--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Being American is, I think, a very…" description: "\"Being American is, I think, a very difficult thing in art, because all the elements are European.\" — Kingsley Amis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/312/kingsley-amis-5258_american_being-american-is-i-think-a-very-difficu_2267143.png" --- # Being American is, I think, a very difficult thing in art… ![“Being American is, I think, a very difficult thing in art, because all the elements are European.” quote by Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/312/kingsley-amis-5258_american_being-american-is-i-think-a-very-difficu_2267143.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/312/kingsley-amis-5258_american_being-american-is-i-think-a-very-difficu_2267143.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/312/kingsley-amis-5258_american_being-american-is-i-think-a-very-difficu_2267143.png) > “Being American is, I think, a very difficult thing in art, because all the elements are European.” [Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Notes the paradox of American art being heavily influenced by European traditions, making authenticity challenging. **In simple terms:** American art feels European; authenticity is hard. Key Takeaway Embrace diverse influences while seeking unique voice. Themes art identity culture Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type artistic philosophical When to use this quote - art criticism - creative workshops - educational curricula - museum curation Key Concepts postcolonialism cultural hybridity Questions to Reflect On - What defines a nation's artistic identity? - How can artists balance influence and originality? A Different Perspective Defining a distinct national art may limit creative exchange. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Art Elements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-elements-5240336/) [Art is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-is/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult/) [Difficult thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult-thing/) [Difficult things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult-things/) [Elements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elements/) [Think Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-difficult-321034/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Landing the airplane I think is the most difficult thing that I've every learned to do in my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lipton/landing-the-airplane-i-think-is-the-most-difficult-thing-that-i-ve/) [James Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lipton/) > [I think the most difficult thing had been scaling the infrastructure. Trying to support the response we had received from our users and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-fanning/i-think-the-most-difficult-thing-had-been-scaling-the-infrastructure/) [Shawn Fanning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-fanning/) > [I just think the most difficult thing to displace is privilege.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-connery/i-just-think-the-most-difficult-thing-to-displace-is-privilege/) [Sean Connery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-connery/) > [The fact that I didn't speak English I think was the most difficult thing for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anastasia-soare/the-fact-that-i-didn-t-speak-english-i-think-was-the-most-difficult/) [Anastasia Soare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anastasia-soare/) > [I think the difficult thing is the transition between TV competition series and going into the actual music industry. There still seems to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-lambert/i-think-the-difficult-thing-is-the-transition-between-tv-competition/) [Adam Lambert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-lambert/) > [They take the circuits out of people’s brains that make it possible for them to think for themselves. Their world is like the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/they-take-the-circuits-out-of-people-s-brains-that-make-it-possible/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [I think one of the most difficult things for anyone who's played baseball is to accept the fact that maybe the players today are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-kiner/i-think-one-of-the-most-difficult-things-for-anyone-who-s-played/) [Ralph Kiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-kiner/) > [“I think the most difficult things that we sacrifice are the things that we have to sacrifice daily.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-foreman/i-think-the-most-difficult-things-that-we-sacrifice-are-the-things/) [Tim Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-foreman/) > [I think that's one of the most difficult things in any marriage - in order to build anything, you must be together. You can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/i-think-that-s-one-of-the-most-difficult-things-in-any-marriage-in/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) > [I think the two most difficult things to deal with in life are failure and success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lee-roth/i-think-the-two-most-difficult-things-to-deal-with-in-life-are/) [David Lee Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lee-roth/) > [The DACA situation is a very, very difficult thing for me because, I love these kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/the-daca-situation-is-a-very-very-difficult-thing-for-me-because-i/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [It is a difficult thing to like anybody else's ideas of being funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/it-is-a-difficult-thing-to-like-anybody-else-s-ideas-of-being-funny/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [I am facing the most difficult thing of my life, my own greatest failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/i-am-facing-the-most-difficult-thing-of-my-life-my-own-greatest/) [Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/) > [This is a very difficult thing to remain independent and persistent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/this-is-a-very-difficult-thing-to-remain-independent-and-persistent/) [John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/) > [Maintaining marriage seems to be tougher than fatherhood: apparently its the most difficult thing in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-slater/maintaining-marriage-seems-to-be-tougher-than-fatherhood-apparently/) [Kelly Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-slater/) ## More by Kingsley Amis > [To refer even in passing to unpublished or struggling authors and their problems is to put oneself at some risk, so I will say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/to-refer-even-in-passing-to-unpublished-or-struggling-authors-and/) [Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/) > [Never despise a drink because it is easy to make and/or uses commercial mixes. Unquestioning devotion to authenticity is, in any department of life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/never-despise-a-drink-because-it-is-easy-to-make-and-or-uses/) [Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/) > [“There was no excuse which didn't consist of inexcusable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/there-was-no-excuse-which-didn-t-consist-of-inexcusable/) [Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/) > [The rewards for being sane may not be very many, but knowing what's funny is one of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/the-rewards-for-being-sane-may-not-be-very-many-but-knowing-what-s/) [Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/) > [The human race has not devised any way of dissolving barriers, getting to know the other chap fast, breaking the ice, that is one-tenth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/the-human-race-has-not-devised-any-way-of-dissolving-barriers-getting/) [Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/) > [“{Rogers} sexual aim is “to convert a creature who is cool, dry, calm, articulate, independent, purposeful into a creature who is the opposite of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/rogers-sexual-aim-is-to-convert-a-creature-who-is-cool-dry-calm/) [Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/) > [If there's one word that sums up everything that's gone wrong since the war, it's Workshop. After Youth, that