneration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/in-a-healthy-nation-there-is-a-kind-of-dramatic-balance-between-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [“A healthy world is made of healthy nations. A healthy nation is made of healthy families. And a healthy family can only be raised…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/a-healthy-world-is-made-of-healthy-nations-a-healthy-nation-is-made/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [A healthy nation is as unconscious of its nationality as a healthy man of his bones. But if you break a person's nationality it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/a-healthy-nation-is-as-unconscious-of-its-nationality-as-a-healthy/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [By 1975 - and continuing to today - all Americans came to believe that they had a "right" to a safe, clean, healthy environment.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-hayes/by-1975-and-continuing-to-today-all-americans-came-to-believe-that/) [Denis Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-hayes/) > [“Believe me; there's nothing clean, nothing healthy, nothing promising about this age of wonders - except the telling.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/believe-me-there-s-nothing-clean-nothing-healthy-nothing-promising/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [I'm just eating really, really clean healthy foods,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-messing/i-m-just-eating-really-really-clean-healthy-foods/) [Debra Messing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-messing/) > [I eat very clean, healthy food at all times because I'm very focused about keeping myself in shape.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-lyn-o-keefe/i-eat-very-clean-healthy-food-at-all-times-because-i-m-very-focused/) [Jodi Lyn O'Keefe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-lyn-o-keefe/) > [The country has to identify and promote raw talent. I have full faith that India will win Olympic gold in athletics sooner than later.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-t-usha/the-country-has-to-identify-and-promote-raw-talent-i-have-full-faith/) [P. T. Usha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-t-usha/) > [People are saying I hold and spoil, but you don't get to win Olympic gold without a bit of power and ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-degale/people-are-saying-i-hold-and-spoil-but-you-don-t-get-to-win-olympic/) [James DeGale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-degale/) > [Going to the Olympics as a Maasai I want to make them proud because, after the warm welcome they gave me when I went…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rudisha/going-to-the-olympics-as-a-maasai-i-want-to-make-them-proud-because/) [David Rudisha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rudisha/) > [I wanted to be the best street fighter in Houston, Texas. And I thought if I got a trophy or two, I'd go back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-foreman/i-wanted-to-be-the-best-street-fighter-in-houston-texas-and-i-thought/) [George Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-foreman/) > [If I would have won that Olympic gold medal, I would have gotten a job somewhere coaching at a university, and I would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-cormier/if-i-would-have-won-that-olympic-gold-medal-i-would-have-gotten-a-job/) [Daniel Cormier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-cormier/) > [“If you bake a cupcake, the world has one more cupcake. If you become a circus clown, the world has one more squirt of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-e-landsburg/if-you-bake-a-cupcake-the-world-has-one-more-cupcake-if-you-become-a/) [Steven E. Landsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-e-landsburg/) > [You don't do a play to compete for an award. This was the argument I always had over the Oscars. I didn't win them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenda-jackson/you-don-t-do-a-play-to-compete-for-an-award-this-was-the-argument-i/) [Glenda Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenda-jackson/) > [Career-wise, I was not the most naturally talented ice skater. Of course I had a knack for it , but practice was always the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-lipinski/career-wise-i-was-not-the-most-naturally-talented-ice-skater-of/) [Tara Lipinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-lipinski/) ## More by Greg LeMond > [I love downtown Seattle. It's a city that has all of the outdoor activities and is still a very cosmopolitan city.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-lemond/i-love-downtown-seattle-it-s-a-city-that-has-all-of-the-outdoor/) [Greg LeMond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-lemond/) > [I know I'll never feel that sensation of racing and winning again and that took a while to get used to. The Tour was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-lemond/i-know-i-ll-never-feel-that-sensation-of-racing-and-winning-again-and/) [Greg LeMond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-lemond/) > [Perhaps the single most important element in mastering the techniques and tactics of racing is experience. But once you have the fundamentals, acquiring the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-lemond/perhaps-the-single-most-important-element-in-mastering-the-techniques/) [Greg LeMond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-lemond/) > [Seattle is very similar to Minneapolis. I like the culture; I like the people. I raced a bike and won a national championship on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-lemond/seattle-is-very-similar-to-minneapolis-i-like-the-culture-i-like-the/) [Greg LeMond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-lemond/) > [I used to trapshoot. I was actually a junior national champion. My parents are trapshooters, so I'm more into target stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-lemond/i-used-to-trapshoot-i-was-actually-a-junior-national-champion-my/) [Greg LeMond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-lemond/) > [If Lance is clean, it is the greatest comeback in the history of sports. If he isn't, it would be the greatest fraud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-lemond/if-lance-is-clean-it-is-the-greatest-comeback-in-the-history-of/) [Greg LeMond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-lemond/) > [There are few things that you can't do as long as you are willing to apply yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-lemond/there-are-few-things-that-you-can-t-do-as-long-as-you-are-willing-to/) [Greg LeMond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-lemond/) > [I've always thought that travelling every day as a journalist on the Tour's got to be harder than actually racing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-lemond/i-ve-always-thought-that-travelling-every-day-as-a-journalist-on-the/) [Greg LeMond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-lemond/) > [Testing, we will never do enough of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-lemond/testing-we-will-never-do-enough-of-it/) [Greg LeMond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-lemond/) > [There are so many people who have died of cycling, and that didn't happen when I was racing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-lemond/there-are-so-many-people-who-have-died-of-cycling-and-that-didn-t/) [Greg LeMond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-lemond/) > [The problem with being a Tour de France winner is you always have that feeling of disappointment if you don't win again. That's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-lemond/the-problem-with-being-a-tour-de-france-winner-is-you-always-have/) [Greg LeMond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-lemond/) > [Even good people are obliged to deceive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-lemond/even-good-people-are-obliged-to-deceive/) [Greg LeMond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-lemond/) > [It doesn't get any easier; you just get faster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-lemond/it-doesn-t-get-any-easier-you-just-get-faster/) [Greg LeMond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-lemond/) > [I'm more optimistic about cycling right now than I've ever been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-lemond/i-m-more-optimistic-about-cycling-right-now-than-i-ve-ever-been/) [Greg LeMond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-lemond/) > [It is cycling as a professional sport that represents the problem. It can transform someone into a liar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-lemond/it-is-cycling-as-a-professional-sport-that-represents-the-problem-it/) [Greg LeMond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-lemond/) [Explore all 35 Greg LeMond quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-lemond/) ## 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": "I know too that we Americans like to think of ourselves as cleaner than clean, a healthy nation who would never take anything when a recent poll suggested that 65 per cent of the population would risk dying in 10 years if they would be guaranteed Olympic gold.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Greg LeMond" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-lemond/i-know-too-that-we-americans-like-to-think-of-ourselves-as-cleaner/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Americans" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-lemond/i-know-too-that-we-americans-like-to-think-of-ourselves-as-cleaner/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d0/greg-lemond-18034_americans_i-know-too-that-we-americans-like-to-thi_3196675.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d0/greg-lemond-18034_americans_i-know-too-that-we-americans-like-to-thi_3196675.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d0/greg-lemond-18034_americans_i-know-too-that-we-americans-like-to-thi_3196675.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I know too that we Americans like to think of ourselves as cleaner than clean, a healthy nation who would…” — Greg LeMond", "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": "Greg LeMond", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-lemond/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I know too that we Americans...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-lemond/i-know-too-that-we-americans-like-to-think-of-ourselves-as-cleaner/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-lemond/i-know-too-that-we-americans-like-to-think-of-ourselves-as-cleaner/#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 } } ] } ```