--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Americans believe that you can alter…" description: "\"Americans believe that you can alter people by conversion, and that everybody in the world is a potential American. The Chinese also believe that their..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/612/henry-a-kissinger-1068_becoming_americans-believe-that-you-can-alter-peo_3064337.jpg" --- # Americans believe that you can alter people by conversion… ![“Americans believe that you can alter people by conversion, and that everybody in the world is a potential American. The Chinese also believe that their values are universal, but they do not believe that you can convert to becoming a Chinese unless you are born into it.” quote by Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/612/henry-a-kissinger-1068_becoming_americans-believe-that-you-can-alter-peo_3064337.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/612/henry-a-kissinger-1068_becoming_americans-believe-that-you-can-alter-peo_3064337.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/612/henry-a-kissinger-1068_becoming_americans-believe-that-you-can-alter-peo_3064337.jpg) > “Americans believe that you can alter people by conversion, and that everybody in the world is a potential American. The Chinese also believe that their values are universal, but they do not believe that you can convert to becoming a Chinese unless you are born into it.” [Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-kissinger/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Different cultures view universality and conversion differently; Americans see identity as adoptable, Chinese see it as innate. **In simple terms:** Americans think identity can be chosen; Chinese see it as birth‑given. Key Takeaway Recognize cultural assumptions about identity. Themes culture identity universality conversion nationalism Mood reflective analytical Type philosophical political When to use this quote - international diplomacy - immigration policy - multicultural education - global business - cross‑cultural communication Key Concepts cultural relativism social identity theory Questions to Reflect On - How do you define cultural identity? - Can identity be both chosen and inherited? A Different Perspective Assumes homogeneous national attitudes, ignoring internal diversity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chinese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chinese/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Conversion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conversion/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [You cannot convert people beyond your own conversion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-e-faust/you-cannot-convert-people-beyond-your-own-conversion/) [James E. 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I am confident that this beginning of our friendship…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhou-enlai/you-have-opened-a-new-chapter-in-the-relations-of-the-american-and/) [Zhou Enlai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhou-enlai/) > [We all are brought up on some values, and I believe values define a man's character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahima-chaudhry/we-all-are-brought-up-on-some-values-and-i-believe-values-define-a/) [Mahima Chaudhry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahima-chaudhry/) > [One of the great things about the X Games and the Olympics is being on the international stage. It gives you a cool opportunity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-goepper/one-of-the-great-things-about-the-x-games-and-the-olympics-is-being/) [Nick Goepper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-goepper/) ## More by Henry A. Kissinger > [90% of politicians give the other 10% a bad name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-kissinger/90-of-politicians-give-the-other-10-a-bad-name/) [Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-kissinger/) > [I believe it is a mistake to isolate arms control from other areas of policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-kissinger/i-believe-it-is-a-mistake-to-isolate-arms-control-from-other-areas-of/) [Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-kissinger/) > [ Before the Freedom of Information Act, I used to say at meetings "The illegal we do immediately. The unconstitutional takes a little longer." \[...\]… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-kissinger/before-the-freedom-of-information-act-i-used-to-say-at-meetings-the/) [Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-kissinger/) > [The convictions that leaders have formed before reaching high office are the intellectual capital they will consume as long as they continue in office.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-kissinger/the-convictions-that-leaders-have-formed-before-reaching-high-office/) [Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-kissinger/) > [Nothing is more urgent than a serious, dare I say compassionate, debate as to where we are going at home and abroad. Technicians cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-kissinger/nothing-is-more-urgent-than-a-serious-dare-i-say-compassionate-debate/) [Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-kissinger/) > [Jews were segregated from 1933 on. We could only play against other Jewish teams. 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Perhaps the greatest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-kissinger/john-paul-ii-was-one-of-the-greatest-men-of-the-last-century-perhaps/) [Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-kissinger/) > [Does anyone have any questions for my answers?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-kissinger/does-anyone-have-any-questions-for-my-answers/) [Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-kissinger/) > [Taiwan will probably not declare independence. The question isn't independence. The issue is whether Taiwan will declare itself as a sovereign separate state. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-kissinger/taiwan-will-probably-not-declare-independence-the-question-isn-t/) [Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-kissinger/) > [China is a country with a record of continuous self-government going back 4,000 years, the only society that has achieved this. 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