--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As a culture, working-class white…" description: "\"As a culture, working-class white Americans like myself had no heroes. We loved the military but had no George S. Patton figure in the modern army. I d..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/897/j-d-vance-2-3852_americans_as-a-culture-working-class-white-america_2809792.jpg" --- # As a culture, working-class white Americans like myself… ![“As a culture, working-class white Americans like myself had no heroes. We loved the military but had no George S. Patton figure in the modern army. I doubt my neighbours could even name a high-ranking military officer.” quote by J. D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/897/j-d-vance-2-3852_americans_as-a-culture-working-class-white-america_2809792.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/897/j-d-vance-2-3852_americans_as-a-culture-working-class-white-america_2809792.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/897/j-d-vance-2-3852_americans_as-a-culture-working-class-white-america_2809792.jpg) > “As a culture, working-class white Americans like myself had no heroes. We loved the military but had no George S. Patton figure in the modern army. I doubt my neighbours could even name a high-ranking military officer.” [J. D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Working‑class white Americans lacked heroic military figures like Patton, leading to a cultural void in role models and national identity. **In simple terms:** Missing military heroes left a cultural gap. Key Takeaway Seek diverse role models for community identity. Themes culture heroism identity Mood thoughtful analytical Type historical motivational When to use this quote - education curricula - community programs - media representation - leadership training Key Concepts American studies military history social class Questions to Reflect On - How can modern figures fill this heroic void? - What impact does hero absence have on youth? A Different Perspective Historical context may differ today. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Americans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/americans/) [Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/army/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [George Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/george-patton/) [Heroes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heroes/) [Modern Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern-army-3511957/) [Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myself/) [White Americans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-americans-242134/) ## Related quotes > [Only a modern army will be able to fight a modern war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-w-koch/only-a-modern-army-will-be-able-to-fight-a-modern-war/) [Howard W. Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-w-koch/) > [I am convinced most Americans - yes even white Americans - are committed to justice and equality for all people. I am convinced that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-mcmanus/i-am-convinced-most-americans-yes-even-white-americans-are-committed/) [Erwin McManus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-mcmanus/) > [Church attendance rates among white Americans without a college education have dropped pretty significantly. People with college degrees are more likely to go to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance-2/church-attendance-rates-among-white-americans-without-a-college/) [J. D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance-2/) > [Notoriously outspoken, his sentences always punctuated with profanities, General George S. Patton was the epitome of what a leader should be like - or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/notoriously-outspoken-his-sentences-always-punctuated-with/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [“Always do more than is required of you. —GEORGE S. 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George Patton,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-danley/a-good-solution-applied-with-vigor-now-is-better-than-a-perfect/) [Walter Danley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-danley/) > [General George Patton, General Douglas MacArthur are spinning in their grave at the stupidity of what we're doing in the Middle East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/general-george-patton-general-douglas-macarthur-are-spinning-in-their/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I think we're being laughed at all over the world. I think that if you look at our military, we can't beat ISIS, General…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-think-we-re-being-laughed-at-all-over-the-world-i-think-that-if-you/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) ## More by J. D. Vance > [Undoubtedly, church fish fries and picnics help build social cohesion. 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Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance-2/) > [It would be great if people returned to areas of the country that need talented people with good economic prospects. Our country would really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance-2/it-would-be-great-if-people-returned-to-areas-of-the-country-that/) [J. D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance-2/) > [My military service is the thing I'm most proud of, but when I think of everything happening in the Middle East, I can't help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance-2/my-military-service-is-the-thing-i-m-most-proud-of-but-when-i-think/) [J. D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance-2/) > [I could never understand why our lives felt like a struggle while those living off government largesse enjoyed trinkets that I only dreamed about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance-2/i-could-never-understand-why-our-lives-felt-like-a-struggle-while/) [J. D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance-2/) > [I think running a small nonprofit to work on the opioid crisis and bring interesting new businesses to the so-called Rust Belt - all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance-2/i-think-running-a-small-nonprofit-to-work-on-the-opioid-crisis-and/) [J. D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance-2/) > [People listen to what their political leaders are telling them, and my view is both that Trump is tapping into some racially ugly attitudes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance-2/people-listen-to-what-their-political-leaders-are-telling-them-and-my/) [J. D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance-2/) > [The most depressing part of the 2016 election is that the candidates often failed to show any cultural leadership: any recognition that the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance-2/the-most-depressing-part-of-the-2016-election-is-that-the-candidates/) [J. D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance-2/) [Explore all 121 J. D. Vance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance-2/) ## 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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. 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