--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I always feel that there are no final…" description: "\"I always feel that there are no final victories and no final defeats. But it's true that America is in a hole right now. There are a lot of dead fish i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/434/john-sayles-12623_america_i-always-feel-that-there-are-no-final-vi_1714323.png" --- # I always feel that there are no final victories and no… ![“I always feel that there are no final victories and no final defeats. But it's true that America is in a hole right now. There are a lot of dead fish in the water.” quote by John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/434/john-sayles-12623_america_i-always-feel-that-there-are-no-final-vi_1714323.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/434/john-sayles-12623_america_i-always-feel-that-there-are-no-final-vi_1714323.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/434/john-sayles-12623_america_i-always-feel-that-there-are-no-final-vi_1714323.png) > “I always feel that there are no final victories and no final defeats. But it's true that America is in a hole right now. There are a lot of dead fish in the water.” [John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life has no ultimate wins or losses; currently America faces deep problems, symbolized by dead fish in troubled waters. **In simple terms:** No final victories, only ongoing struggles. Key Takeaway Recognize challenges and keep working toward improvement. Themes society politics hope Mood concerned determined Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - political discourse - social activism - community building - media analysis Key Concepts systemic decay resilience Questions to Reflect On - What actions can address systemic failures? - How can we maintain hope amid crisis? A Different Perspective Optimism may overlook structural issues; focusing on defeat can be demoralizing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Dead Fish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dead-fish-791031/) [Defeat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defeat/) [Defeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defeats/) [Defeats True](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defeats-true-1276964/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Feel Final](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel-final-1276965/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Final Defeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/final-defeats-1276963/) [Finals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finals/) [Fish tanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fish-tanks/) [Fishes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fishes/) [Holes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holes/) [Right now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-now/) [Victory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victory/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) ## Related quotes > [Why he would agree to install an eight-by-eight-foot fish tank and then not fill it with a single dolphin made me want to burn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-handler/why-he-would-agree-to-install-an-eight-by-eight-foot-fish-tank-and/) [Chelsea Handler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-handler/) > [Is this chicken what I have or is this fish? I know it's tuna. But it says chicken. By the sea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-simpson/is-this-chicken-what-i-have-or-is-this-fish-i-know-it-s-tuna-but-it-2/) [Jessica Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-simpson/) > [You can do anything with beer that you can do with wine. Beer is great for basting or marinating meat and fish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-wood/you-can-do-anything-with-beer-that-you-can-do-with-wine-beer-is-great/) [Grant Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-wood/) > [I don't like the sound of my phone ringing so I put my phone inside my fish tank. I can't hear it, but every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/i-don-t-like-the-sound-of-my-phone-ringing-so-i-put-my-phone-inside/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [You have to kill to survive. People have been doing it forever. I eat meat, and I eat fish. If I were on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benicio-del-toro/you-have-to-kill-to-survive-people-have-been-doing-it-forever-i-eat/) [Benicio Del Toro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benicio-del-toro/) > [99.99% of all castles in America are located in fish tanks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/99-99-of-all-castles-in-america-are-located-in-fish-tanks/) [Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/) > [I'm going to gut you like a fish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-m-going-to-gut-you-like-a-fish/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [I also have a lot of preserved foods, things that will keep for a long time like dried fish, seaweed or lotus seed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-yan/i-also-have-a-lot-of-preserved-foods-things-that-will-keep-for-a-long/) [Martin Yan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-yan/) > [I'm on this diet where you're supposed to eat only fish and meat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lasse-hallstrom/i-m-on-this-diet-where-you-re-supposed-to-eat-only-fish-and-meat/) [Lasse Hallstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lasse-hallstrom/) > [ "Fish Tank" \[my favorite woman-directed film\] by Andrea Arnold. The film is so beautifully shot, and I love the raw energy of Katie Jarvis,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-nielsen-horanyi/fish-tank-my-favorite-woman-directed-film-by-andrea-arnold-the-film/) [Nicole Nielsen Horanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-nielsen-horanyi/) > [Their diet is basically boiled vegetables, fish and rice. No fat, no sugar. You notice when you live there that there are no fat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arsene-wenger/their-diet-is-basically-boiled-vegetables-fish-and-rice-no-fat-no/) [Arsene