--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In general, American life is more…" description: "\"In general, American life is more easy-going. And civic pride, national pride in a cultural sense, is great in America. I think what they esteem in Ame..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aed/james-salter-2584_america_in-general-american-life-is-more-easy-go_829471.jpg" --- # In general, American life is more easy-going. And civic… ![“In general, American life is more easy-going. And civic pride, national pride in a cultural sense, is great in America. I think what they esteem in America is character and energy, and being different and superior to other peoples. Of course, every nation feels itself to be superior, but in…” quote by James Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aed/james-salter-2584_america_in-general-american-life-is-more-easy-go_829471.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aed/james-salter-2584_america_in-general-american-life-is-more-easy-go_829471.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aed/james-salter-2584_america_in-general-american-life-is-more-easy-go_829471.jpg) > “In general, American life is more easy-going. And civic pride, national pride in a cultural sense, is great in America. I think what they esteem in America is character and energy, and being different and superior to other peoples. Of course, every nation feels itself to be superior, but in America it's a jaunty feeling, and in some cases a rather ominous one among the super-patriots.” [James Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-salter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. American culture values individual character and energy, often expressed as a confident, sometimes overbearing, patriotism. **In simple terms:** America celebrates personal strength, which can feel both proud and aggressive. Key Takeaway Recognize pride while staying humble. Themes culture identity patriotism Mood reflective critical Type sociological observational When to use this quote - team building - public speaking - media representation - educational curricula Key Concepts individualism nationalism social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What are the benefits and risks of strong national pride? - How can societies encourage humility alongside confidence? A Different Perspective Excessive pride may alienate others and foster division. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [American life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-life/) [Being different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-different/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Civics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civics/) [Easy going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easy-going/) [Energy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/energy/) [Esteem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/esteem/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [National pride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/national-pride/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [Patriot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriot/) [Pride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pride/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Every nation feels itself to be superior, but in America it's a jaunty feeling, and in some cases a rather ominous one among the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-salter/every-nation-feels-itself-to-be-superior-but-in-america-it-s-a-jaunty/) [James Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-salter/) > [The government of the United States of America has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of Muslims.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/the-government-of-the-united-states-of-america-has-in-itself-no/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [An essential part of any successful action on the part of the United States is an understanding on the part of the people of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-marshall/an-essential-part-of-any-successful-action-on-the-part-of-the-united/) [George C. Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-marshall/) > [Each nation feels superior to other nations. That breeds patriotism - and wars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/each-nation-feels-superior-to-other-nations-that-breeds-patriotism/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [The apex of my civic pride and personal contentment was reached on the bright September morning when I entered the public school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-antin/the-apex-of-my-civic-pride-and-personal-contentment-was-reached-on/) [Mary Antin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-antin/) > [For some reason a nation feels as shy about admitting that it ever went forth to war for the sake of more wealth as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/for-some-reason-a-nation-feels-as-shy-about-admitting-that-it-ever/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [I think that whenever a nation feels itself to be at is zenith, it starts to feel a creeping sense of anxiety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/i-think-that-whenever-a-nation-feels-itself-to-be-at-is-zenith-it/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [We know these men are professionals whose services are up for bid and whose bags are packed, and yet we call them our own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-thorn/we-know-these-men-are-professionals-whose-services-are-up-for-bid-and/) [John Thorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-thorn/) > [Most of all, I love Manchester. 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When you really get down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacque-fresco/self-centeredness-will-bring-on-the-destruction-of-our-world-national/) [Jacque Fresco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacque-fresco/) > [A wise nation preserves its records, gathers up its monuments, decorates the tombes of its illustrious dead, repairs its greatest structures and fosters national…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-howe/a-wise-nation-preserves-its-records-gathers-up-its-monuments/) [Joseph Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-howe/) > [“Ceasefire only postpones war, What’s needed is demilitarization. Till borderly apes wake apart national pride, Democracy only sustains a paradigm of poison.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/ceasefire-only-postpones-war-what-s-needed-is-demilitarization-till/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [The religion of England is part of good-breeding. When you see on the continent the well-dressed Englishman come into his ambassador's chapel and put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-religion-of-england-is-part-of-good-breeding-when-you-see-on-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“The prevalence of anti-patriotic attitudes among liberal intellectuals led some of them to warn their fellow liberals of the consequences of such attitudes for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-p-huntington/the-prevalence-of-anti-patriotic-attitudes-among-liberal/) [Samuel P. Huntington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-p-huntington/) ## More by James Salter > [It seems to me that literature is giving way a little bit to the immediacy of other diversions, other forms of entertainment. What will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-salter/it-seems-to-me-that-literature-is-giving-way-a-little-bit-to-the/) [James Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-salter/) > [Women fall in love when they get to know you. Men are just the opposite. When they finally know you they're ready to leave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-salter/women-fall-in-love-when-they-get-to-know-you-men-are-just-the/) [James Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-salter/) > [Not necessarily narrow so much as impatient, intense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-salter/not-necessarily-narrow-so-much-as-impatient-intense/) [James Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-salter/) > [I write in longhand. I am accustomed to that proximity, that feel of writing. 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You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-salter/sometimes-i-write-with-a-particular-person-in-mind-i-think-it-s-fair/) [James Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-salter/) > [Lots of scripts are written and not made, even scripts that people want to make.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-salter/lots-of-scripts-are-written-and-not-made-even-scripts-that-people/) [James Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-salter/) > [I'd given up everything to be a writer, and if I didn't then go on to do that - to write - then I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-salter/i-d-given-up-everything-to-be-a-writer-and-if-i-didn-t-then-go-on-to/) [James Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-salter/) > [“One should not believe too easily in a life which can easily vanish.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-salter/one-should-not-believe-too-easily-in-a-life-which-can-easily-vanish/) [James Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-salter/) > [“Life is separated by scars, like the rings in the inside of a tree.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-salter/life-is-separated-by-scars-like-the-rings-in-the-inside-of-a-tree/) [James Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-salter/) > [“Dean is still asleep. 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