--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Economics is a subject profoundly…" description: "\"Economics is a subject profoundly conducive to cliche, resonant with boredom. On few topics is an American audience so practiced in turning off its ear..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3e/john-kenneth-galbraith-643_american-audience_economics-is-a-subject-profoundly-conduc_1510636.jpg" --- # Economics is a subject profoundly conducive to cliche… ![“Economics is a subject profoundly conducive to cliche, resonant with boredom. On few topics is an American audience so practiced in turning off its ears and minds. And none can say that the response is ill advised.” quote by John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3e/john-kenneth-galbraith-643_american-audience_economics-is-a-subject-profoundly-conduc_1510636.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3e/john-kenneth-galbraith-643_american-audience_economics-is-a-subject-profoundly-conduc_1510636.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3e/john-kenneth-galbraith-643_american-audience_economics-is-a-subject-profoundly-conduc_1510636.jpg) > “Economics is a subject profoundly conducive to cliche, resonant with boredom. On few topics is an American audience so practiced in turning off its ears and minds. And none can say that the response is ill advised.” [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote critiques how economics often relies on overused ideas that bore audiences, especially in America, leading to disengagement. **In simple terms:** Economics can be dull and cliché, causing people to tune out. Key Takeaway Seek fresh perspectives to keep discussions engaging. Themes education communication public discourse Mood critical reflective Type analytical observational When to use this quote - college lectures - policy debates - media commentary - public forums Key Concepts cliché audience disengagement American culture Questions to Reflect On - How can economists make complex ideas compelling? - What formats engage skeptical audiences? A Different Perspective Not all economic topics are inherently boring; presentation matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-audience/) [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Boredom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boredom/) [Cliche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cliche/) [Cliche Resonant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cliche-resonant-5559953/) [Conducive Cliche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conducive-cliche-5559954/) [Ears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ears/) [Economics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economics/) [Economics Subject](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economics-subject-2937051/) [Ill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ill/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Response](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/response/) [Topics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/topics/) ## Related quotes > [Too many people think that economics is this subject that should wait until the university level. But it can't wait that long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-duvall/too-many-people-think-that-economics-is-this-subject-that-should-wait/) [Robert Duvall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-duvall/) > [Economics is a subject that does not greatly respect one's wishes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikita-khrushchev/economics-is-a-subject-that-does-not-greatly-respect-one-s-wishes/) [Nikita Khrushchev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikita-khrushchev/) > [When academics claim a topic is obsolete, they mean merely they are tired of flogging it with their cliches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-smith/when-academics-claim-a-topic-is-obsolete-they-mean-merely-they-are/) [Kenny Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-smith/) > [When I first envisioned 'Funny Games' in the mid-1990s, it was my intention to have an American audience watch the movie. It is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-haneke/when-i-first-envisioned-funny-games-in-the-mid-1990s-it-was-my/) [Michael Haneke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-haneke/) > [I knew very little about Rugby. But, I think it helps in terms of an American audience the game is enough like football in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-damon/i-knew-very-little-about-rugby-but-i-think-it-helps-in-terms-of-an/) [Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/) > [I got to learn from the American audience. Hearing what it is they're not getting. These are audiences, 35 to 40, an older demographic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-riegert/i-got-to-learn-from-the-american-audience-hearing-what-it-is-they-re/) [Peter Riegert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-riegert/) > [“If Lister had nursed any hope that his diligence and reasoned argument concerning his antiseptic system would convert the American audience, he would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-fitzharris/if-lister-had-nursed-any-hope-that-his-diligence-and-reasoned/) [Lindsey Fitzharris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-fitzharris/) > [I always intended to be light and open. I misjudged the American audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-hannah/i-always-intended-to-be-light-and-open-i-misjudged-the-american/) [Barry Hannah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-hannah/) > [I think the composer and production staff of an opera have a real responsibility to use visual elements of all kinds to make clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eaton/i-think-the-composer-and-production-staff-of-an-opera-have-a-real/) [John Eaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eaton/) > [The American audience has really opened up to women being A.) funny and B.) kinda crude. 