--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am a child of the American Century, and…" description: "\"“I am a child of the American Century, and I feel a genetic commitment to understanding why it happened, and why I take it so personally.”\" — Hunter S...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca3/hunter-s-thompson-278_america_i-am-a-child-of-the-american-century-and_274388.jpg" --- # I am a child of the American Century, and I feel a genetic… ![“I am a child of the American Century, and I feel a genetic commitment to understanding why it happened, and why I take it so personally.” quote by Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca3/hunter-s-thompson-278_america_i-am-a-child-of-the-american-century-and_274388.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca3/hunter-s-thompson-278_america_i-am-a-child-of-the-american-century-and_274388.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca3/hunter-s-thompson-278_america_i-am-a-child-of-the-american-century-and_274388.jpg) > ““I am a child of the American Century, and I feel a genetic commitment to understanding why it happened, and why I take it so personally.”” [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He sees himself as a product of his era, feeling a deep, personal drive to understand its history and his own involvement. **In simple terms:** He feels tied to his time and wants to grasp its meaning. Key Takeaway Explore personal history within cultural context. Themes identity history responsibility Mood critical introspective Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - political activism - writing - self‑reflection - education Key Concepts cultural studies personal narrative Questions to Reflect On - What does “genetic commitment” mean to you? - How does personal identity shape historical inquiry? A Different Perspective Personal focus may overlook broader systemic factors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) ## Related quotes > [Yeah, I was a child of American popular culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crumb/yeah-i-was-a-child-of-american-popular-culture/) [Robert Crumb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crumb/) > [I'm an only child and an American and am wholly in favor of uniqueness of voice in everything, especially music and writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-klein/i-m-an-only-child-and-an-american-and-am-wholly-in-favor-of/) [Lee Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-klein/) > [I was a child of American popular culture. All I did as a kid was what I could get at the local supermarket or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crumb/i-was-a-child-of-american-popular-culture-all-i-did-as-a-kid-was-what/) [Robert Crumb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crumb/) > [Every child in American should have access to a well-stocked school library.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-bush/every-child-in-american-should-have-access-to-a-well-stocked-school/) [Laura Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-bush/) > [The man-child in American comedies is always glorified; they never really show the darker side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-wright/the-man-child-in-american-comedies-is-always-glorified-they-never/) [Edgar Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-wright/) > [“Dean Owen did what a lot of reporters seem to have forgotten how to do these days, he asked the people who were there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-schieffer/dean-owen-did-what-a-lot-of-reporters-seem-to-have-forgotten-how-to/) [Bob Schieffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-schieffer/) > [I have a background and an understanding of what's happened in the Middle East that a lot of people don't have, because there's been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/i-have-a-background-and-an-understanding-of-what-s-happened-in-the/) [Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/) > [“Gentrification is key to understanding what happened to our cities at the turn of the millennium. But it is only half of the story.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-chang/gentrification-is-key-to-understanding-what-happened-to-our-cities-at/) [Jeff Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-chang/) > [What we can do now is contribute to a clearer understanding of what happened that day on Everest in the hope that the lessons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatoli-boukreev/what-we-can-do-now-is-contribute-to-a-clearer-understanding-of-what/) [Anatoli Boukreev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatoli-boukreev/) > [The equivocations, the confusions, the contradictions. There's no way we can live through or comprehend something so big that happened so long ago. We've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholson-baker/the-equivocations-the-confusions-the-contradictions-there-s-no-way-we/) [Nicholson Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholson-baker/) > [Understanding why something happened does not help to reduce the problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bandler/understanding-why-something-happened-does-not-help-to-reduce-the/) [Richard Bandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bandler/) > [Scholars and historians have dubbed the last 100 years the American Century, and I think there can be little doubt that the Council on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-abraham/scholars-and-historians-have-dubbed-the-last-100-years-the-american/) [Spencer Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-abraham/) > [In the same way the Brits had to get used to the idea that the sun had set on the British Empire, I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/in-the-same-way-the-brits-had-to-get-used-to-the-idea-that-the-sun/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [“At almost every challenge, the bastions of tradition run up a white flag. It's almost as if they've been neutralized, neutered even, as though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-west/at-almost-every-challenge-the-bastions-of-tradition-run-up-a-white/) Diana West > [The world of the 20th century, if it is to come to life in any viability of health and vigor, must be to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-r-luce/the-world-of-the-20th-century-if-it-is-to-come-to-life-in-any/) [Henry R. Luce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-r-luce/) ## More by Hunter S. Thompson > [“There was also the fact that sending a penniless writer to get $135 worth of beer was — as Khrushchev said of Nixon —…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/there-was-also-the-fact-that-sending-a-penniless-writer-to-get-135/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [“Cases of champagne and scotch lay broken in the street, and everyone I saw had a bottle. They were screaming and dancing, and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/cases-of-champagne-and-scotch-lay-broken-in-the-street-and-everyone-i/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [No music + Bad TV = Bad mood & no pages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/no-music-bad-tv-bad-mood-no-pages/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [By disgracing and degrading the presidency of the United States, by fleeing the White House like a diseased cur, Richard Nixon broke the heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/by-disgracing-and-degrading-the-presidency-of-the-united-states-by/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [No one holds command over me. No man. No god. No Prince. What is a claim of age for ones who are immortal? What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/no-one-holds-command-over-me-no-man-no-god-no-prince-what-is-a-claim/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [“The person who doesn't scatter the morning dew will not comb grey hairs”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/the-person-who-doesn-t-scatter-the-morning-dew-will-not-comb-grey/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [Hope rises and dreams flicker and die. Love plans for tomorrow and loneliness thinks of yesterday. Life is beautiful and living is pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/hope-rises-and-dreams-flicker-and-die-love-plans-for-tomorrow-and/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [If we get chased out of Iraq with our tail between our legs, that will be the fifth consecutive Third-world country with no hint…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/if-we-get-chased-out-of-iraq-with-our-tail-between-our-legs-that-will/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [At age 22 I set what I insist is an all-time record for distance hitchhiking in Bermuda shorts: 3,700 miles in three weeks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/at-age-22-i-set-what-i-insist-is-an-all-time-record-for-distance/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [Paranoia is just another mask for ignorance. The truth, when you finally chase it down is almost always far worse than your darkest visions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/paranoia-is-just-another-mask-for-ignorance-the-truth-when-you/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [“No doubt they all Got What Was Coming To Them. All those pathetically eager acid freaks who thought they could buy Peace and Understanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/no-doubt-they-all-got-what-was-coming-to-them-all-those-pathetically/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [“For several months they'd been drifting toward political involvement, but the picture was hazy and one of the most confusing elements was their geographical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/for-several-months-they-d-been-drifting-toward-political-involvement/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [He wandered into the Newsroom and asked for a job the same way he’d walk into a barbershop and ask for a haircut, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/he-wandered-into-the-newsroom-and-asked-for-a-job-the-same-way-he-d/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [There's no point in getting into politics at all unless you plan to lash things around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/there-s-no-point-in-getting-into-politics-at-all-unless-you-plan-to/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [There’s a lot of things wrong with this country, but one of the few things still right with it is that a man can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/there-s-a-lot-of-things-wrong-with-this-country-but-one-of-the-few/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) [Explore all 765 Hunter S. Thompson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. 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