--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Americans have been conditioned to…" description: "\"Americans have been conditioned to respect newness, whatever it costs them.\" — John Updike" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d20/john-updike-396_america_americans-have-been-conditioned-to-respe_2430605.png" --- # Americans have been conditioned to respect newness… ![“Americans have been conditioned to respect newness, whatever it costs them.” quote by John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d20/john-updike-396_america_americans-have-been-conditioned-to-respe_2430605.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d20/john-updike-396_america_americans-have-been-conditioned-to-respe_2430605.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d20/john-updike-396_america_americans-have-been-conditioned-to-respe_2430605.png) > “Americans have been conditioned to respect newness, whatever it costs them.” [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Society prizes novelty even when it harms tradition or values. **In simple terms:** People chase new things despite costs. Key Takeaway Question the cost of novelty. Themes consumerism conformity values Mood critical reflective Type observational cautionary When to use this quote - marketing campaigns - technology adoption - fashion trends - urban development Key Concepts cultural conditioning psychology Questions to Reflect On - What are you sacrificing for the new? - How can tradition coexist with innovation? A Different Perspective Novelty can erode lasting quality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Americans Conditioned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/americans-conditioned-276586/) [Conditioned Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conditioned-respect-276587/) [Newness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/newness/) [Newness Costs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/newness-costs-276588/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Respect Newness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect-newness-276585/) ## Related quotes > [Americans have almost been conditioned to believe that the majority of people who seek to do us harm are those of Muslim descent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bennie-thompson/americans-have-almost-been-conditioned-to-believe-that-the-majority/) [Bennie Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bennie-thompson/) > [Americans have become conditioned to believe the world is a gray place without absolutes; this is because we're simultaneously both cowardly and arrogant. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/americans-have-become-conditioned-to-believe-the-world-is-a-gray-2/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [The newness effect of a new thing wears off in nine months to a year, but financial security can last a lifetime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-buettner/the-newness-effect-of-a-new-thing-wears-off-in-nine-months-to-a-year/) [Dan Buettner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-buettner/) > [Unicorns are not to be forgiven." The magician felt himself growing giddy with jealousy, not only of the touch but of something like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/unicorns-are-not-to-be-forgiven-the-magician-felt-himself-growing/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [It is only the surprise and newness of the thing which makes that misfortune terrible which by premeditation might be made easy to us.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/it-is-only-the-surprise-and-newness-of-the-thing-which-makes-that/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [“God works creatively with already existing realities to bring about newness. This understanding also entails the idea that the present (and future) is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-e-fretheim/god-works-creatively-with-already-existing-realities-to-bring-about/) [Terence E. Fretheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-e-fretheim/) > [“Enron was becoming a virtual cult of creativity, often placing swagger over substance. New ideas were celebrated for their newness, for their potential; tried…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-eichenwald/enron-was-becoming-a-virtual-cult-of-creativity-often-placing-swagger/) [Kurt Eichenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-eichenwald/) > [I believe that an artist working for and representing the Kingdom of God should do the best of their ability to show and prove…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-smith/i-believe-that-an-artist-working-for-and-representing-the-kingdom-of/) [Daniel Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-smith/) > [“death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-saucy/death-so-that-as-christ-was-raised-from-the-dead-through-the-glory-of/) [Robert Saucy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-saucy/) > [When you talk to people about the books that have meant a lot to them, it's usually books they read when they were younger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-sheidlower/when-you-talk-to-people-about-the-books-that-have-meant-a-lot-to-them/) [Jesse Sheidlower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-sheidlower/) > [“The resurrection power of Jesus secured for us a newness of life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-resurrection-power-of-jesus-secured-for-us-a-newness-of-life/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [from one minute to the next the present is merely an honorary past. It must be filled unceasingly anew to dissemble the curse it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/from-one-minute-to-the-next-the-present-is-merely-an-honorary-past-it/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [A lot of people believe that you don't need to know the history and that creates newness. I disagree: we should always be informed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-wilson/a-lot-of-people-believe-that-you-don-t-need-to-know-the-history-and/) [Louise Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-wilson/) > [Science is the only news. When