--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: American families don't work. There is an…" description: "\"American families don't work. There is an illusion that they do.\" — Howard Rheingold" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d62/howard-rheingold-2794_american-families_american-families-don-t-work-there-is-an_2479988.png" --- # American families don't work. There is an illusion that… ![“American families don't work. There is an illusion that they do.” quote by Howard Rheingold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d62/howard-rheingold-2794_american-families_american-families-don-t-work-there-is-an_2479988.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d62/howard-rheingold-2794_american-families_american-families-don-t-work-there-is-an_2479988.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d62/howard-rheingold-2794_american-families_american-families-don-t-work-there-is-an_2479988.png) > “American families don't work. There is an illusion that they do.” [Howard Rheingold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-rheingold/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The belief that all American families are functional is a myth; many face hidden struggles. **In simple terms:** Family stability is often an illusion. Key Takeaway Recognize and address hidden family challenges. Themes family dynamics illusion social reality Mood reflective critical Type analytical observational When to use this quote - social work - counseling - policy making - community outreach Key Concepts sociology family studies Questions to Reflect On - How does the illusion of stable families affect policy? - What hidden challenges do families face? A Different Perspective Not all families have equal resources or support systems. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American families](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-families/) [American family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-family/) [Families](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/families/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Illusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illusion/) ## Related quotes > [We want American families to feel more confident in life. We want the next generation to know that yes, the best days of this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ryan/we-want-american-families-to-feel-more-confident-in-life-we-want-the/) [Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/) > [American families cannot compete with billionaires. Our involvement in government should not be dependent on our bank account balances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-reid/american-families-cannot-compete-with-billionaires-our-involvement-in/) [Harry Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-reid/) > [Our family has been honored to serve our state and nation. Like many American families, we have been fortunate and blessed to raise three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/our-family-has-been-honored-to-serve-our-state-and-nation-like-many/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [We work on macro issues and macaroni and cheese issues. When women are in the halls of power, our national debate reflects the needs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-mikulski/we-work-on-macro-issues-and-macaroni-and-cheese-issues-when-women-are/) [Barbara Mikulski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-mikulski/) > [In the past the intrinsic pleasures of parenthood for most American families were increased by the extrinsic economic return thatchildren brought. Today, parents have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-keniston/in-the-past-the-intrinsic-pleasures-of-parenthood-for-most-american/) [Kenneth Keniston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-keniston/) > [The sense that materialism has gotten out of hand is magnified by the pressures facing middle-class American families.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wuthnow/the-sense-that-materialism-has-gotten-out-of-hand-is-magnified-by-the/) [Robert Wuthnow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wuthnow/) > [I know firsthand what a vote to authorize war means to the lives of American families.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-thompson/i-know-firsthand-what-a-vote-to-authorize-war-means-to-the-lives-of/) [Mike Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-thompson/) > [The most important difference between these early American families and our own is that early families constituted economic unitsin which all members, from young…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-keniston/the-most-important-difference-between-these-early-american-families/) [Kenneth Keniston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-keniston/) > [In my lifetime, it's the Supreme Court, not Congress, that integrated our public schools, that allowed people of different races to marry, and established…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-durbin/in-my-lifetime-it-s-the-supreme-court-not-congress-that-integrated/) [Dick Durbin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-durbin/) > [Unfortunately, many talented people in Hollywood find their values and politics do not reflect the content they create, and many movie themes are in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-covert/unfortunately-many-talented-people-in-hollywood-find-their-values-and/) [Allen Covert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-covert/) > [In 1950, American families sent 1 of 50 of their hard earned dollars to Washington: Today it is 1 in 4.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ensign/in-1950-american-families-sent-1-of-50-of-their-hard-earned-dollars/) [John Ensign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ensign/) > [The 'American Families Plan' is not about helping American families, it is about redefining what it means to be an American family - allowing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-tuberville/the-american-families-plan-is-not-about-helping-american-families-it/) [Tommy Tuberville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-tuberville/) > [Millions of American families are dealing with teenage pregnancy...It is true that some Americans will judge Governor Palin and her family. There's nothing anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-o-reilly/millions-of-american-families-are-dealing-with-teenage-pregnancy-it/) [Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-o-reilly/) > [While millions of American families, including mine and yours, were working hard paying our fair share, it seems Donald Trump was contributing nothing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/while-millions-of-american-families-including-mine-and-yours-were/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [So it seems that because of every syndrome and disorder we've invented in the past twenty years, the Los Angeles Times reported that 63%…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-titus/so-it-seems-that-because-of-every-syndrome-and-disorder-we-ve/) [Christopher Titus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-titus/) ## More by Howard Rheingold > [Attention is a limited resource, so pay attention to where you pay attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-rheingold/attention-is-a-limited-resource-so-pay-attention-to-where-you-pay/) [Howard Rheingold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-rheingold/) > [What person doesn't search online about their disease after they are diagnosed?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-rheingold/what-person-doesn-t-search-online-about-their-disease-after-they-are/) [Howard Rheingold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-rheingold/) > [You can't pick up the telephone and say, 'Connect me with someone else who has a kid with leukemia.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-rheingold/you-can-t-pick-up-the-telephone-and-say-connect-me-with-someone-else/) [Howard Rheingold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-rheingold/) > [We like technology because we don't have to talk to anybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-rheingold/we-like-technology-because-we-don-t-have-to-talk-to-anybody/) [Howard Rheingold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-rheingold/) > [Attention is the fundamental instrument we use for learning, thinking, communicating, deciding, yet neither parents nor schools spend any time helping young people learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-rheingold/attention-is-the-fundamental-instrument-we-use-for-learning-thinking/) [Howard Rheingold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-rheingold/) > [One thing we didn't know in 1996 is that it's very, very difficult, if not impossible, to sustain a culture with online advertising.