--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Growing up in America is like being…" description: "\"Growing up in America is like being taught to be stupid.\" — Lemmy" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d60/lemmy-6565_america_growing-up-in-america-is-like-being-taug_1370535.jpg" --- # Growing up in America is like being taught to be stupid. ![“Growing up in America is like being taught to be stupid.” quote by Lemmy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d60/lemmy-6565_america_growing-up-in-america-is-like-being-taug_1370535.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d60/lemmy-6565_america_growing-up-in-america-is-like-being-taug_1370535.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d60/lemmy-6565_america_growing-up-in-america-is-like-being-taug_1370535.jpg) > “Growing up in America is like being taught to be stupid.” [Lemmy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemmy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Growing up in America can feel like being forced into ignorance by cultural pressures. **In simple terms:** American upbringing can seem to suppress critical thinking. Key Takeaway Question societal narratives. Themes education culture critical thinking Mood cynical reflective Type social commentary critical When to use this quote - school - media consumption - political discourse Key Concepts Americanism social conditioning Questions to Reflect On - How does media shape your perception of intelligence? - What experiences challenge this view? A Different Perspective The view may overlook positive aspects of American education. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) [Growing up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-up/) ## Related quotes > [Somebody like you taught somebody like me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/somebody-like-you-taught-somebody-like-me/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [I always like to learn, but I don't always like to be taught.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/i-always-like-to-learn-but-i-don-t-always-like-to-be-taught/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [Personally I'm always ready to learn, although I do not always like being taught.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/personally-i-m-always-ready-to-learn-although-i-do-not-always-like/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [I am always ready to learn although I do not always like being taught.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/i-am-always-ready-to-learn-although-i-do-not-always-like-being-taught/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [Maybe I was just born with a little bit of vocals or natural talent, but I feel like I taught myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryson-tiller/maybe-i-was-just-born-with-a-little-bit-of-vocals-or-natural-talent/) [Bryson Tiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryson-tiller/) > [I said to myself, I have things in my head that are not like what anyone has taught me - shapes and ideas so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-o-keeffe/i-said-to-myself-i-have-things-in-my-head-that-are-not-like-what-2/) [Georgia O'Keeffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-o-keeffe/) > [“I said to myself 'I have things in my head that are not like what anyone has taught me--shapes and idea so near to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-o-keeffe/i-said-to-myself-i-have-things-in-my-head-that-are-not-like-what/) [Georgia O'Keeffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-o-keeffe/) > [“Mind you, after your silly debutantes have finished their proper posture and walking lessons, tell them it never killed any young lady to remove…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaelen-foley/mind-you-after-your-silly-debutantes-have-finished-their-proper/) [Gaelen Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaelen-foley/) > [However judicious academics may be - not like me - they are all taught to see through crap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/however-judicious-academics-may-be-not-like-me-they-are-all-taught-to/) [Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/) > [What would America be like if we loved black people as much as we loved black culture?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amandla-stenberg/what-would-america-be-like-if-we-loved-black-people-as-much-as-we/) [Amandla Stenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amandla-stenberg/) > [One thing I like about the United States, and I kind of miss about the United States, is there's an election coming up here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/one-thing-i-like-about-the-united-states-and-i-kind-of-miss-about-the/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [America is like the greatest hit of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-gutfeld/america-is-like-the-greatest-hit-of-the-world/) [Greg Gutfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-gutfeld/) > [I so wreak of logic and commonsense that it is obviously very refreshing in this world of otherwise soulless politically correct denial and dishonesty.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nugent/i-so-wreak-of-logic-and-commonsense-that-it-is-obviously-very/) [Ted Nugent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nugent/) > [Most countries are static, and they need to do is keep having babies. But America's like this big old clanking smoking machine that just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/most-countries-are-static-and-they-need-to-do-is-keep-having-babies/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [America is rather like life. You can usually find in it what you look for It will probably be interesting, and it is sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/america-is-rather-like-life-you-can-usually-find-in-it-what-you-look/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) ## More by Lemmy > [Eddie Cochran - I never got to see him live, but he could play. Him and Buddy Holly, they were the best guitarists. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemmy/eddie-cochran-i-never-got-to-see-him-live-but-he-could-play-him-and/) [Lemmy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemmy/) > ['Bomber' was the first song I wrote about war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemmy/bomber-was-the-first-song-i-wrote-about-war/) [Lemmy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemmy/) > [I don't really have the voice for love songs, do I?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemmy/i-don-t-really-have-the-voice-for-love-songs-do-i/) [Lemmy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemmy/) > [My hearing is usually O.K.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemmy/my-hearing-is-usually-o-k/) [Lemmy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemmy/) > [I like touring; I live on the road, more or less.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemmy/i-like-touring-i-live-on-the-road-more-or-less/) [Lemmy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemmy/) > [All my dreams came true. There's not many people that can say that. I mean, most people have to work in a job they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemmy/all-my-dreams-came-true-there-s-not-many-people-that-can-say-that-i/) [Lemmy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemmy/) > [I always write about war, love, death, and injustice. There's plenty of that around, so I never run out of ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemmy/i-always-write-about-war-love-death-and-injustice-there-s-plenty-of/) [Lemmy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemmy/) > [From the beginning of time, the bad guys always had the best uniforms. Napoleon, the Confederates, the Nazis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemmy/from-the-beginning-of-time-the-bad-guys-always-had-the-best-uniforms/) [Lemmy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemmy/) > [It's very much up to you, how you shape your life. I mean, I missed out on human relationships. But looking at relationships that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemmy/it-s-very-much-up-to-you-how-you-shape-your-life-i-mean-i-missed-out/) [Lemmy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemmy/) > [The thing about death is it's so final, isn't it, really? As far as we know... Nobody has ever come back and told us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemmy/the-thing-about-death-is-it-s-so-final-isn-t-it-really-as-far-as-we/) [Lemmy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemmy/) > [Gay people are made and not born.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemmy/gay-people-are-made-and-not-born/) [Lemmy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemmy/) > [Some songs, you just can't shake; they keep creeping back into your set list.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemmy/some-songs-you-just-can-t-shake-they-keep-creeping-back-into-your-set/) [Lemmy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemmy/) > [I once fell through a hole in the stage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemmy/i-once-fell-through-a-hole-in-the-stage/) [Lemmy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemmy/) > [I was in the Rockin' Vicars, which was the first British band to tour behind the Iron Curtain. A lot of photos were taken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemmy/i-was-in-the-rockin-vicars-which-was-the-first-british-band-to-tour/) [Lemmy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemmy/) > [I don't eat vegetables. I eat potatoes and green beans, and that's it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemmy/i-don-t-eat-vegetables-i-eat-potatoes-and-green-beans-and-that-s-it/) [Lemmy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemmy/) [Explore all 98 Lemmy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemmy/) ## 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": "Growing up in America is like being taught to be stupid.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lemmy" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemmy/growing-up-in-america-is-like-being-taught-to-be-stupid/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "America" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemmy/growing-up-in-america-is-like-being-taught-to-be-stupid/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d60/lemmy-6565_america_growing-up-in-america-is-like-being-taug_1370535.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d60/lemmy-6565_america_growing-up-in-america-is-like-being-taug_1370535.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d60/lemmy-6565_america_growing-up-in-america-is-like-being-taug_1370535.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Growing up in America is like being taught to be stupid.” — Lemmy", "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": "Lemmy", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemmy/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Growing up in America is like...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemmy/growing-up-in-america-is-like-being-taught-to-be-stupid/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemmy/growing-up-in-america-is-like-being-taught-to-be-stupid/#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 } } ] } ```