---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: An American is a guy, a rich guy with a…"
description: "\"An American is a guy, a rich guy with a family, a decent guy with a family with as many kids as he likes, doing what he wants, working with people that..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e1/jack-kirby-4317_age_an-american-is-a-guy-a-rich-guy-with-a-f_2797323.jpg"
---

#  An American is a guy, a rich guy with a family, a decent…

![“An American is a guy, a rich guy with a family, a decent guy with a family with as many kids as he likes, doing what he wants, working with people that he likes, and enjoying himself to his very old age.” quote by Jack Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e1/jack-kirby-4317_age_an-american-is-a-guy-a-rich-guy-with-a-f_2797323.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e1/jack-kirby-4317_age_an-american-is-a-guy-a-rich-guy-with-a-f_2797323.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e1/jack-kirby-4317_age_an-american-is-a-guy-a-rich-guy-with-a-f_2797323.jpg)

> “An American is a guy, a rich guy with a family, a decent guy with a family with as many kids as he likes, doing what he wants, working with people that he likes, and enjoying himself to his very old age.”

[Jack Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kirby/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

An American is portrayed as a prosperous, family‑oriented individual who enjoys freedom and longevity, reflecting a stereotypical ideal.

**In simple terms:** American ideal: rich, family, freedom.

Key Takeaway

Question and challenge stereotypes.

Themes

culture identity family

Mood

critical thoughtful

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- media analysis
- social research
- personal reflection
- community building

Key Concepts

sociology American studies stereotypes

Questions to Reflect On

- What does this stereotype exclude?
- How can you define your own American identity?

A Different Perspective

Ideal may ignore diversity of experiences.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Old age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-age/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Rich Guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rich-guy/)

## Related quotes

> [I never duck out of a fight; I don't care what the hell the odds are, and I'm rough at times, but I try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kirby/i-never-duck-out-of-a-fight-i-don-t-care-what-the-hell-the-odds-are/)

[Jack Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kirby/)

> [I've had the pretty good fortune of working with some decent guys and gals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-reynolds/i-ve-had-the-pretty-good-fortune-of-working-with-some-decent-guys-and/)

[Ryan Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-reynolds/)

> [ “I'm \[Paul O'Neill\] an old guy, and I'm rich. And there's nothing they can do to hurt me.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-suskind/i-m-paul-o-neill-an-old-guy-and-i-m-rich-and-there-s-nothing-they-can/)

[Ron Suskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-suskind/)

> [I work within the framework of a very concerted, purely driven Protestant Christian mindset. I had dark early circumstances. I went inward. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ellroy/i-work-within-the-framework-of-a-very-concerted-purely-driven/)

[James Ellroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ellroy/)

> [There is not a single person in the media today that could wear Dr. Benjamin Carson's uniform, whatever uniform he puts on in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/there-is-not-a-single-person-in-the-media-today-that-could-wear-dr/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [I think it's interesting being American, the expectations for an American guy, and the image that has to be projected. 'Oh, I can't wear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beck/i-think-it-s-interesting-being-american-the-expectations-for-an/)

[Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beck/)

> [Statistics indicate that the average American is a guy named Brian who lives in Ohio.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/statistics-indicate-that-the-average-american-is-a-guy-named-brian/)

[Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/)

> [“Women, music, beer, and pie. Rurik, you're just an all-American guy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-howard/women-music-beer-and-pie-rurik-you-re-just-an-all-american-guy/)

[Linda Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-howard/)

> [I've never felt more American than I did when I moved to England. It becomes a real kind of part of your identity: "Oh,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-schnetzer/i-ve-never-felt-more-american-than-i-did-when-i-moved-to-england-it/)

[Ben Schnetzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-schnetzer/)

> [Nowadays people always say, 'How come he's doing such young shows?' But they never mention 'The Mod Squad'. I was very proud of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-spelling/nowadays-people-always-say-how-come-he-s-doing-such-young-shows-but/)