Wenger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arsene-wenger/) > [The fact that we're catching more fish per person than we've ever done before doesn't mean that there are not particular places where we've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjorn-lomborg/the-fact-that-we-re-catching-more-fish-per-person-than-we-ve-ever/) [Bjorn Lomborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjorn-lomborg/) > [It is our art that has an opportunity to leave a footprint in the sand. They don't wrap fish in our work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-newell-jacobsen/it-is-our-art-that-has-an-opportunity-to-leave-a-footprint-in-the/) [Hugh Newell Jacobsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-newell-jacobsen/) > [What's the two things they tell you are healthiest to eat? Chicken and fish. You know what you should do? Combine them, eat a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-attell/what-s-the-two-things-they-tell-you-are-healthiest-to-eat-chicken-and/) [Dave Attell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-attell/) > [No toys in the fish tank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-lord/no-toys-in-the-fish-tank/) [Cynthia Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-lord/) ## More by John Sayles > [But compared to writing a novel, where you can be God, I did the Bay of Pigs invasion in six pages once, and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/but-compared-to-writing-a-novel-where-you-can-be-god-i-did-the-bay-of/) [John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/) > [Not that I've always loved the movie when they finally come out, or if they ever come out-because many of them don't come out-but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/not-that-i-ve-always-loved-the-movie-when-they-finally-come-out-or-if/) [John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/) > [I think I got spoiled and that writing a short story and getting it published, or writing a novel and getting it published, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/i-think-i-got-spoiled-and-that-writing-a-short-story-and-getting-it/) [John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/) > [I never thought about being a writer as I grew up. A writer wasn't something I wanted to be. An outfielder was something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/i-never-thought-about-being-a-writer-as-i-grew-up-a-writer-wasn-t/) [John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/) > [My argument has always been that this is not an anti-Bush film, it's a pro-democracy film. And if Bush comes out on the wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/my-argument-has-always-been-that-this-is-not-an-anti-bush-film-it-s-a/) [John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/) > [To this day, I get rewrite offers where they say: 'We feel this script needs work with character, dialogue, plot and tone,' and when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/to-this-day-i-get-rewrite-offers-where-they-say-we-feel-this-script/) [John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/) > [And it was out in the theaters in two weeks. This is not, 'We're going to develop twenty-five and maybe one's going to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/and-it-was-out-in-the-theaters-in-two-weeks-this-is-not-we-re-going/) [John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/) > [The media in America has become so cowed and compromised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/the-media-in-america-has-become-so-cowed-and-compromised/) [John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/) > [You get to say, 'Here's my philosophical idea about what the costume should like,' and the costume designer comes and gives you choices and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/you-get-to-say-here-s-my-philosophical-idea-about-what-the-costume/) [John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/) > [“There is great literature about imprisonment, . . . about the foot soldier, . . . about the sea -- but not one great work about flying.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/there-is-great-literature-about-imprisonment-about-the-foot-soldier/) [John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/) > [Sometimes people can't afford to work for you, or they're not interested or available, and you hate to have written the whole movie with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/sometimes-people-can-t-afford-to-work-for-you-or-they-re-not/) [John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/) > [I certainly grew up seeing more movies and television than I read books, but when it came time to do the thing itself you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/i-certainly-grew-up-seeing-more-movies-and-television-than-i-read/) [John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/) > [When I read a story or see something play out in front of me I say, how come nobody's made a movie or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/when-i-read-a-story-or-see-something-play-out-in-front-of-me-i-say/) [John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/) > [For me the writing, when I'm going to direct it myself, is really just the first draft, and I don't change it very much;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/for-me-the-writing-when-i-m-going-to-direct-it-myself-is-really-just/) [John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/) > [I remember being out here at the Sunset Marquis, and whoever knocked on the door, I would take that picture that I was writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sayles/i-remember-being-out-here-at-the-sunset-marquis-and-whoever-knocked/) [John Sayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/) [Explore all 54 John Sayles quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sayles/) ## 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": "I always feel that there are no final victories and no final defeats. But it's true that America is in a hole right now. 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