Car Quote by John Steinbeck
“There used to be a thing or a commodity we put great store by. It was called the People. Find out where the People have gone. I don't mean the square-eyed toothpaste-and-hair-dye people or the new-car-or-bust people, or the success-and-coronary people. Maybe they never existed, but if there ever were the People, that's the commodity the Declaration was talking about, and Mr. Lincoln.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, 1939
The quote laments the loss of genuine community, suggesting that modern society has replaced authentic human connection with superficial labels and material pursuits.
In simple terms: People have become a lost commodity in modern life.
Key Takeaway
Seek authentic community over superficial identities.
Themes
community
authenticity
materialism
identity
societal change
Mood
nostalgic
critical
reflective
Type
sociological
philosophical
commentary
When to use this quote
- political activism
- community building
- personal relationships
- urban planning
Key Concepts
social capital
collective identity
alienation
Questions to Reflect On
- What does “the People” mean to you today?
- How can we rebuild genuine community?
A Different Perspective
It may romanticize a past that never truly existed.
![“Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three [great teachers] did not tell - they catalyzed a burning desire to know. Under their influence, the horizons sprung wide and fear went away and the unknown became knowable. But most important of…” quote by John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/84c/john-steinbeck-71_art_teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-t_1738.jpg)
