--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: America was not built by conformists, but…" description: "\"America was not built by conformists, but by mutineers.\" — Jim Hightower" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a99/jim-hightower-10047_america_america-was-not-built-by-conformists-but_1447201.jpg" --- # America was not built by conformists, but by mutineers. ![“America was not built by conformists, but by mutineers.” quote by Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a99/jim-hightower-10047_america_america-was-not-built-by-conformists-but_1447201.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a99/jim-hightower-10047_america_america-was-not-built-by-conformists-but_1447201.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a99/jim-hightower-10047_america_america-was-not-built-by-conformists-but_1447201.jpg) > “America was not built by conformists, but by mutineers.” [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He claims that America’s progress came from rebels, not conformists. **In simple terms:** Rebels built America, not followers. Key Takeaway Embrace innovative, non‑conformist thinking. Themes rebellion innovation history Mood inspirational provocative Type political historical When to use this quote - entrepreneurship - activism - cultural movements Key Concepts individualism social change Questions to Reflect On - When is conformity beneficial? - How can rebels work constructively within systems? A Different Perspective Rebellion can also cause instability if unchecked. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [America Built](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america-built-506358/) [Built Conformists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/built-conformists-5194488/) [Conformist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conformist/) [Conformists Mutineers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conformists-mutineers-5194487/) [Mutineers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mutineers-3339157/) ## Related quotes > [And what fate befalls mutineers?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blackbeard/and-what-fate-befalls-mutineers/) [Blackbeard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blackbeard/) > [America was built on her citizens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/america-was-built-on-her-citizens/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The incredible story of progress that is America has always been built by those who ask why, what if, and why not. Our schools…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-incredible-story-of-progress-that-is-america-has-always-been/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [But America was built by optimists. Optimists like my friend Amanda, who recently started a small business. When she went to buy her website…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-longoria/but-america-was-built-by-optimists-optimists-like-my-friend-amanda/) [Eva Longoria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-longoria/) > [America was built on personal responsibility and opportunity, not a government hand out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/america-was-built-on-personal-responsibility-and-opportunity-not-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The Highways of America are built chiefly of politics, whereas the proper material is crushed rock or concrete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-g-fisher/the-highways-of-america-are-built-chiefly-of-politics-whereas-the/) [Carl G. Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-g-fisher/) > [America was built on cheap and abundant coal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-moore/america-was-built-on-cheap-and-abundant-coal/) [Stephen Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-moore/) > [America was built on immigrants, and what they bring 'to the table.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-irvine/america-was-built-on-immigrants-and-what-they-bring-to-the-table/) [Robert Irvine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-irvine/) > [Football represents and embodies everything that's great about this country, because the United States of America is built on winners, not losers or people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-hayes/football-represents-and-embodies-everything-that-s-great-about-this/) [Woody Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-hayes/) > [“Take your hallowed halls of Congress or the littered floor of the Stock Exchange, America is built on its pancake houses!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-paterniti/take-your-hallowed-halls-of-congress-or-the-littered-floor-of-the/) [Michael Paterniti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-paterniti/) > [“America was not built on fear. America was built on courage, on imagination and an unbeatable determination to do the job at hand." -Harry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-post-askin/america-was-not-built-on-fear-america-was-built-on-courage-on/) [Barbara Post-Askin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-post-askin/) > [I came to America with a dream and I made it. The dream became reality. America is built for success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-van-damme/i-came-to-america-with-a-dream-and-i-made-it-the-dream-became-reality/) [Jean-Claude Van Damme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-claude-van-damme/) > [We are a country where people of all backgrounds, all nations of origin, all languages, all religions, all races, can make a home. America…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/we-are-a-country-where-people-of-all-backgrounds-all-nations-of/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [We need to tell young people that America was built by men and women of all colors and that the future of this country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-dean-myers/we-need-to-tell-young-people-that-america-was-built-by-men-and-women/) [Walter Dean Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-dean-myers/) > [America is built on the labors of the oppressed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-joy/america-is-built-on-the-labors-of-the-oppressed/) [Lisa Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-joy/) ## More by Jim Hightower > [The original Greek word "idiotes" referred to people who might have had a high IQ, but were so self-involved that they focused exclusively on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/the-original-greek-word-idiotes-referred-to-people-who-might-have-had/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [It's hard to believe President George Bush gave a speech in New Orleans about disaster recovery and failed to mention the word 'farm' or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/it-s-hard-to-believe-president-george-bush-gave-a-speech-in-new/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [Do something. If it doesn't work, do something else. No idea is too crazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/do-something-if-it-doesn-t-work-do-something-else-no-idea-is-too-crazy/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [The opposite for courage is not cowardice, it is conformity. Even a dead fish can go with the flow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/the-opposite-for-courage-is-not-cowardice-it-is-conformity-even-a/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [Some people say we need a third party. I wish we had a second one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/some-people-say-we-need-a-third-party-i-wish-we-had-a-second-one/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [Populism is not a style, it's a people's rebellion against the iron grip that big corporations have on our country - including our economy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/populism-is-not-a-style-it-s-a-people-s-rebellion-against-the-iron/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [Even a dead fish can go with the flow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/even-a-dead-fish-can-go-with-the-flow/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [There's enormous progressive activism and, more often than not, success at the grassroots level - everything from living wage campaigns to efforts to finance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/there-s-enormous-progressive-activism-and-more-often-than-not-success/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [If it's dangerous to talk to yourself, it's probably even dicier to listen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/if-it-s-dangerous-to-talk-to-yourself-it-s-probably-even-dicier-to/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [You have to learn to read between the lies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/you-have-to-learn-to-read-between-the-lies/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [Liberals want to manage the damage with government programs to take care of those who have fallen between the cracks. Populists want to fix…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/liberals-want-to-manage-the-damage-with-government-programs-to-take/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [Populists have always been out to challenge the orthodoxy of the corporate order and to empower workaday Americans so they can control their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/populists-have-always-been-out-to-challenge-the-orthodoxy-of-the/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [The middle of the road is for yellow lines and dead armadillos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/the-middle-of-the-road-is-for-yellow-lines-and-dead-armadillos/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [Part of the failure of the corporate media is that they don't dig out stories anymore. They are looking down from the top floors.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/part-of-the-failure-of-the-corporate-media-is-that-they-don-t-dig-out/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [Politics ought to be fun. It shouldn't be just boring meetings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/politics-ought-to-be-fun-it-shouldn-t-be-just-boring-meetings/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) [Explore all 68 Jim Hightower quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) ## 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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