--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was growing up, I don't remember…" description: "\"When I was growing up, I don't remember being told that America was created so that everyone could get rich. I remember being told it was about opportu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd0/martin-scorsese-1663_america_when-i-was-growing-up-i-don-t-remember-b_3003087.jpg" --- # When I was growing up, I don't remember being told that… ![“When I was growing up, I don't remember being told that America was created so that everyone could get rich. I remember being told it was about opportunity and the pursuit of happiness. Not happiness itself, but the pursuit.” quote by Martin Scorsese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd0/martin-scorsese-1663_america_when-i-was-growing-up-i-don-t-remember-b_3003087.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd0/martin-scorsese-1663_america_when-i-was-growing-up-i-don-t-remember-b_3003087.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd0/martin-scorsese-1663_america_when-i-was-growing-up-i-don-t-remember-b_3003087.jpg) > “When I was growing up, I don't remember being told that America was created so that everyone could get rich. I remember being told it was about opportunity and the pursuit of happiness. Not happiness itself, but the pursuit.” [Martin Scorsese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-scorsese/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. America promises opportunity and the pursuit of happiness, not guaranteed wealth; the focus is on striving, not assured success. **In simple terms:** America is about striving for happiness. Key Takeaway Focus on purposeful pursuit. Themes American Dream opportunity pursuit of happiness Mood critical inquisitive Type sociopolitical philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - entrepreneurship - public policy debates Key Concepts economic mobility social ideals Questions to Reflect On - What does “pursuit of happiness” mean to you? - How can society ensure true opportunity? A Different Perspective The promise can mask systemic inequality and unmet expectations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Growing up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-up/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [Pursuit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pursuit/) [Pursuit of happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pursuit-of-happiness/) ## Related quotes > [To me, that's the key thing, the pursuit of happiness. That's the basic, ultimate freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-garcia/to-me-that-s-the-key-thing-the-pursuit-of-happiness-that-s-the-basic/) [Jerry Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-garcia/) > [The rub is that the pursuit of happiness, as an end in itself, tends automatically, and widely, to be replaced by the pursuit of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whittaker-chambers/the-rub-is-that-the-pursuit-of-happiness-as-an-end-in-itself-tends/) [Whittaker Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whittaker-chambers/) > [The pursuit of happiness is an overview kind of thing. It's not in the Bill of Rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-garcia/the-pursuit-of-happiness-is-an-overview-kind-of-thing-it-s-not-in-the/) [Jerry Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-garcia/) > [My aim in life isn't so much the pursuit of happiness as the happiness of pursuit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-saatchi/my-aim-in-life-isn-t-so-much-the-pursuit-of-happiness-as-the/) [Charles Saatchi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-saatchi/) > [It is the pursuit of happiness that brings us happiness, and not the happiness achieved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-white/it-is-the-pursuit-of-happiness-that-brings-us-happiness-and-not-the/) [Jack White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-white/) > [I am Gabrielle Anwar: mother, lover, daughter, sister, friend, and creator in the pursuit of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-anwar/i-am-gabrielle-anwar-mother-lover-daughter-sister-friend-and-creator/) [Gabrielle Anwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-anwar/) > [The pursuit of happiness...is the greatest feat man has to accomplish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-henri/the-pursuit-of-happiness-is-the-greatest-feat-man-has-to-accomplish/) [Robert Henri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-henri/) > [All around the country, individuals are choosing to redefine their lives and the pursuit of happiness in ways much closer to the original notion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arianna-huffington/all-around-the-country-individuals-are-choosing-to-redefine-their/) [Arianna Huffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arianna-huffington/) > [It takes great wit and interest and energy to be happy. The pursuit of happiness is a great activity. One must be open and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-herrick/it-takes-great-wit-and-interest-and-energy-to-be-happy-the-pursuit-of/) [Robert Herrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-herrick/) > [“The pursuit of prosperity shouldn't stop you from the pursuit of happiness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richie-norton/the-pursuit-of-prosperity-shouldn-t-stop-you-from-the-pursuit-of/) [Richie Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richie-norton/) > [Reading is by far the most successful pursuit of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grisham/reading-is-by-far-the-most-successful-pursuit-of-happiness/) [John Grisham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grisham/) > [Thomas Jefferson was a real poet. He was slick with that 'pursuit' of happiness because the 'pursuit' puts it back on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/thomas-jefferson-was-a-real-poet-he-was-slick-with-that-pursuit-of/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [For many, many people, getting married is one of the most important things they will ever do in the pursuit of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/for-many-many-people-getting-married-is-one-of-the-most-important/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [If there is an abiding theme in 'The Pursuit of Happiness,' it is the idea that you come into the world already shaped by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-kennedy/if-there-is-an-abiding-theme-in-the-pursuit-of-happiness-it-is-the/) [Douglas Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-kennedy/) > [You know that saying 'A little knowledge is a dangerous thing'? That's so true of positive psychology. Our latest research tells us that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-fredrickson/you-know-that-saying-a-little-knowledge-is-a-dangerous-thing-that-s/) [Barbara Fredrickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-fredrickson/) ## More by Martin Scorsese > [The young people today are the 21st century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-scorsese/the-young-people-today-are-the-21st-century/) [Martin Scorsese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-scorsese/) > [There was always a part of me that wanted to be an old-time director. But I couldn't do that. I'm not a pro.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-scorsese/there-was-always-a-part-of-me-that-wanted-to-be-an-old-time-director/) [Martin Scorsese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-scorsese/) > [Being independent... is being innovative out of inspiration as well as necessity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-scorsese/being-independent-is-being-innovative-out-of-inspiration-as-well-as/) [Martin Scorsese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-scorsese/) > [I have a desire to tell stories. And I'm never quite satisfied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-scorsese/i-have-a-desire-to-tell-stories-and-i-m-never-quite-satisfied/) [Martin Scorsese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-scorsese/) > [We can't keep thinking in a limited way about what cinema is. We still don't know what cinema is. Maybe cinema could only really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-scorsese/we-can-t-keep-thinking-in-a-limited-way-about-what-cinema-is-we-still/) [Martin Scorsese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-scorsese/) > [As a child I had terrible asthma.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-scorsese/as-a-child-i-had-terrible-asthma/) [Martin Scorsese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-scorsese/) > [Rock & roll seemed to just come to us, on the radio and in the record stores. It became our music. . . But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-scorsese/rock-roll-seemed-to-just-come-to-us-on-the-radio-and-in-the-record/) [Martin Scorsese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-scorsese/) > [Working with HBO was an opportunity to experience creative freedom and 'long-form development' that filmmakers didn't have a chance to do before the emergence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-scorsese/working-with-hbo-was-an-opportunity-to-experience-creative-freedom/) [Martin Scorsese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-scorsese/) > [Any film, or to me any creative endeavour, no matter who you're working with, is, in many cases, a wonderful experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-scorsese/any-film-or-to-me-any-creative-endeavour-no-matter-who-you-re-working/) [Martin Scorsese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-scorsese/) > [I've been extremely lucky to work with Elmer Bernstein, Howard Shore over the years, but I've always imagined films with my own scores, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-scorsese/i-ve-been-extremely-lucky-to-work-with-elmer-bernstein-howard-shore/) [Martin Scorsese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-scorsese/) > [People want to classify and say, 'OK, this is a gangster film.' 'This is a Western.' 'This is a... ' You know? It's easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-scorsese/people-want-to-classify-and-say-ok-this-is-a-gangster-film-this-is-a/) [Martin Scorsese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-scorsese/) > [I wish I could do everything in 3D.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-scorsese/i-wish-i-could-do-everything-in-3d/) [Martin Scorsese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-scorsese/) > [“Movies touch our hearts and awaken our vision, and change the way we see things. They take us to other places, they open doors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-scorsese/movies-touch-our-hearts-and-awaken-our-vision-and-change-the-way-we/) [Martin Scorsese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-scorsese/) > [You have to remain strong. That's the kind of filmmaker I want to encourage. Orson Welles was the one who said, you know, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-scorsese/you-have-to-remain-strong-that-s-the-kind-of-filmmaker-i-want-to/) [Martin Scorsese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-scorsese/) > [You can be born-again and believe in Jesus, believe in Jesus' ideas and try to live them out, without becoming totally intolerant of other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-scorsese/you-can-be-born-again-and-believe-in-jesus-believe-in-jesus-ideas-and/) [Martin Scorsese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-scorsese/) [Explore all 217 Martin Scorsese quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-scorsese/) ## 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": "When I was growing up, I don't remember being told that America was created so that everyone could get rich. I remember being told it was about opportunity and the pursuit of happiness. 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