--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Every American should be forced to live…" description: "\"Every American should be forced to live outside the United States for a year or two. Americans should be forced to see how ridiculous they appear to th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d7/john-irving-337_america_every-american-should-be-forced-to-live_378539.png" --- # Every American should be forced to live outside the United… ![“Every American should be forced to live outside the United States for a year or two. Americans should be forced to see how ridiculous they appear to the rest of the world! They should listen to someone else's version of themselves--to anyone else's version! Every country knows more about America…” quote by John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d7/john-irving-337_america_every-american-should-be-forced-to-live_378539.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d7/john-irving-337_america_every-american-should-be-forced-to-live_378539.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d7/john-irving-337_america_every-american-should-be-forced-to-live_378539.png) > “Every American should be forced to live outside the United States for a year or two. Americans should be forced to see how ridiculous they appear to the rest of the world! They should listen to someone else's version of themselves--to anyone else's version! Every country knows more about America than Americans know about themselves! And Americans know absolutely nothing about any other country!” [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Suggests that living abroad reveals national blind spots and fosters humility, encouraging broader perspective. **In simple terms:** Living abroad shows how we’re perceived. Key Takeaway Spend time overseas to broaden self‑knowledge. Themes humility perspective national identity Mood thoughtful critical Type sociological inspirational When to use this quote - study abroad - exchange programs - volunteering abroad - media work Key Concepts sociology cultural exchange self awareness Questions to Reflect On - How would living abroad change your view of America? - What alternatives exist for gaining global perspective? A Different Perspective Not everyone can afford or safely travel abroad; virtual exchange may also help. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Last year, more Americans went to symphonies than went to baseball games. This may be viewed as an alarming statistic, but I think that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/last-year-more-americans-went-to-symphonies-than-went-to-baseball/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [If you're African American, you are forced into making different choices, in a lot of cases, than you are as a white person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-hall/if-you-re-african-american-you-are-forced-into-making-different/) [Daryl Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-hall/) > [No American should be forced to choose between their spouse and their country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-sullivan/no-american-should-be-forced-to-choose-between-their-spouse-and-their/) [Andrew Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-sullivan/) > [Thousands of Americans are forced to join unions as a condition of employment, with little to no chance of ever having their voices heard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-scott/thousands-of-americans-are-forced-to-join-unions-as-a-condition-of/) [Tim Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-scott/) > [I almost wish that there would be something like a simultaneous telecast and all Americans would be forced, forced - at gun point no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-huckabee/i-almost-wish-that-there-would-be-something-like-a-simultaneous/) [Mike Huckabee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-huckabee/) > [What this nation most wants, most yearns for, most needs is someone where people know, all Americans know, that even when they disagree well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-sestak/what-this-nation-most-wants-most-yearns-for-most-needs-is-someone/) [Joe Sestak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-sestak/) > [I know very few Americans, though I like the way they think. They think big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigitte-bardot/i-know-very-few-americans-though-i-like-the-way-they-think-they-think/) [Brigitte Bardot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigitte-bardot/) > [I didn't know that Americans don't like to watch movies with subtitles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoyeon-jung/i-didn-t-know-that-americans-don-t-like-to-watch-movies-with-subtitles/) [HoYeon Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoyeon-jung/) > [I don't really know what Americans are like. I've no idea. I know a few things about them. In my imagination, they have warm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-horsley/i-don-t-really-know-what-americans-are-like-i-ve-no-idea-i-know-a-few/) [Sebastian Horsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-horsley/) > [You can't be Canadian without being aware of at least one other country, the United States, 'cause it's so important to us. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-trudeau/you-can-t-be-canadian-without-being-aware-of-at-least-one-other/) [Justin Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-trudeau/) > [We need a national service that throws us all together, the urban with the rural, the Fox News types with the MSNBC crowd. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cohen/we-need-a-national-service-that-throws-us-all-together-the-urban-with/) [Richard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cohen/) > [It's really important, obviously, for people to realize that it is a very small percentage, only 1 percent of our total economy, of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-bush/it-s-really-important-obviously-for-people-to-realize-that-it-is-a/) [Laura Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-bush/) > [I know that sometimes we, as Americans, we reach outside of our means, and every once in a while we like to 'police the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-shadows/i-know-that-sometimes-we-as-americans-we-reach-outside-of-our-means/) [M. Shadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-shadows/) > [Above all, we know that although Americans can be led to make great sacrifices, they do not like to be driven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-hoover/above-all-we-know-that-although-americans-can-be-led-to-make-great/) [Herbert Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-hoover/) > [While I don't claim to be an expert, I know this: Americans want a government that serves them, not any elite or clique.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-x-suarez/while-i-don-t-claim-to-be-an-expert-i-know-this-americans-want-a/) [Francis X. Suarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-x-suarez/) ## More by John Irving > [Your memory is a monster; you forget - it doesn't. It simply files things away. It keeps things for you, or hides things from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/your-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-doesn-t-it-simply-files-things/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [Our memory is a monster; you forget it - it does not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/our-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-it-does-not/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [Watch out for people who call themselves religious; make sure you know what they mean––make sure they know what they mean!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/watch-out-for-people-who-call-themselves-religious-make-sure-you-know/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [The desire to never leave your side, the desire to never see you again. The desire to see your face asleep on the pillow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/the-desire-to-never-leave-your-side-the-desire-to-never-see-you-again/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I had been a student in Vienna, and one of the neat little things I had found out was about that zoo. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-had-been-a-student-in-vienna-and-one-of-the-neat-little-things-i/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“God, I think I just hit a high E-flat - and I really held it!" Esmeralda said, after one of her more prolonged orgasms,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/god-i-think-i-just-hit-a-high-e-flat-and-i-really-held-it-esmeralda/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Nostalgia!" Miss Frost cried. "You´re nostalgic!" She repeated. "Just how old are you, William?" She asked. "Seventeen, " I told her. "Seventeen!" Miss Frost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/nostalgia-miss-frost-cried-you-re-nostalgic-she-repeated-just-how-old/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [ “JUST BECAUSE A BUNCH OF ATHEISTS ARE BETTER WRITERS THAN THE GUYS WHO WROTE THE BIBLE DOESN'T NECESSARILY MAKE THEM RIGHT!" \[Owen Meany\] said… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/just-because-a-bunch-of-atheists-are-better-writers-than-the-guys-who/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [It is much easier to be flexible about where a story begins than it ever was for me to change my mind about where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/it-is-much-easier-to-be-flexible-about-where-a-story-begins-than-it/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Only the chicken-lover will understand me. He will give me a kindly look, maybe mildly desirous. His eyes will tell me: You might look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/only-the-chicken-lover-will-understand-me-he-will-give-me-a-kindly/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [You're nice,' Cushie told him, squeezing his hand. 'And you're my oldest friend.' But they both must have known that you can know someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/you-re-nice-cushie-told-him-squeezing-his-hand-and-you-re-my-oldest/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Because of A Prayer for Owen Meany, many of my readers assume I am “religious.” I go to church only occasionally—like a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/because-of-a-prayer-for-owen-meany-many-of-my-readers-assume-i-am/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Did anyone who was in love and was unsatisfied with how he was loved in return ever feel saved?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/did-anyone-who-was-in-love-and-was-unsatisfied-with-how-he-was-loved/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“I TRUST THAT GOD WILL HELP ME, BECAUSE WHAT I’M SUPPOSED TO DO LOOKS VERY HARD.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-trust-that-god-will-help-me-because-what-i-m-supposed-to-do-looks/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) [Explore all 641 John Irving quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) ## 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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