--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I arrived in Laos and found young…" description: "\"When I arrived in Laos and found young Americans living there, out of free choice, I was surprised. After only a week, I began to have a sense of the a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/737/noam-chomsky-42_about_when-i-arrived-in-laos-and-found-young-a_790523.jpg" --- # When I arrived in Laos and found young Americans living… ![“When I arrived in Laos and found young Americans living there, out of free choice, I was surprised. After only a week, I began to have a sense of the appeal of the country and its people - along with despair about its future.” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/737/noam-chomsky-42_about_when-i-arrived-in-laos-and-found-young-a_790523.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/737/noam-chomsky-42_about_when-i-arrived-in-laos-and-found-young-a_790523.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/737/noam-chomsky-42_about_when-i-arrived-in-laos-and-found-young-a_790523.jpg) > “When I arrived in Laos and found young Americans living there, out of free choice, I was surprised. After only a week, I began to have a sense of the appeal of the country and its people - along with despair about its future.” [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker describes initial surprise at Americans choosing to live in Laos, then feeling both attraction and despair for the country’s future. **In simple terms:** Seeing Americans in Laos sparked admiration and concern for its future. Key Takeaway Balance admiration with realistic concern for a place’s future. Themes culture shock displacement future anxiety admiration Mood reflective concerned Type observational personal When to use this quote - travel experiences - expatriate life - policy analysis - humanitarian work Key Concepts sociology political science personal narrative Questions to Reflect On - What does your attraction reveal about your values? - How can you act on the despair you feel? A Different Perspective Admiration may overlook systemic issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Despair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despair/) [Free choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-choice/) [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Laos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laos/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Surprised](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprised/) [Week](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/week/) [Young americans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-americans/) ## Related quotes > [There are still thousands of people dying every year in Laos, mostly children and farmers, from unexploded anti-personnel ordnance that the U.S. simply saturated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-are-still-thousands-of-people-dying-every-year-in-laos-mostly/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Part of the population of Laos lives in urban centers, Vientiane being the largest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/part-of-the-population-of-laos-lives-in-urban-centers-vientiane-being/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [It doesn't take long to become aware of the presence of the CIA in Laos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/it-doesn-t-take-long-to-become-aware-of-the-presence-of-the-cia-in/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Since the civil war in Laos was resumed in earnest in 1963, American participation has been veiled in secrecy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/since-the-civil-war-in-laos-was-resumed-in-earnest-in-1963-american/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The American escalation of the war in Laos provoked a response by the Communist forces, which now control more of Laos than ever before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-american-escalation-of-the-war-in-laos-provoked-a-response-by-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“appeal to non-business interests) and let them be effective. Although there is marked and frequently observed dissatisfaction with the Republicans and Democrats, electoral politics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/appeal-to-non-business-interests-and-let-them-be-effective-although/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Yes, college tuition is a problem for many young Americans, but it is a problem exacerbated by government subsidies and an overwhelming demand to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-kirk/yes-college-tuition-is-a-problem-for-many-young-americans-but-it-is-a/) [Charlie Kirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-kirk/) > [It is not patriotic to commit young Americans to war unless our national security clearly requires it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mcgovern/it-is-not-patriotic-to-commit-young-americans-to-war-unless-our/) [George McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mcgovern/) > [“Whatever happens I want you to think of yourselves as young Americans, and I want you to be proud of that. 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