[Aaron Spelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-spelling/)

> [I'm six foot four, an all-American guy, and handsome and talented as well!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hasselhoff/i-m-six-foot-four-an-all-american-guy-and-handsome-and-talented-as/)

[David Hasselhoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hasselhoff/)

> [Ben Schwartzwalder was a decent guy, but he was from another era. He was like a Marine, with a real army attitude. He thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-brown/ben-schwartzwalder-was-a-decent-guy-but-he-was-from-another-era-he/)

[Jim Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-brown/)

> [I couldn't help but wonder why it was that a guy could find two good girls to date at the same time, when we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-couldn-t-help-but-wonder-why-it-was-that-a-guy-could-find-two-good/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“A decent guy doesn’t just get born and grow up to be Mr. Perfect.  They need to be created by a woman.  They’re like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-zolendz/a-decent-guy-doesn-t-just-get-born-and-grow-up-to-be-mr-perfect-they/)

[Christine Zolendz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-zolendz/)

> [Some people say I'm arrogant or cocky but I'm a down to earth, decent guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-jr/some-people-say-i-m-arrogant-or-cocky-but-i-m-a-down-to-earth-decent/)

[Chris Eubank Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-jr/)

## More by Jack Kirby

> [All human beings have the capability of doing what they want, what they're attracted to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kirby/all-human-beings-have-the-capability-of-doing-what-they-want-what/)

[Jack Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kirby/)

> [I always resent anybody interfering with anybody else trying to do his job. Everybody has his own job to do. If he's good, he'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kirby/i-always-resent-anybody-interfering-with-anybody-else-trying-to-do/)

[Jack Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kirby/)

> [I get a lot of comics, and I can look at a comic and tell immediately whether I'll enjoy it or not. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kirby/i-get-a-lot-of-comics-and-i-can-look-at-a-comic-and-tell-immediately/)

[Jack Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kirby/)

> [If you're a thorough professional, and they won't let you do a professional job, nobody's going to benefit from it. The people who produce…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kirby/if-you-re-a-thorough-professional-and-they-won-t-let-you-do-a/)

[Jack Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kirby/)

> [Nobody ever asked me to do anything. Nobody knew what to do. When comics were brand new, nobody knew what kind of comics to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kirby/nobody-ever-asked-me-to-do-anything-nobody-knew-what-to-do-when/)

[Jack Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kirby/)

> [I've done things that I wouldn't ordinarily seem capable of doing. And I've proven myself in situations where there's life and death at stake.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kirby/i-ve-done-things-that-i-wouldn-t-ordinarily-seem-capable-of-doing-and/)

[Jack Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kirby/)

> [Some of my friends became gangsters. You became a gangster depending upon how fast you wanted a suit. Gangsters weren't the stereotypes you see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kirby/some-of-my-friends-became-gangsters-you-became-a-gangster-depending/)

[Jack Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kirby/)

> [A man is entitled to draw things in his own style. I didn't hurt Superman. I made him powerful. I admire Superman, but I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kirby/a-man-is-entitled-to-draw-things-in-his-own-style-i-didn-t-hurt/)

[Jack Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kirby/)

> [I'm a guy who had to perform some way. I had to perform in some way. If not as an actor, I'd perform as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kirby/i-m-a-guy-who-had-to-perform-some-way-i-had-to-perform-in-some-way-if/)

[Jack Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kirby/)

> [I taught myself how to draw, and I soon found out it was what I really wanted to do. I didn't think I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kirby/i-taught-myself-how-to-draw-and-i-soon-found-out-it-was-what-i-really/)

[Jack Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kirby/)

> [I've never done anything half-heartedly; it's a disservice to me and the audience if I do it half-heartedly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kirby/i-ve-never-done-anything-half-heartedly-it-s-a-disservice-to-me-and/)

[Jack Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kirby/)

> [My purpose was what my father's purpose was - to make a living and to have a family. I was going to do the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kirby/my-purpose-was-what-my-father-s-purpose-was-to-make-a-living-and-to/)