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-rheingold/one-thing-we-didn-t-know-in-1996-is-that-it-s-very-very-difficult-if/) [Howard Rheingold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-rheingold/) > [Any virtual community that works, works because people put in some time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-rheingold/any-virtual-community-that-works-works-because-people-put-in-some-time/) [Howard Rheingold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-rheingold/) > [There actually are buildings that existed in cyberspace before they built it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-rheingold/there-actually-are-buildings-that-existed-in-cyberspace-before-they/) [Howard Rheingold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-rheingold/) > [The world is restructuring, and all of the enemies that used to exist are kind of gone, so now they are looking out for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-rheingold/the-world-is-restructuring-and-all-of-the-enemies-that-used-to-exist/) [Howard Rheingold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-rheingold/) > [Kerouac was this kid who exemplified something happening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-rheingold/kerouac-was-this-kid-who-exemplified-something-happening/) [Howard Rheingold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-rheingold/) > [Of course, with agriculture came the first big civilizations, the first cities built of mud and brick, the first empires. And it was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-rheingold/of-course-with-agriculture-came-the-first-big-civilizations-the-first/) [Howard Rheingold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-rheingold/) > [Its not a global village, but we're in a highly interconnected globe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-rheingold/its-not-a-global-village-but-we-re-in-a-highly-interconnected-globe/) [Howard Rheingold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-rheingold/) > [People's behavior will change with technology. I know very few young people who can't type out a text message on their phone with one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-rheingold/people-s-behavior-will-change-with-technology-i-know-very-few-young/) [Howard Rheingold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-rheingold/) > [I'm somebody who seems to stumble into things 10 or 20 years before the rest of the world does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-rheingold/i-m-somebody-who-seems-to-stumble-into-things-10-or-20-years-before/) [Howard Rheingold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-rheingold/) > [There are always a few people who are hyper-normal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-rheingold/there-are-always-a-few-people-who-are-hyper-normal/) [Howard Rheingold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-rheingold/) [Explore all 150 Howard Rheingold quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-rheingold/) ## More American families quotes > [We want American families to feel more confident in life. We want the next generation to know that yes, the best days of this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ryan/we-want-american-families-to-feel-more-confident-in-life-we-want-the/) [Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/) > [When it comes to college education, American families are paying more and getting less.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-schroeder/when-it-comes-to-college-education-american-families-are-paying-more/) [Patricia Schroeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-schroeder/) > [And as you point out, for American families who struggle every day to figure out how do they pay, we talk about gasoline prices.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allyson-schwartz/and-as-you-point-out-for-american-families-who-struggle-every-day-to/) [Allyson Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allyson-schwartz/) > [Finally, I do not believe that we should punish American families who have worked diligently to provide for themselves and want to pass along…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-coble/finally-i-do-not-believe-that-we-should-punish-american-families-who/) [Howard Coble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-coble/) > [If we don't change, millions of American families are just one medical emergency, or one layoff, away from financial disaster and bankruptcy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/if-we-don-t-change-millions-of-american-families-are-just-one-medical/) [Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/) > [We are giving assurance to the American families that help is on its way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/we-are-giving-assurance-to-the-american-families-that-help-is-on-its/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [“Denial-it's the glue barely holding millions of American families together.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-ferguson/denial-it-s-the-glue-barely-holding-millions-of-american-families/) Drew Ferguson > [Our family's fortune is growing faster than ever. We're a part of a small number of American families that own most of the country's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-johnson/our-family-s-fortune-is-growing-faster-than-ever-we-re-a-part-of-a/) [Jamie Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-johnson/) > [I don't want to remember 2005 as a year that the government heaped unnecessary burdens upon American families. Stealing from the poor and middle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-meehan/i-don-t-want-to-remember-2005-as-a-year-that-the-government-heaped/) [Marty Meehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-meehan/) > [“America—where we hate our fathers, love our mothers, and everyone is hung up on trying to be a man”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/volatalistic-phil/america-where-we-hate-our-fathers-love-our-mothers-and-everyone-is/) [Volatalistic Phil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/volatalistic-phil/) > [As winter weather settles in around the country, millions of American families are facing skyrocketing home heating prices with even greater impact if cold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russ-carnahan/as-winter-weather-settles-in-around-the-country-millions-of-american/) [Russ Carnahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russ-carnahan/) > [Trumpcare would be devastating for millions of American families, but perhaps no one will bear the brunt of its cruelty more than older Americans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raja-krishnamoorthi/trumpcare-would-be-devastating-for-millions-of-american-families-but/) [Raja Krishnamoorthi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raja-krishnamoorthi/) > [The family I'm from, well, no one had their name on big buildings. My family were builders of a different kind. Builders in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/the-family-i-m-from-well-no-one-had-their-name-on-big-buildings-my/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [While millions of American families, including mine and yours, were working hard paying our fair share, it seems Donald Trump was contributing nothing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/while-millions-of-american-families-including-mine-and-yours-were/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [Millions of American families are dealing with teenage pregnancy...It is true that some Americans will judge Governor Palin and her family. There's nothing anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-o-reilly/millions-of-american-families-are-dealing-with-teenage-pregnancy-it/) [Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-o-reilly/) [Browse all 61 American families quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-families/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "American families don't work. 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