--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The great weakness of the West is that it…" description: "\"“The great weakness of the West is that it has nothing with which to inspire loyalty except wealth. But what is wealth? Another washing machine, a bigg..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/351/john-burdett-18465_america_the-great-weakness-of-the-west-is-that-i_2206209.png" --- # The great weakness of the West is that it has nothing with… ![“The great weakness of the West is that it has nothing with which to inspire loyalty except wealth. But what is wealth? Another washing machine, a bigger car, a nicer house to live in? Not much to feed the spirit in all that.” quote by John Burdett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/351/john-burdett-18465_america_the-great-weakness-of-the-west-is-that-i_2206209.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/351/john-burdett-18465_america_the-great-weakness-of-the-west-is-that-i_2206209.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/351/john-burdett-18465_america_the-great-weakness-of-the-west-is-that-i_2206209.png) > ““The great weakness of the West is that it has nothing with which to inspire loyalty except wealth. But what is wealth? Another washing machine, a bigger car, a nicer house to live in? Not much to feed the spirit in all that.”” [John Burdett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burdett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Western societies often equate loyalty with material wealth, neglecting deeper, spiritual sources of commitment. **In simple terms:** Loyalty is tied to materialism, not spirit. Key Takeaway Seek purpose beyond possessions. Themes materialism loyalty spirituality culture values Mood critical reflective contemplative Type philosophical social commentary cautionary When to use this quote - marketing - political leadership - personal fulfillment - community building Key Concepts consumerism identity meaning Questions to Reflect On - What non‑material sources can inspire loyalty? - How does consumer culture affect communal bonds? A Different Perspective Wealth alone cannot sustain long‑term devotion; deeper values are needed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Capitalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalism/) [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) [Economics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economics/) [Loyalty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loyalty/) [Machines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/machines/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Weakness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weakness/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) [Western civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/western-civilization/) ## Related quotes > [Problems are like washing machines. They twist us, spin us and knock us around. But we come out cleaner, brighter & better than before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/problems-are-like-washing-machines-they-twist-us-spin-us-and-knock-us/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [My mom always said normal is just a cycle on the washing machine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynonna-judd/my-mom-always-said-normal-is-just-a-cycle-on-the-washing-machine/) [Wynonna Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynonna-judd/) > [After returning to work after taking a new job; It annoyed me that some of the new people I worked with mostly Female couldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-macdonald/after-returning-to-work-after-taking-a-new-job-it-annoyed-me-that/) [Kyle MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-macdonald/) > [“Did you know that there are $4,000 washing machines? Seriously. If a washer is $4,000 I want it to get the laundry out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-pearl-mcphee/did-you-know-that-there-are-4-000-washing-machines-seriously-if-a/) [Stephanie Pearl-McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-pearl-mcphee/) > [“Somewhere, in a distant land he barely knew the name of, people had stopped buying washing machines, and so his city had died.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-doctorow/somewhere-in-a-distant-land-he-barely-knew-the-name-of-people-had/) [Cory Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-doctorow/) > [You're thinking about the continuum of life as you load the washing machine or scoop out the litter box.blue-girl-larger Or maybe that's just me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-foos/you-re-thinking-about-the-continuum-of-life-as-you-load-the-washing/) [Laurie Foos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-foos/) > [Normal is a cycle on a washing machine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/normal-is-a-cycle-on-a-washing-machine/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A salesman called on my wife the other day and tried to sell her a freezer. You'll save a fortune on your food bills,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-bishop/a-salesman-called-on-my-wife-the-other-day-and-tried-to-sell-her-a/) [Joey Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-bishop/) > [The washing machine changed the world more than the Internet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ha-joon-chang/the-washing-machine-changed-the-world-more-than-the-internet/) [Ha-Joon Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ha-joon-chang/) > [Sign at a Kentucky appliance store: Don't kill your wife. Let our washing machine do the dirty work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/sign-at-a-kentucky-appliance-store-don-t-kill-your-wife-let-our/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [The freedom of women was achieved by two things: One, the Pill. Two... by labour-saving devices like the washing machine. By science, not feminism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/the-freedom-of-women-was-achieved-by-two-things-one-the-pill-two-by/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [It's not nothing when you're abroad and you don't have a washing machine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-pinckney/it-s-not-nothing-when-you-re-abroad-and-you-don-t-have-a-washing/) [Darryl Pinckney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-pinckney/) > [the relentless touring and endless repetition of the same songs over and over again promoted a creeping awareness that my music had begun to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-ronstadt/the-relentless-touring-and-endless-repetition-of-the-same-songs-over/) [Linda Ronstadt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-ronstadt/) > [Being unique is what's cool. Normal? What's normal? A setting on a washing machine. No one wants to be that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-purdy/being-unique-is-what-s-cool-normal-what-s-normal-a-setting-on-a/) [Ashley Purdy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-purdy/) > [Women and Washing Machines are similar in a way, you have to use your hands in their absence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/women-and-washing-machines-are-similar-in-a-way-you-have-to-use-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by John Burdett > [“We do not look on death the way you do, farang. My closest colleagues grasp my arm and one or two embrace me. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burdett/we-do-not-look-on-death-the-way-you-do-farang-my-closest-colleagues/) [John Burdett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burdett/) > [You don't understand. I only prostitute the part of the body that isn't important, and nobody suffers except my karma a little bit. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burdett/you-don-t-understand-i-only-prostitute-the-part-of-the-body-that-isn/) [John Burdett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burdett/) > [The world other than as advertised can be an amazing place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burdett/the-world-other-than-as-advertised-can-be-an-amazing-place/) [John Burdett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burdett/) > [Las Vegas is the expression, in glitter and concrete, of Americas brittle and mutating id.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burdett/las-vegas-is-the-expression-in-glitter-and-concrete-of-americas/) [John Burdett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burdett/) > [To a Buddhist, contradictions only exist in a mind that has been forced to cultivate them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burdett/to-a-buddhist-contradictions-only-exist-in-a-mind-that-has-been/) [John Burdett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burdett/) > [I'm fascinated by Buddhism. I adore Buddhism, and I read about it all the time, but I haven't formally become a Buddhist, although I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burdett/i-m-fascinated-by-buddhism-i-adore-buddhism-and-i-read-about-it-all/) [John Burdett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burdett/) > [There are plenty of brilliant people who are too stressed out to read challenging literary novels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burdett/there-are-plenty-of-brilliant-people-who-are-too-stressed-out-to-read/) [John Burdett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burdett/) > [In Southeast Asia the world is understood to be a vast, complex network of interdependent relationships. So when global capitalism makes it impossible for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burdett/in-southeast-asia-the-world-is-understood-to-be-a-vast-complex/) [John Burdett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burdett/) > [It is quite amazing how hard the subconscious works when it is made to understand that this life is not a rehearsal, there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burdett/it-is-quite-amazing-how-hard-the-subconscious-works-when-it-is-made/) [John Burdett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burdett/) > [I discovered that Thailand was one of those countries, like Sri Lanka and India, where memory of past lives used to be commonplace. Go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burdett/i-discovered-that-thailand-was-one-of-those-countries-like-sri-lanka/) [John Burdett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burdett/) > [Las Vegas is the expression, in glitter and concrete, of America's brittle and mutating id.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burdett/las-vegas-is-the-expression-in-glitter-and-concrete-of-america-s/) [John Burdett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burdett/) > [“Farang, I'll bet you Wall Street against a Thai mango he'll be back, if for no other reason than to play the card of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burdett/farang-i-ll-bet-you-wall-street-against-a-thai-mango-he-ll-be-back-if/) [John Burdett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burdett/) > [Don't ask me when I first mastered the obvious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burdett/don-t-ask-me-when-i-first-mastered-the-obvious/) [John Burdett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burdett/) > [“Sincerity is the first casualty of capitalism. We”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burdett/sincerity-is-the-first-casualty-of-capitalism-we/) [John Burdett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burdett/) > [“On a whim, Pisit calls the monk back to ask what he thinks of all this, and Western culture in general. After his drubbing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burdett/on-a-whim-pisit-calls-the-monk-back-to-ask-what-he-thinks-of-all-this/) [John Burdett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burdett/) [Explore all 34 John Burdett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burdett/) ## 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. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The great weakness of the West is that it has nothing with which to inspire loyalty except wealth. But what is wealth? Another washing machine, a bigger car, a nicer house to live in? Not much to feed the spirit in all that.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Burdett" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burdett/the-great-weakness-of-the-west-is-that-it-has-nothing-with-which-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "America" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burdett/the-great-weakness-of-the-west-is-that-it-has-nothing-with-which-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/351/john-burdett-18465_america_the-great-weakness-of-the-west-is-that-i_2206209.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/351/john-burdett-18465_america_the-great-weakness-of-the-west-is-that-i_2206209.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/351/john-burdett-18465_america_the-great-weakness-of-the-west-is-that-i_2206209.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The great weakness of the West is that it has nothing with which to inspire loyalty except wealth. But what…” — John Burdett", "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": "John Burdett", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burdett/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The great weakness of the West...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burdett/the-great-weakness-of-the-west-is-that-it-has-nothing-with-which-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burdett/the-great-weakness-of-the-west-is-that-it-has-nothing-with-which-to/#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 } } ] } ```