'Bridesmaids' is R-rated, and I think it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pratt/the-american-audience-has-really-opened-up-to-women-being-a-funny-and/) [Chris Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pratt/) > [By now, the corporations that dominate our media, like alcoholic fat cats, treat this situation as theirs by right... Their concept of a diversity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bagdikian/by-now-the-corporations-that-dominate-our-media-like-alcoholic-fat/) [Ben Bagdikian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bagdikian/) > [The thing about watching a show about the Iraq war, especially for an American audience, is that it reminds them they're responsible in some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-macfarlane/the-thing-about-watching-a-show-about-the-iraq-war-especially-for-an/) [Luke Macfarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-macfarlane/) > [There are actually quite high profile British TV star cameos in it that you probably wouldn't even notice, that the British wouldn't even notice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-pegg/there-are-actually-quite-high-profile-british-tv-star-cameos-in-it/) [Simon Pegg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-pegg/) > [Very difficult to understand American audience, what they like, what they don't like. Some movie I like very much, it doesn't work. Some movie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-chan/very-difficult-to-understand-american-audience-what-they-like-what/) [Jackie Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-chan/) > [I'm fascinated to see how 'Black Watch' connects with an American audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tiffany/i-m-fascinated-to-see-how-black-watch-connects-with-an-american/) [John Tiffany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tiffany/) ## More by John Kenneth Galbraith > [Getting on the cover of TIME guarantees the existence of opposition in the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/getting-on-the-cover-of-time-guarantees-the-existence-of-opposition/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [Technology means the systematic application of scientific or other organized knowledge to practical tasks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/technology-means-the-systematic-application-of-scientific-or-other/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [“Men can labor to make sense out of single steps toward the goal without ever pausing to reflect that the goal itself is ludicrous.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/men-can-labor-to-make-sense-out-of-single-steps-toward-the-goal/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [Consumer wants can have bizarre, frivolous, or even immoral origins, and an admirable case can still be made for a society that seeks to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/consumer-wants-can-have-bizarre-frivolous-or-even-immoral-origins-and/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [That one never need to look beyond the love of money for explanation of human behavior is one of the most jealously guarded simplification…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/that-one-never-need-to-look-beyond-the-love-of-money-for-explanation/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [Agriculture is one economic activity that does not obey the laws of demand and supply.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/agriculture-is-one-economic-activity-that-does-not-obey-the-laws-of/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [If we were not in Vietnam, all that part of the world would be enjoying the obscurity it so richly deserves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/if-we-were-not-in-vietnam-all-that-part-of-the-world-would-be/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [Washington is a place where men praise courage and act on elaborate personal cost-benefit calculations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/washington-is-a-place-where-men-praise-courage-and-act-on-elaborate/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [World War II revealed two of the enduring features of the Keynesian Revolution. One was the moral difference between spending for welfare and spending…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/world-war-ii-revealed-two-of-the-enduring-features-of-the-keynesian/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [Money is what fueled the industrial society. But in the informational society, the fuel, the power, is knowledge. One has now come to see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/money-is-what-fueled-the-industrial-society-but-in-the-informational/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [While it will be desirable to achieve planned results, it will be even more important to avoid unplanned disasters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/while-it-will-be-desirable-to-achieve-planned-results-it-will-be-even/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [A bad book is the worse that it cannot repent. It has not been the devil's policy to keep the masses of mankind in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/a-bad-book-is-the-worse-that-it-cannot-repent-it-has-not-been-the/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [Genius is a rising stock market.