[Jack Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kirby/)

> [I hated to fight all the time just to enjoy my day. Fighting wasn't the kind of thing that I enjoyed, but I grew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kirby/i-hated-to-fight-all-the-time-just-to-enjoy-my-day-fighting-wasn-t/)

[Jack Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kirby/)

> [Kid ... Comics will break your heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kirby/kid-comics-will-break-your-heart/)

[Jack Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kirby/)

> [All life on Earth is subject to the rumbles and rockings of the parent stucture which has no control over the disastrous effects of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kirby/all-life-on-earth-is-subject-to-the-rumbles-and-rockings-of-the/)

[Jack Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kirby/)

[Explore all 112 Jack Kirby quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kirby/)

## More Age quotes

> [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/)

[Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/)

> [While we've youth in our hearts, we can never grow old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/while-we-ve-youth-in-our-hearts-we-can-never-grow-old/)

[Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/)

> [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/)

[Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/)

> [When I first started writing, when I was 15, I would go to work with people and they would tell me my lyrics were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-claudio/when-i-first-started-writing-when-i-was-15-i-would-go-to-work-with/)

[Sabrina Claudio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-claudio/)

> [Real people speak in my books about the main events of the age, such as the war, the Chernobyl disaster, and the downfall of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/svetlana-alexievich/real-people-speak-in-my-books-about-the-main-events-of-the-age-such/)

[Svetlana Alexievich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/svetlana-alexievich/)

> [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/)

[Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/)

> [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/)

[Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/)

> [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/)

[Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/)

> [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/)

[Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/)

> [Age is an accumulation of life and loss. Adulthood is a series of lines crossed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-goodman/age-is-an-accumulation-of-life-and-loss-adulthood-is-a-series-of/)

[Ellen Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-goodman/)

> [I calculated that if I live up to the age of 80, then I end up using 450 toothbrushes in my life. All that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dia-mirza/i-calculated-that-if-i-live-up-to-the-age-of-80-then-i-end-up-using/)

[Dia Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dia-mirza/)

> [Why is wisdom so fair? Why is beauty so wise? Because all else is temporary, while beauty and wisdom are the only real and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/why-is-wisdom-so-fair-why-is-beauty-so-wise-because-all-else-is/)

[Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/)

> [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/)

[Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/)

> [That old man dies prematurely whose memory records no benefits conferred. They only have lived long who have lived virtuously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brinsley-sheridan/that-old-man-dies-prematurely-whose-memory-records-no-benefits/)

[Richard Brinsley Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brinsley-sheridan/)

> [We have started to make music at age seven. That was a hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-kaulitz/we-have-started-to-make-music-at-age-seven-that-was-a-hard-work/)

[Bill Kaulitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-kaulitz/)

[Browse all 18,948 Age quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "An American is a guy, a rich guy with a family, a decent guy with a family with as many kids as he likes, doing what he wants, working with people that he likes, and enjoying himself to his very old age.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jack Kirby"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kirby/an-american-is-a-guy-a-rich-guy-with-a-family-a-decent-guy-with-a/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Age"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kirby/an-american-is-a-guy-a-rich-guy-with-a-family-a-decent-guy-with-a/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e1/jack-kirby-4317_age_an-american-is-a-guy-a-rich-guy-with-a-f_2797323.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e1/jack-kirby-4317_age_an-american-is-a-guy-a-rich-guy-with-a-f_2797323.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e1/jack-kirby-4317_age_an-american-is-a-guy-a-rich-guy-with-a-f_2797323.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“An American is a guy, a rich guy with a family, a decent guy with a family with as many kids as he likes…” — Jack Kirby",
                "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": "Jack Kirby",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kirby/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "An American is a guy, a...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kirby/an-american-is-a-guy-a-rich-guy-with-a-family-a-decent-guy-with-a/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kirby/an-american-is-a-guy-a-rich-guy-with-a-family-a-decent-guy-with-a/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
