--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: America is a country that doesn't know…" description: "\"America is a country that doesn't know where it is going but is determined to set a speed record getting there.\" — Laurence J. Peter" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0af/laurence-j-peter-2798_america_america-is-a-country-that-doesn-t-know-w_2276061.png" --- # America is a country that doesn't know where it is going… ![“America is a country that doesn't know where it is going but is determined to set a speed record getting there.” quote by Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0af/laurence-j-peter-2798_america_america-is-a-country-that-doesn-t-know-w_2276061.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0af/laurence-j-peter-2798_america_america-is-a-country-that-doesn-t-know-w_2276061.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0af/laurence-j-peter-2798_america_america-is-a-country-that-doesn-t-know-w_2276061.png) > “America is a country that doesn't know where it is going but is determined to set a speed record getting there.” [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. America lacks clear direction yet races forward, critiquing blind ambition and lack of purpose. **In simple terms:** USA rushes without a clear goal. Key Takeaway Seek purposeful progress over speed. Themes national identity direction speed purpose Mood critical inquisitive Type political philosophical When to use this quote - policy making - business strategy - personal career planning - educational reform Key Concepts political theory strategic planning cultural critique Questions to Reflect On - What defines a meaningful destination? - How can speed be balanced with purpose? A Different Perspective Speed may sacrifice quality and ethics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Determined](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/determined/) [Speed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speed/) ## Related quotes > [He moved in a way that suggested he was attempting the world speed record for the nonchalant walk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/he-moved-in-a-way-that-suggested-he-was-attempting-the-world-speed/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [This is America. In our country it doesn't matter a lick where you are from, it only matters where you're going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carole-radziwill/this-is-america-in-our-country-it-doesn-t-matter-a-lick-where-you-are/) [Carole Radziwill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carole-radziwill/) > [I hold the world speed record downhill, in a Rover. I think it was 17 kilometers per hour, downhill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-cernan/i-hold-the-world-speed-record-downhill-in-a-rover-i-think-it-was-17/) [Gene Cernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-cernan/) > [If you don't know where you're going, you will probably end up somewhere else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/if-you-don-t-know-where-you-re-going-you-will-probably-end-up/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [I'm ambitious and I'm determined and I know where I'm going to be. It's not where I want to be, but where I'm going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-whittle/i-m-ambitious-and-i-m-determined-and-i-know-where-i-m-going-to-be-it/) [Ricky Whittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-whittle/) > [Israel is not a European country and doesn't consider itself as such.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marine-le-pen/israel-is-not-a-european-country-and-doesn-t-consider-itself-as-such/) [Marine Le Pen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marine-le-pen/) > [If you have a full understanding of what we’re up against and the leadership of your country doesn’t, well, hello. That’s life in America…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/if-you-have-a-full-understanding-of-what-we-re-up-against-and-the/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [When I was young, I overheard a Brit say Canada wasn't a real country because it doesn't have any poets. Even then, I kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mcfadden/when-i-was-young-i-overheard-a-brit-say-canada-wasn-t-a-real-country/) David McFadden > [Americans don't win. Our country doesn't win. We don't win at trade. We don't win. We can't beat ISIS.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/americans-don-t-win-our-country-doesn-t-win-we-don-t-win-at-trade-we/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [If a country doesn't recognize minority rights and human rights, including women's rights, you will not have the kind of stability and prosperity that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/if-a-country-doesn-t-recognize-minority-rights-and-human-rights/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [I don't think, post 9/11, we're going to wait for real obvious things like Country A attacking Country B - because Country A doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-p-m-barnett/i-don-t-think-post-9-11-we-re-going-to-wait-for-real-obvious-things/) [Thomas P.M. Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-p-m-barnett/) > [We love this country, but it doesn't mean we can't improve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devin-mccourty/we-love-this-country-but-it-doesn-t-mean-we-can-t-improve-it/) [Devin McCourty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devin-mccourty/) > [“The glory of saving a country doesn't mean having to use the measures that contributed to its ruin!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-rizal/the-glory-of-saving-a-country-doesn-t-mean-having-to-use-the-measures/) [José Rizal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-rizal/) > [I think as English people, we don't want to be reminded that at one point we ruled three-quarters of the globe, and now we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-bell/i-think-as-english-people-we-don-t-want-to-be-reminded-that-at-one/) [Jamie Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-bell/) > [There are a lot of things wrong with the country, and that doesn't mean America sucks. It means we should improve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cenk-uygur/there-are-a-lot-of-things-wrong-with-the-country-and-that-doesn-t/) [Cenk Uygur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cenk-uygur/) ## More by Laurence J. Peter > [You don't need to take a persons advice to make him feel good, just ask him for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/you-don-t-need-to-take-a-persons-advice-to-make-him-feel-good-just/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [The surest sign that you haven't any sense is to argue with one who hasn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/the-surest-sign-that-you-haven-t-any-sense-is-to-argue-with-one-who/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [It is wise to remember that you are one of those who can be fooled some of the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/it-is-wise-to-remember-that-you-are-one-of-those-who-can-be-fooled/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Everyone rises to their level of incompetence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/everyone-rises-to-their-level-of-incompetence/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Give a child enough rope and he will trip you up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/give-a-child-enough-rope-and-he-will-trip-you-up/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Incompetence plus incompetence equals incompetence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/incompetence-plus-incompetence-equals-incompetence/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [He laughs best whose laugh lasts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/he-laughs-best-whose-laugh-lasts/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [The best intelligence test is what we do with our leisure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/the-best-intelligence-test-is-what-we-do-with-our-leisure/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [A man convinced against his will is not convinced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/a-man-convinced-against-his-will-is-not-convinced/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Bore : A fellow who can change the subject back to his topic of conversation faster than you can change it back to yours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/bore-a-fellow-who-can-change-the-subject-back-to-his-topic-of/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Men now monopolize the upper levels... depriving women of their rightful share of opportunities for incompetence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/men-now-monopolize-the-upper-levels-depriving-women-of-their-rightful/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [An optimist is one who makes the best of it when he gets the worst of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/an-optimist-is-one-who-makes-the-best-of-it-when-he-gets-the-worst-of/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [The seaman tells stories of winds, the ploughman of bulls; the soldier details his wounds, the shepherd his sheep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/the-seaman-tells-stories-of-winds-the-ploughman-of-bulls-the-soldier/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Nobody can be perfect unless he admits his faults, but if he has faults how can he be perfect?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/nobody-can-be-perfect-unless-he-admits-his-faults-but-if-he-has/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Early to bed, early to rise, work like hell, and advertise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/early-to-bed-early-to-rise-work-like-hell-and-advertise/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) [Explore all 148 Laurence J. Peter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) ## 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": "America is a country that doesn't know where it is going but is determined to set a speed record getting there.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Laurence J. 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