you scan a news portal or magazine, all the human interest stuff is the same old he-said-she-said, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-brand/science-is-the-only-news-when-you-scan-a-news-portal-or-magazine-all/) [Stewart Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-brand/) > [The greatest success in life is to feel I’m something for someone; the feeling of falling in love, the newness of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-wilson/the-greatest-success-in-life-is-to-feel-i-m-something-for-someone-the/) [Dennis Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-wilson/) ## More by John Updike > [Life is a roller coaster, you have your ups and downs unless you fall off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/life-is-a-roller-coaster-you-have-your-ups-and-downs-unless-you-fall/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [Children are not a zoo of entertainingly exotic creatures, but an array of mirrors in which the human predicament leaps out at us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/children-are-not-a-zoo-of-entertainingly-exotic-creatures-but-an/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [I assume my stance, and take back the club, low, slowly; at the top, my eyes fog over, and my joints dip and swirl…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/i-assume-my-stance-and-take-back-the-club-low-slowly-at-the-top-my/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [The New England spirit does not seek solutions in a crowd; raw light and solitariness are less dreaded than welcomed as enhancers of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/the-new-england-spirit-does-not-seek-solutions-in-a-crowd-raw-light/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [I imagine most of that stuff on the information highway is roadkill anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/i-imagine-most-of-that-stuff-on-the-information-highway-is-roadkill/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [Families, doing everything for each other out of imagined obligation and always getting in each other's way, what a tangle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/families-doing-everything-for-each-other-out-of-imagined-obligation/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [“The fucking world is running out of gas.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/the-fucking-world-is-running-out-of-gas/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [The theme of old age doesn't seem to fascinate Hollywood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/the-theme-of-old-age-doesn-t-seem-to-fascinate-hollywood/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [“The mind cannot fall asleep as long as it watches itself. Only when the mind moves unwatched and becomes absorbed in images that tug…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/the-mind-cannot-fall-asleep-as-long-as-it-watches-itself-only-when/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [“it was somehow wonderful of her to be, in every detail, herself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/it-was-somehow-wonderful-of-her-to-be-in-every-detail-herself/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [In fiction, imaginary people become realer to us than any named celebrity glimpsed in a series of rumored events, whose causes and subtler ramifications…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/in-fiction-imaginary-people-become-realer-to-us-than-any-named/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [“Her hair had been going gray as long as he could remember; she bundled it behind in a bun held with hairpins that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/her-hair-had-been-going-gray-as-long-as-he-could-remember-she-bundled/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [Possession diminishes perception of value, immediately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/possession-diminishes-perception-of-value-immediately/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [I can't bear to finish things, beyond a certain point they get heavy. There's something so dead about a finished painting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/i-can-t-bear-to-finish-things-beyond-a-certain-point-they-get-heavy/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [“Some people find fall depressing, others hate spring. I've always been a spring person myself. All that growth, you can feel Nature groaning, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/some-people-find-fall-depressing-others-hate-spring-i-ve-always-been/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) [Explore all 592 John Updike quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) ## 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": "Americans have been conditioned to respect newness, whatever it costs them.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Updike" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/americans-have-been-conditioned-to-respect-newness-whatever-it-costs/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "America" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/americans-have-been-conditioned-to-respect-newness-whatever-it-costs/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d20/john-updike-396_america_americans-have-been-conditioned-to-respe_2430605.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d20/john-updike-396_america_americans-have-been-conditioned-to-respe_2430605.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d20/john-updike-396_america_americans-have-been-conditioned-to-respe_2430605.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Americans have been conditioned to respect newness, whatever it costs them.” — John Updike", "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 Updike", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Americans have been conditioned to respect...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/americans-have-been-conditioned-to-respect-newness-whatever-it-costs/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/americans-have-been-conditioned-to-respect-newness-whatever-it-costs/#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 } } ] } ```