is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/if-there-s-one-word-that-sums-up-everything-that-s-gone-wrong-since/) [Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/) > [Jake was close to tears. In that moment he saw the world in its true light, as a place where nothing had ever been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/jake-was-close-to-tears-in-that-moment-he-saw-the-world-in-its-true/) [Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/) > [It scored right away with me by being the smooth, fine-grained sort, not the coarse flaky, dry-on-the-outside rubbish full of chunds of gut and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/it-scored-right-away-with-me-by-being-the-smooth-fine-grained-sort/) [Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/) > [It's never pleasant to have one's unquestioning beliefs put in their historical context, as I know from experience, I can assure you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/it-s-never-pleasant-to-have-one-s-unquestioning-beliefs-put-in-their/) [Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/) > [“Jake did a quick run-through of women in his mind, not of the ones he had known or dealt with in the past few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/jake-did-a-quick-run-through-of-women-in-his-mind-not-of-the-ones-he/) [Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/) > [“I don't allow people of your sort to stand in my way. That's what you're leaving out of account. I'm having Christine because it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/i-don-t-allow-people-of-your-sort-to-stand-in-my-way-that-s-what-you/) [Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/) > [If you are using an adverb, you have got the verb wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/if-you-are-using-an-adverb-you-have-got-the-verb-wrong/) [Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/) > [Outside every fat man there is an even fatter man trying to close in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/outside-every-fat-man-there-is-an-even-fatter-man-trying-to-close-in/) [Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/) > [“When the bishop farted we were amused to hear about it. Should the ploughboy find treasure we must be told. But when the ploughboy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/when-the-bishop-farted-we-were-amused-to-hear-about-it-should-the/) [Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/) [Explore all 102 Kingsley Amis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/) ## More American quotes > [I wasn't attracted to American cinema, but I fell in love with Los Angeles the minute I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-wasn-t-attracted-to-american-cinema-but-i-fell-in-love-with-los/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [William Maxwell's my favorite North American writer, I think. And an Irish writer who used to write for 'The New Yorker' called Maeve Brennan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/william-maxwell-s-my-favorite-north-american-writer-i-think-and-an/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [I have fallen in love with American names, the sharp names that never get fat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vincent-benet/i-have-fallen-in-love-with-american-names-the-sharp-names-that-never/) [Stephen Vincent Benet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vincent-benet/) > [I really like a lot of American country stuff, so my music has that influence, but I don't like to be set within a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade-bird/i-really-like-a-lot-of-american-country-stuff-so-my-music-has-that/) [Jade Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade-bird/) > [I certainly don't think that the heirs of the American Revolution were a particularly noble class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-brands/i-certainly-don-t-think-that-the-heirs-of-the-american-revolution/) [H. W. Brands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-w-brands/) > [Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act in a tremendous investment to support millions of workers without a paycheck and behind on bills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-auchincloss/congress-passed-the-american-rescue-plan-act-in-a-tremendous/) [Jake Auchincloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-auchincloss/) > [Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy and employ almost half of the working population. Yet because of their size, they rarely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-lipinski/small-businesses-are-the-backbone-of-the-american-economy-and-employ/) [Dan Lipinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-lipinski/) > [Although I write in English, and despite the fact that I'm from America, I consider myself an Armenian writer. The words I use are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/although-i-write-in-english-and-despite-the-fact-that-i-m-from/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/when-we-first-sold-the-wallace-and-gromit-shorts-to-america-people/) [Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/) > [Firefighters and rescue workers are American superheroes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-kennedy/firefighters-and-rescue-workers-are-american-superheroes/) [Kerry Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-kennedy/) > [France has not only built a bureaucratic barrier against American culture, it has constructed a notorious intellectual case against it as well. The French…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/france-has-not-only-built-a-bureaucratic-barrier-against-american/) [Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/) > [New York and San Francisco are distinctly different. San Francisco is driving the American media, not New York. You have young, microwaved millionaires and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-whitlock/new-york-and-san-francisco-are-distinctly-different-san-francisco-is/) [Jason Whitlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-whitlock/) > [Well look, CIA is an agency that has to collect intelligence, do operations. We have to take risks and it's important that we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/well-look-cia-is-an-agency-that-has-to-collect-intelligence-do/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [Food as a hobby used to be an elite pastime, and it has become something that is totally ordinary for people of every background.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-goodyear/food-as-a-hobby-used-to-be-an-elite-pastime-and-it-has-become/) [Dana Goodyear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-goodyear/) > [It's important for American soldiers to be culturally sensitive when deployed in foreign countries. But it's just as important for the U.S. never to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/it-s-important-for-american-soldiers-to-be-culturally-sensitive-when/) [Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/) [Browse all 7,717 American quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Being American is, I think, a very difficult thing in art, because all the elements are European.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kingsley Amis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/being-american-is-i-think-a-very-difficult-thing-in-art-because-all/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "American" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/being-american-is-i-think-a-very-difficult-thing-in-art-because-all/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/312/kingsley-amis-5258_american_being-american-is-i-think-a-very-difficu_2267143.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/312/kingsley-amis-5258_american_being-american-is-i-think-a-very-difficu_2267143.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/312/kingsley-amis-5258_american_being-american-is-i-think-a-very-difficu_2267143.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Being American is, I think, a very difficult thing in art, because all the elements are European.” — Kingsley Amis", "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": "Kingsley Amis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Being American is, I think, a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/being-american-is-i-think-a-very-difficult-thing-in-art-because-all/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/being-american-is-i-think-a-very-difficult-thing-in-art-because-all/#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 } } ] } ```