--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A lot of people know that something very…" description: "\"A lot of people know that something very drastic has happened to the very idea of America.\" — John Cusack" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00d/john-cusack-3209_america_a-lot-of-people-know-that-something-very_1940895.png" --- # A lot of people know that something very drastic has… ![“A lot of people know that something very drastic has happened to the very idea of America.” quote by John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00d/john-cusack-3209_america_a-lot-of-people-know-that-something-very_1940895.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00d/john-cusack-3209_america_a-lot-of-people-know-that-something-very_1940895.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00d/john-cusack-3209_america_a-lot-of-people-know-that-something-very_1940895.png) > “A lot of people know that something very drastic has happened to the very idea of America.” [John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. America’s identity is undergoing profound change, prompting reflection on its core values and future direction. **In simple terms:** America changing drastically; rethink its ideas. Key Takeaway Consider how national shifts affect personal values. Themes politics identity change America culture Mood contemplative critical Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - elections - social movements - personal discourse Key Concepts Sociology nationalism Questions to Reflect On - What defines the “idea of America” for you? - How do you adapt to national transformations? A Different Perspective Change can be polarizing and uncertain. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [I really got struck by lightning when it came to my decision to leave WWE. If I literally think about that day and who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-rhodes/i-really-got-struck-by-lightning-when-it-came-to-my-decision-to-leave/) [Cody Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-rhodes/) > [“It was once said that this is the land of the free. There is, I believe, a statue out there in the harbor, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/it-was-once-said-that-this-is-the-land-of-the-free-there-is-i-believe/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [So I had this completely unrealistic idea of what America was — but I wanted to be there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aasif-mandvi/so-i-had-this-completely-unrealistic-idea-of-what-america-was-but-i/) [Aasif Mandvi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aasif-mandvi/) > [“What is there to hold a post-prosperity, constrained-liberty, un-dreamt America together? The nation's ruling class has, in practical terms, already seceded from the idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-steyn/what-is-there-to-hold-a-post-prosperity-constrained-liberty-un-dreamt/) [Mark Steyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-steyn/) > [This idea that in America you can be anyone you want - you can reinvent yourself. Well, I think that the Internet has maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-joseph/this-idea-that-in-america-you-can-be-anyone-you-want-you-can-reinvent/) [Max Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-joseph/) > [We must restore the emotional relationship that people have to the idea of America, that no matter where you come from, no matter where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-schultz/we-must-restore-the-emotional-relationship-that-people-have-to-the/) [Howard Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-schultz/) > [The idea of America is so wonderful because the more equal something is, the more American it is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/the-idea-of-america-is-so-wonderful-because-the-more-equal-something/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [We must get away from the idea that America is to be the leader of the world in everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-john-mcconnell/we-must-get-away-from-the-idea-that-america-is-to-be-the-leader-of/) Francis John McConnell > [Much of my work is engaged with 'America' - the idea of America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-ligon/much-of-my-work-is-engaged-with-america-the-idea-of-america/) [Glenn Ligon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-ligon/) > [Free community college is possible and I want to spread that idea all across America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/free-community-college-is-possible-and-i-want-to-spread-that-idea-all/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [And so I think that the idea of America working with other countries to solve problems is good for us, and it is part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/and-so-i-think-that-the-idea-of-america-working-with-other-countries/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [I love the idea of what America is. America is a bunch of people that do these incredible, thankless, selfless jobs that nobody really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-kennedy/i-love-the-idea-of-what-america-is-america-is-a-bunch-of-people-that/) [Tim Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-kennedy/) > [What Bannon and Trump have presented us with is an idea of America that's not been the traditional idea, not the Walt Whitman idea,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/what-bannon-and-trump-have-presented-us-with-is-an-idea-of-america/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [The national park is the best idea America ever had.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bryce/the-national-park-is-the-best-idea-america-ever-had/) [James Bryce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bryce/) > [America is a passionate idea or it is nothing. America is a human brotherhood or it is chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lerner/america-is-a-passionate-idea-or-it-is-nothing-america-is-a-human/) [Max Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lerner/) ## More by John Cusack > [The elderly have so much to offer. They're our link with history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/the-elderly-have-so-much-to-offer-they-re-our-link-with-history/) [John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/) > [You just try to get the best jobs that you can get. Sometimes I produce my own movies, so that's your own sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/you-just-try-to-get-the-best-jobs-that-you-can-get-sometimes-i/) [John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/) > [But, you know, I'm sorry, I think democracy requires participation. I mean, I don't want to proselytize but I do feel some sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/but-you-know-i-m-sorry-i-think-democracy-requires-participation-i/) [John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/) > [If you help manufacture an enemy that's really evil, you can point to the fact that it's really evil, and say, "Hey, it's really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/if-you-help-manufacture-an-enemy-that-s-really-evil-you-can-point-to/) [John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/) > [My point was that it's hard to make good films, but I'm not under any illusion that you do all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/my-point-was-that-it-s-hard-to-make-good-films-but-i-m-not-under-any/) [John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/) > [I read Noam Chomsky. I like some of Gore Vidal's stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/i-read-noam-chomsky-i-like-some-of-gore-vidal-s-stuff/) [John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/) > [There's also some element of coming of age during the Reagan administration, which everybody has painted as some glorious time in America, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/there-s-also-some-element-of-coming-of-age-during-the-reagan/) [John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/) > [You can only really judge yourself in comparison to other people. How bad you are, but you're not as bad as someone else. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/you-can-only-really-judge-yourself-in-comparison-to-other-people-how/) [John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/) > [But no, I don't really like romantic comedies, so I don't really care. I never go see 'em.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/but-no-i-don-t-really-like-romantic-comedies-so-i-don-t-really-care-i/) [John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/) > [I was a teen star. That's disgusting enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/i-was-a-teen-star-that-s-disgusting-enough/) [John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/) > [Well, acting itself is a form of rebellion, always. Getting up there in front of people, telling stories - you're kind of going against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/well-acting-itself-is-a-form-of-rebellion-always-getting-up-there-in/) [John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/) > [I think everything has some politics to it. It's just whether or not it admits to it. Politics is weird. I don't even know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/i-think-everything-has-some-politics-to-it-it-s-just-whether-or-not/) [John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/) > [I just love the process of working with other actors. It's like jamming with a musician, except it takes a little more effort to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/i-just-love-the-process-of-working-with-other-actors-it-s-like/) [John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/) > [Maybe the absence of signs is a sign.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/maybe-the-absence-of-signs-is-a-sign/) [John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/) > [Satire is meant to have teeth; satire is meant to be dangerous. But it also happens to be fun because subversion and telling the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/satire-is-meant-to-have-teeth-satire-is-meant-to-be-dangerous-but-it/) [John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/) [Explore all 136 John Cusack quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/) ## 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": "A lot of people know that something very drastic has happened to the very idea of America.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Cusack" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/a-lot-of-people-know-that-something-very-drastic-has-happened-to-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "America" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/a-lot-of-people-know-that-something-very-drastic-has-happened-to-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00d/john-cusack-3209_america_a-lot-of-people-know-that-something-very_1940895.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00d/john-cusack-3209_america_a-lot-of-people-know-that-something-very_1940895.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00d/john-cusack-3209_america_a-lot-of-people-know-that-something-very_1940895.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A lot of people know that something very drastic has happened to the very idea of America.” — John Cusack", "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 Cusack", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A lot of people know that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/a-lot-of-people-know-that-something-very-drastic-has-happened-to-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/a-lot-of-people-know-that-something-very-drastic-has-happened-to-the/#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 } } ] } ```