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/genius-is-a-rising-stock-market/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [Mr. David Stockman has said that supply-side economics was merely a cover for the trickle-down approach to economic policy—what an older and less elegant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/mr-david-stockman-has-said-that-supply-side-economics-was-merely-a/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [Inventions that are not made, like babies that are not born, are rarely missed. In the absence of new developments, old ones may seem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/inventions-that-are-not-made-like-babies-that-are-not-born-are-rarely/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) [Explore all 434 John Kenneth Galbraith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) ## More American audience quotes > [I always intended to be light and open. I misjudged the American audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-hannah/i-always-intended-to-be-light-and-open-i-misjudged-the-american/) [Barry Hannah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-hannah/) > [By now, the corporations that dominate our media, like alcoholic fat cats, treat this situation as theirs by right... Their concept of a diversity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bagdikian/by-now-the-corporations-that-dominate-our-media-like-alcoholic-fat/) [Ben Bagdikian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bagdikian/) > [When I first envisioned 'Funny Games' in the mid-1990s, it was my intention to have an American audience watch the movie. It is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-haneke/when-i-first-envisioned-funny-games-in-the-mid-1990s-it-was-my/) [Michael Haneke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-haneke/) > [Very difficult to understand American audience, what they like, what they don't like. Some movie I like very much, it doesn't work. Some movie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-chan/very-difficult-to-understand-american-audience-what-they-like-what/) [Jackie Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-chan/) > [There are actually quite high profile British TV star cameos in it that you probably wouldn't even notice, that the British wouldn't even notice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-pegg/there-are-actually-quite-high-profile-british-tv-star-cameos-in-it/) [Simon Pegg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-pegg/) > [The thing about watching a show about the Iraq war, especially for an American audience, is that it reminds them they're responsible in some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-macfarlane/the-thing-about-watching-a-show-about-the-iraq-war-especially-for-an/) [Luke Macfarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-macfarlane/) > [The American audience has really opened up to women being A.) funny and B.) kinda crude. 'Bridesmaids' is R-rated, and I think it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pratt/the-american-audience-has-really-opened-up-to-women-being-a-funny-and/) [Chris Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pratt/) > [I think the composer and production staff of an opera have a real responsibility to use visual elements of all kinds to make clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eaton/i-think-the-composer-and-production-staff-of-an-opera-have-a-real/) [John Eaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eaton/) > [“If Lister had nursed any hope that his diligence and reasoned argument concerning his antiseptic system would convert the American audience, he would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-fitzharris/if-lister-had-nursed-any-hope-that-his-diligence-and-reasoned/) [Lindsey Fitzharris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-fitzharris/) > [I got to learn from the American audience. Hearing what it is they're not getting. These are audiences, 35 to 40, an older demographic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-riegert/i-got-to-learn-from-the-american-audience-hearing-what-it-is-they-re/) [Peter Riegert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-riegert/) > [I knew very little about Rugby. But, I think it helps in terms of an American audience the game is enough like football in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-damon/i-knew-very-little-about-rugby-but-i-think-it-helps-in-terms-of-an/) [Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/) > [I'm fascinated to see how 'Black Watch' connects with an American audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tiffany/i-m-fascinated-to-see-how-black-watch-connects-with-an-american/) [John Tiffany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tiffany/) > [If an American audience is given a serious musical theater piece that is well produced, dramatically gripping and wonderfully acted, they'll respond to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlisle-floyd/if-an-american-audience-is-given-a-serious-musical-theater-piece-that/) [Carlisle Floyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlisle-floyd/) > [The American audience has always without fail shown us very real emotions. We always try to just be ourselves and show them who Babymetal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzuka-nakamoto/the-american-audience-has-always-without-fail-shown-us-very-real/) [Suzuka Nakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzuka-nakamoto/) > [There is a lot of anxiety in India about writers selling out to foreign audiences, but I’m neither flattering the Indian audience nor the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pankaj-mishra/there-is-a-lot-of-anxiety-in-india-about-writers-selling-out-to/) [Pankaj Mishra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pankaj-mishra/) [Browse all 16 American audience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-audience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Economics is a subject profoundly conducive to cliche, resonant with boredom. On few topics is an American audience so practiced in turning off its ears and minds. 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