America Quote by Leslie Fiedler
“To be an American (unlike being English or French or whatever) is precisely to imagine a destiny rather than to inherit one; since we have always been, insofar as we are Americans at all, inhabitants of myth rather than history.”
About This Quote
Source Book: “The American Dream”, 1970
American identity is imagined, rooted in myth rather than historical fact.
In simple terms: Americans create their destiny.
Key Takeaway
Embrace imagination.
Themes
identity
myth
destiny
Mood
reflective
introspective
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- education
- political rhetoric
- personal storytelling
Key Concepts
national narrative
cultural mythmaking
Questions to Reflect On
- What myths shape your life?
- How to reconcile myth with reality?
A Different Perspective
Myths can obscure real issues.
![“I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. [salutes]” quote by Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3d2/bill-hicks-970_america_i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumor_655.jpg)
