--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One of the many things I do not…" description: "\"One of the many things I do not understand about Americans is this: what is it like to be a citizen of a superpower, to maintain democratically the mea..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88a/martin-amis-704_america_one-of-the-many-things-i-do-not-understa_3014959.jpg" --- # One of the many things I do not understand about Americans… ![“One of the many things I do not understand about Americans is this: what is it like to be a citizen of a superpower, to maintain democratically the means of planetary extinction. I wonder how this contributes to the dreamlife of America, a dreamlife that is so deep and troubled.” quote by Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88a/martin-amis-704_america_one-of-the-many-things-i-do-not-understa_3014959.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88a/martin-amis-704_america_one-of-the-many-things-i-do-not-understa_3014959.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88a/martin-amis-704_america_one-of-the-many-things-i-do-not-understa_3014959.jpg) > “One of the many things I do not understand about Americans is this: what is it like to be a citizen of a superpower, to maintain democratically the means of planetary extinction. I wonder how this contributes to the dreamlife of America, a dreamlife that is so deep and troubled.” [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote critiques the paradox of a superpower that holds the capacity for global destruction while maintaining democratic ideals, questioning how this shapes national identity and collective aspirations. **In simple terms:** It questions how a powerful nation can be both democratic and destructive. Key Takeaway Reflect on the moral responsibilities of power. Themes power democracy national identity responsibility paradox Mood critical thoughtful Type philosophical political When to use this quote - policy analysis - citizen education - media commentary Key Concepts political philosophy ethical dilemma collective psyche Questions to Reflect On - How does power shape a nation's self‑image? - What ethical frameworks can reconcile democracy with destructive capacity? A Different Perspective The democratic ideal may mask systemic violence and environmental risk. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Americans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/americans/) [Extinction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extinction/) [Superpower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superpower/) [Wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonder/) ## Related quotes > [I think progressives understand that we are Americans at the same time as we are global citizens. We are interested first and foremost in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-murphy/i-think-progressives-understand-that-we-are-americans-at-the-same/) [Chris Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-murphy/) > [Occasionally, I've been asked to do American roles, and once or twice I have, but I don't understand Americans. I don't have any real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-broadbent/occasionally-i-ve-been-asked-to-do-american-roles-and-once-or-twice-i/) [Jim Broadbent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-broadbent/) > [As a Republican, I know that myself and the overwhelming majority of the Republicans I have served or interacted with understand that Americans have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-lopez-cantera/as-a-republican-i-know-that-myself-and-the-overwhelming-majority-of/) [Carlos Lopez-Cantera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-lopez-cantera/) > [I understand why so many Americans are fed up with government. The 112th Congress was almost universally derided as the worst ever. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olympia-snowe/i-understand-why-so-many-americans-are-fed-up-with-government-the/) [Olympia Snowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olympia-snowe/) > [“I look at the people at Trump’s rallies, cheering for his hateful rants, and I wonder: Where’s their empathy and understanding? Why are they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/i-look-at-the-people-at-trump-s-rallies-cheering-for-his-hateful/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [This is the extreme left's problem in both television and in politics. Whether it be lousy ratings on TV or getting votes, if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trish-regan/this-is-the-extreme-left-s-problem-in-both-television-and-in-politics/) [Trish Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trish-regan/) > [I understand why so many Americans were angry when I was first discovered in Afghanistan. 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Realize that you've got a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-wendig/you-ve-got-all-these-characters-and-yet-you-re-hovering-over-one/) [Chuck Wendig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-wendig/) > [“I can take two people, throw a world of obstacles at them, defy the odds, and still give them a happily-ever-after. Together. I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-moran/i-can-take-two-people-throw-a-world-of-obstacles-at-them-defy-the/) [Kelly Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-moran/) > [If I had a superpower, it would be to teleport. The idea of seeing the world in one day is exciting, but the thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colton-underwood/if-i-had-a-superpower-it-would-be-to-teleport-the-idea-of-seeing-the/) [Colton Underwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colton-underwood/) > [The superpowers often behave like two heavily armed blind men feeling their way around a room, each believing himself in mortal peril from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-superpowers-often-behave-like-two-heavily-armed-blind-men-feeling/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Batman doesn't have any superpowers. He's not superhuman. He's not super. So therefore he can't be a superhero.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-silvey/batman-doesn-t-have-any-superpowers-he-s-not-superhuman-he-s-not/) [Craig Silvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-silvey/) > [My dreams were always small and puny. All I ever needed was a little house with a little picket fence by the sea. Little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imelda-marcos/my-dreams-were-always-small-and-puny-all-i-ever-needed-was-a-little/) [Imelda Marcos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imelda-marcos/) ## More by Martin Amis > [“Yeah,' I said and started smoking another cigarette. Unless I inform you otherwise, I'm always smoking another cigarette.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/yeah-i-said-and-started-smoking-another-cigarette-unless-i-inform-you/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [“barrios; each barrio has two or three gangs, and all the gangs are theoretically”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/barrios-each-barrio-has-two-or-three-gangs-and-all-the-gangs-are/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [I'm not interested in making a diagnostic novel or a concern. I'm 100 percent committed in fiction to the pleasure principle - that's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/i-m-not-interested-in-making-a-diagnostic-novel-or-a-concern-i-m-100/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [“If we all downed tools and joined hands for ten minutes and stopped believing in money, then money would no longer exist. We never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/if-we-all-downed-tools-and-joined-hands-for-ten-minutes-and-stopped/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [When I see a lot of young faces in the audience, it's just sort of sinking in how important that is. Because you're old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/when-i-see-a-lot-of-young-faces-in-the-audience-it-s-just-sort-of/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [“I was informed by my viscera that now was the time to put my arm around her shoulders. I ignored them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/i-was-informed-by-my-viscera-that-now-was-the-time-to-put-my-arm/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [You use a different part of your heart with girls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/you-use-a-different-part-of-your-heart-with-girls/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [It's becoming clearer and clearer to me that the world is there to be celebrated by writers, and in fact this is what all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/it-s-becoming-clearer-and-clearer-to-me-that-the-world-is-there-to-be/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [In her final months Princess Diana was being shat upon by the tabloids -- basically for sleeping with an Arab. When she died, these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/in-her-final-months-princess-diana-was-being-shat-upon-by-the/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [If you feel you have a strong constituency among the young, you can really die happy, because the great unanswered question, the only valid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/if-you-feel-you-have-a-strong-constituency-among-the-young-you-can/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [My life looked good on paper - where, in fact, almost all of it was being lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/my-life-looked-good-on-paper-where-in-fact-almost-all-of-it-was-being/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [I say, 'If I had a serious brain injury I might well write a children's book', but otherwise the idea of being conscious of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/i-say-if-i-had-a-serious-brain-injury-i-might-well-write-a-children-s/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [The future could go this way, that way. The future's futures have never looked so rocky. Don't put money on it. Take my advice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/the-future-could-go-this-way-that-way-the-future-s-futures-have-never/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [Each life is a game of chess that went to hell on the seventh move(...)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/each-life-is-a-game-of-chess-that-went-to-hell-on-the-seventh-move/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [ “There exists a subterranean world where pathological fantasies disguised as ideas are churned out by crooks and half-educated fanatics \[notably the lower clergy\] for… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/there-exists-a-subterranean-world-where-pathological-fantasies/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) [Explore all 393 Martin Amis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) ## 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? 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