--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Used to be, conservatives revered the…" description: "\"Used to be, conservatives revered the Average American, that Norman Rockwell oil painting of diner food, humble faith, honest toil, and Capraesque virt..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3f/james-wolcott-8178_american_used-to-be-conservatives-revered-the-ave_2546993.png" --- # Used to be, conservatives revered the Average American… ![“Used to be, conservatives revered the Average American, that Norman Rockwell oil painting of diner food, humble faith, honest toil, and Capraesque virtue.” quote by James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3f/james-wolcott-8178_american_used-to-be-conservatives-revered-the-ave_2546993.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3f/james-wolcott-8178_american_used-to-be-conservatives-revered-the-ave_2546993.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3f/james-wolcott-8178_american_used-to-be-conservatives-revered-the-ave_2546993.png) > “Used to be, conservatives revered the Average American, that Norman Rockwell oil painting of diner food, humble faith, honest toil, and Capraesque virtue.” [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Past American ideals celebrated modest, hardworking, and sincere values embodied in nostalgic imagery. **In simple terms:** Old America praised simple, honest life. Key Takeaway Remember the value of humility and hard work. Themes nostalgia American identity values culture politics Mood thoughtful critical Type cultural historical When to use this quote - political discourse - media analysis - education - community events - personal reflection Key Concepts Cultural criticism historical idealism social commentary Questions to Reflect On - What aspects of the "Average American" ideal are still relevant? - How can we balance nostalgia with progress? A Different Perspective Idealizing the past may overlook current complexities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american/) [Average](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/average/) [Average american](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/average-american/) [Conservatives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conservatives/) [Conservatives Revered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conservatives-revered-1484848/) [Diner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diner/) [Diners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diners/) [Europe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/europe/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest/) [Humble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humble/) [Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/norman/) [Norman Rockwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/norman-rockwell/) [Oil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oil/) [Oil painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oil-painting/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) [Revered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revered/) [Revered Average](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revered-average-1484850/) [Toil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/toil/) [Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used/) [Used Conservatives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used-conservatives-1484849/) [Used to be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used-to-be/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) ## Related quotes > [ \[Facism\] that incredibly loaded word we do not associate with the real American politics is being used by other conservatives, by other Republicans to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/facism-that-incredibly-loaded-word-we-do-not-associate-with-the-real/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [It used to be that conservatives who were in government, like myself, we would get what we felt was unfair coverage, we'd go home,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-kobach/it-used-to-be-that-conservatives-who-were-in-government-like-myself/) [Kris Kobach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-kobach/) > [I collect rare photographs... I have two... One of Houdini locking his keys in his car... the other is a rare picture of Norman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/i-collect-rare-photographs-i-have-two-one-of-houdini-locking-his-keys/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [We got a Chinese Elvis painted by Norman Rockwell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-hackett/we-got-a-chinese-elvis-painted-by-norman-rockwell/) [Steve Hackett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-hackett/) > [Norman Rockwell, the Brueghel of the 20th century bourgeoisie, the Holbein of Jell-O ads and magazine covers; by common assent, the most American artist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-adler/norman-rockwell-the-brueghel-of-the-20th-century-bourgeoisie-the/) [Jerry Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-adler/) > [“The next forty minutes are a festival of soul eating. 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Naughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-p-naughton/) > [“Now I'm standing in black stiletto heels in the middle of a Norman Rockwell painting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katja-millay/now-i-m-standing-in-black-stiletto-heels-in-the-middle-of-a-norman/) [Katja Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katja-millay/) > [Nick's just from this very Norman Rockwell-ish family. They're very 'American Gothic,' and his parents are so kind, and they're not brash people; they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mullally/nick-s-just-from-this-very-norman-rockwell-ish-family-they-re-very/) [Megan Mullally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mullally/) > [The struggle is how to write optimistically when the world we're living in is not inherently optimistic. I love the idea of the family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-m-homes/the-struggle-is-how-to-write-optimistically-when-the-world-we-re/) [A.M. 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