--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Greatest Generation gets too much…" description: "\"“The Greatest Generation gets too much credit. Those World War II guys, if they had all the shit we have today, they'd be assholes too. It's just circu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/345/louis-c-k-2-44734_greatest-generation_the-greatest-generation-gets-too-much-cr_293619.jpg" --- # The Greatest Generation gets too much credit. Those World… ![“The Greatest Generation gets too much credit. Those World War II guys, if they had all the shit we have today, they'd be assholes too. It's just circumstantial. It's what you're called on to do that makes you great. We haven't been called on to do anything but buy shit and get fat.” quote by Louis C.K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/345/louis-c-k-2-44734_greatest-generation_the-greatest-generation-gets-too-much-cr_293619.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/345/louis-c-k-2-44734_greatest-generation_the-greatest-generation-gets-too-much-cr_293619.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/345/louis-c-k-2-44734_greatest-generation_the-greatest-generation-gets-too-much-cr_293619.jpg) > ““The Greatest Generation gets too much credit. Those World War II guys, if they had all the shit we have today, they'd be assholes too. It's just circumstantial. It's what you're called on to do that makes you great. We haven't been called on to do anything but buy shit and get fat.”” [Louis C.K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Greatness stems from actions taken under pressure, not era or circumstance. **In simple terms:** Actions under pressure define greatness. Key Takeaway Focus on purposeful action. Themes responsibility character generational comparison Mood critical reflective Type observational social commentary When to use this quote - leadership - personal development - historical analysis Key Concepts moral philosophy social critique Questions to Reflect On - What pressures shape your character? - How do you avoid becoming complacent? A Different Perspective Greatness can be undermined by complacency and consumerism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Greatest generation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest-generation/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [World war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-war/) [World war ii](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-war-ii/) ## Related quotes > [Don't give up your 100% man /woman who bust they ass for you day and night making sure you secure ... Over some 10%…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frenchqueen/don-t-give-up-your-100-man-woman-who-bust-they-ass-for-you-day-and/) Frenchqueen > [Most people are assholes you just have to find the right asshole who will be nice to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/most-people-are-assholes-you-just-have-to-find-the-right-asshole-who/) [Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/) > [I don't need art to tell me people are assholes. I can just go into the streets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etgar-keret/i-don-t-need-art-to-tell-me-people-are-assholes-i-can-just-go-into/) [Etgar Keret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etgar-keret/) > [“When it came down to it, though, you had to remember all those assholes cutting you off in traffic and walking the streets and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/when-it-came-down-to-it-though-you-had-to-remember-all-those-assholes/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [Growing up in northern Kentucky, honesty, integrity and character were revered traits, and - with my family - I looked to the greatest generation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/growing-up-in-northern-kentucky-honesty-integrity-and-character-were/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [For Americans of the Greatest Generation that fought World War II and of the Silent Generation that came of age in the 1950s, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/for-americans-of-the-greatest-generation-that-fought-world-war-ii-and/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [What a great time to be born! What a great time to be alive! Because this generation gets to essentially completely change the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-hawken/what-a-great-time-to-be-born-what-a-great-time-to-be-alive-because-2/) [Paul Hawken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-hawken/) > [“Imagine the amazing good fortune of the generation that gets to see the end of the world. This is as marvelous as being there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baudrillard/imagine-the-amazing-good-fortune-of-the-generation-that-gets-to-see-2/) [Jean Baudrillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baudrillard/) > [Imagine the amazing good fortune of the generation that gets to see the end of the world. This is as marvelous as being there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baudrillard/imagine-the-amazing-good-fortune-of-the-generation-that-gets-to-see/) [Jean Baudrillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baudrillard/) > [What a great time to be born, what a great time to be alive, because this generation gets to completely change this world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-hawken/what-a-great-time-to-be-born-what-a-great-time-to-be-alive-because/) [Paul Hawken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-hawken/) > [“Every generation gets stuck in own youth and then scolds succeeding generations for sticking in their youth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryanna-reid/every-generation-gets-stuck-in-own-youth-and-then-scolds-succeeding/) Bryanna Reid > [Every generation gets a chance to change the world Pity the nation that won't listen to your boys and girls Cos the sweetest melody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvin-toffler/every-generation-gets-a-chance-to-change-the-world-pity-the-nation/) [Alvin Toffler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvin-toffler/) > [Each generation gets more accepting which is great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willam-belli/each-generation-gets-more-accepting-which-is-great/) [Willam Belli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willam-belli/) > [Every generation gets the Constitution that it deserves. As the central preoccupations of an era make their way into the legal system, the Supreme…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-feldman/every-generation-gets-the-constitution-that-it-deserves-as-the/) [Noah Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-feldman/) > [There is no limit to the amount of good you can do if you don't care who gets the credit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/there-is-no-limit-to-the-amount-of-good-you-can-do-if-you-don-t-care/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) ## More by Louis C.K > [“Why am I angry? Every morning, I wake up, I open my eyes, remember who and what I am and I say, “Yuck.” Then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k-2/why-am-i-angry-every-morning-i-wake-up-i-open-my-eyes-remember-who/) [Louis C.K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k-2/) > [“I’m bored’ is a useless thing to say. You live in a great, big, vast world that you’ve seen none percent of. Even the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k-2/i-m-bored-is-a-useless-thing-to-say-you-live-in-a-great-big-vast/) [LOUIS C.K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k-2/) > [“As humans, we waste the shit out of our words. It’s sad. We use words like “awesome” and “wonderful” like they’re candy. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k-2/as-humans-we-waste-the-shit-out-of-our-words-it-s-sad-we-use-words/) [Louis C.K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k-2/) > [“Pamela, I’m in love with you. Yeah, it’s that bad. You’re so beautiful to me. Shut up! Lemme tell you. Let me. Every time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k-2/pamela-i-m-in-love-with-you-yeah-it-s-that-bad-you-re-so-beautiful-to/) [Louis C.K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k-2/) > [“I love being white. Seriously, I really do. If you're not white, your missing out. 'Cuz this shit is thoroughly good. Let me clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k-2/i-love-being-white-seriously-i-really-do-if-you-re-not-white-your/) [Louis C.K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k-2/) > [“Fuck it... That's really the attitude that keeps a family together, it's not "we love each other", it's just "fuck it, man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k-2/fuck-it-that-s-really-the-attitude-that-keeps-a-family-together-it-s/) [Louis C.K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k-2/) > [“Shut up…let me tell you, LET ME. Every time I look at your face or even remember it, it wrecks me. And the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k-2/shut-up-let-me-tell-you-let-me-every-time-i-look-at-your-face-or-even/) [Louis C.K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k-2/) > [“This kind of thing is so awkward and horrible, and from your end, you know it must… Okay, I’m just going to come out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k-2/this-kind-of-thing-is-so-awkward-and-horrible-and-from-your-end-you/) [Louis C.K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k-2/) [Explore all 9 Louis C.K quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k-2/) ## More Greatest generation quotes > [Growing up in northern Kentucky, honesty, integrity and character were revered traits, and - with my family - I looked to the greatest generation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/growing-up-in-northern-kentucky-honesty-integrity-and-character-were/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [I often think that the Greatest Generation gave birth to the Crappiest Generation, the stinky hippies with their slacktivism and demand for government welfare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-loesch/i-often-think-that-the-greatest-generation-gave-birth-to-the/) [Dana Loesch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-loesch/) > [And now that the Greatest Generation is getting older, I think it is the responsibility of all Americans to make sure we do our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/and-now-that-the-greatest-generation-is-getting-older-i-think-it-is/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [There's one big difference between me and the others - I won't take every last dime of the surplus and spend it on tax…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/there-s-one-big-difference-between-me-and-the-others-i-won-t-take/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [The men and women of the Greatest Generation answered the call to serve; whether at home or abroad, they defended the freedoms and liberties…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-tuberville/the-men-and-women-of-the-greatest-generation-answered-the-call-to/) [Tommy Tuberville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-tuberville/) > [If someone tries to tell you you are the greatest generation in the history of America, don't believe them. You aren't. You have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-mcdowell/if-someone-tries-to-tell-you-you-are-the-greatest-generation-in-the/) [Josh McDowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-mcdowell/) > [“Through enjoyment we endure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-ditlow/through-enjoyment-we-endure/) Florence Ditlow > [I want to be the greatest investigative reporter of my generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/i-want-to-be-the-greatest-investigative-reporter-of-my-generation/) [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) > [“Kaitlin said, "I'm so sick of that 'Greatest Generation' crap. We finally drove a silver nail through the heart of Generation X, only to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/kaitlin-said-i-m-so-sick-of-that-greatest-generation-crap-we-finally/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [“The Greatest Generation? They tell me I am a member of the greatest generation. That's because I saw combat duty as a bombardier in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/the-greatest-generation-they-tell-me-i-am-a-member-of-the-greatest/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [“It was not, Zelda wrote, prosperity or the softness of life, or any instability that marred the war generation; it was a great emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-milford/it-was-not-zelda-wrote-prosperity-or-the-softness-of-life-or-any/) [Nancy Milford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-milford/) > [Think of it as your ticket to change the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-brokaw/think-of-it-as-your-ticket-to-change-the-world/) [Tom Brokaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-brokaw/) > [For Americans of the Greatest Generation that fought World War II and of the Silent Generation that came of age in the 1950s, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/for-americans-of-the-greatest-generation-that-fought-world-war-ii-and/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [May we never forget the service and sacrifice of our 'Greatest Generation.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-suozzi/may-we-never-forget-the-service-and-sacrifice-of-our-greatest/) [Tom Suozzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-suozzi/) > [We have the new greatest generation. We don't need as large a military due to the technology we have, the equipment we have outfitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-wilson/we-have-the-new-greatest-generation-we-don-t-need-as-large-a-military/) [Joe Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-wilson/) [Browse all 47 Greatest generation quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest-generation/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The Greatest Generation gets too much credit. Those World War II guys, if they had all the shit we have today, they'd be assholes too. It's just circumstantial. It's what you're called on to do that makes you great. We haven't been called on to do anything but buy shit and get fat.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Louis C.K" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k-2/the-greatest-generation-gets-too-much-credit-those-world-war-ii-guys/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Greatest generation" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k-2/the-greatest-generation-gets-too-much-credit-those-world-war-ii-guys/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/345/louis-c-k-2-44734_greatest-generation_the-greatest-generation-gets-too-much-cr_293619.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/345/louis-c-k-2-44734_greatest-generation_the-greatest-generation-gets-too-much-cr_293619.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/345/louis-c-k-2-44734_greatest-generation_the-greatest-generation-gets-too-much-cr_293619.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The Greatest Generation gets too much credit. Those World War II guys, if they had all the shit we have…” — Louis C.K", "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": "Louis C.K", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k-2/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The Greatest Generation gets too much...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k-2/the-greatest-generation-gets-too-much-credit-those-world-war-ii-guys/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k-2/the-greatest-generation-gets-too-much-credit-those-world-war-ii-guys/#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 } } ] } ```