--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The organization of American society is…" description: "\"The organization of American society is an interlocking system of semi-monopolies notoriously venal, an electorate notoriously unenlightened, misled by..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3f/paul-goodman-7755_american-society_the-organization-of-american-society-is_2341015.jpg" --- # The organization of American society is an interlocking… ![“The organization of American society is an interlocking system of semi-monopolies notoriously venal, an electorate notoriously unenlightened, misled by mass media notoriously phony.” quote by Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3f/paul-goodman-7755_american-society_the-organization-of-american-society-is_2341015.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3f/paul-goodman-7755_american-society_the-organization-of-american-society-is_2341015.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3f/paul-goodman-7755_american-society_the-organization-of-american-society-is_2341015.jpg) > “The organization of American society is an interlocking system of semi-monopolies notoriously venal, an electorate notoriously unenlightened, misled by mass media notoriously phony.” [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The structure of U.S. society is built on intertwined monopolies, corrupt politics, and deceptive media that mislead an uninformed electorate. **In simple terms:** America’s system is corrupt and misleads voters. Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge systemic corruption. Themes politics media economics society corruption Mood cynical concerned Type critical analytical When to use this quote - voting decisions - activism - media literacy - policy reform - community organizing Key Concepts monopolies public opinion information control Questions to Reflect On - How can citizens break the cycle of misinformation? - What reforms could reduce monopoly influence? A Different Perspective Even with awareness, entrenched power can resist change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-society/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Electorate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/electorate/) [Mass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mass/) [Mass media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mass-media/) [Media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/media/) [Misled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misled/) [Monopolies Notoriously](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monopolies-notoriously-5664790/) [Monopoly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monopoly/) [Notoriously Phony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/notoriously-phony-5664791/) [Organization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organization/) [Phony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phony/) [Society Interlocking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society-interlocking-5664792/) [Unenlightened Misled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unenlightened-misled-5664793/) ## Related quotes > [We need guidance, we've been misled, young and hostile, but not stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blink-182/we-need-guidance-we-ve-been-misled-young-and-hostile-but-not-stupid/) [Blink 182](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blink-182/) > [Do not be misled by the fact that you are at liberty and relatively free; that for the moment you are not under lock…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryszard-kapuscinski/do-not-be-misled-by-the-fact-that-you-are-at-liberty-and-relatively/) [Ryszard Kapuscinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryszard-kapuscinski/) > [“The stars, that nature hung in heaven, and filled their lamps with everlasting oil, give due light to the misled and lonely traveler".”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/the-stars-that-nature-hung-in-heaven-and-filled-their-lamps-with/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [He who is not aware of his ignorance will be only misled by his knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/he-who-is-not-aware-of-his-ignorance-will-be-only-misled-by-his/) [Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) > [The capitalist can only make a whole people go to war . . . by capturing the popular will. The only prophylactic against that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-angell/the-capitalist-can-only-make-a-whole-people-go-to-war-by-capturing/) [Norman Angell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-angell/) > [She tried to be calm, and leave things to take their course; and tried to dwell much on this argument of rational dependence –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/she-tried-to-be-calm-and-leave-things-to-take-their-course-and-tried-2/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [“The faithful must not be misled”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-chamberlin/the-faithful-must-not-be-misled/) [Ann Chamberlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-chamberlin/) > [The Blue Degrees are but the outer court...of the temple. Part of the symbols are displayed there to the initiate, but he is intentionally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-pike/the-blue-degrees-are-but-the-outer-court-of-the-temple-part-of-the/) [Albert Pike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-pike/) > [Before knowing the truth, if you depend on your intelligence, you can be misled completely. Intelligence that is without the spiritual insight is your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/before-knowing-the-truth-if-you-depend-on-your-intelligence-you-can/) [Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/) > [It is a tribute to the American people that our leaders perceived that they had to lie to us, it is not a tribute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-ellsberg/it-is-a-tribute-to-the-american-people-that-our-leaders-perceived/) [Daniel Ellsberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-ellsberg/) > [He said to tell you to remember your heart in all things, that it is where your honor and your destiny will be found.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/he-said-to-tell-you-to-remember-your-heart-in-all-things-that-it-is/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [You should not be misled about the so-called single opposition candidate. There are so many of them now that you will lack the fingers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-lukashenko/you-should-not-be-misled-about-the-so-called-single-opposition/) [Alexander Lukashenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-lukashenko/) > [Do not be misled by appearances for these are apt to be deceptive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-ibn-abi-talib/do-not-be-misled-by-appearances-for-these-are-apt-to-be-deceptive/) [Ali ibn Abi Talib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-ibn-abi-talib/) > [Any seeming deception in a statement is costly, not only in the expense of the advertising but in the detrimental effect produced upon the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wanamaker/any-seeming-deception-in-a-statement-is-costly-not-only-in-the/) [John Wanamaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wanamaker/) > [The Avatar appears to be human and we are misled into thinking of him in these terms but the Avatar himself warns us against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sathya-sai-baba/the-avatar-appears-to-be-human-and-we-are-misled-into-thinking-of-him/) [Sathya Sai Baba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sathya-sai-baba/) ## More by Paul Goodman > [Enjoyment is not a goal, it is a feeling that accompanies important ongoing activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/enjoyment-is-not-a-goal-it-is-a-feeling-that-accompanies-important/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [When there is official censorship it is a sign that speech is serious. Where there is none, it is pretty certain that the official…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/when-there-is-official-censorship-it-is-a-sign-that-speech-is-serious/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [Freud pointed out, in his Problem of Lay Analysis, that it is extremely unlikely that a young man who would throw the best years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/freud-pointed-out-in-his-problem-of-lay-analysis-that-it-is-extremely/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [It is by losing himself in the objective, in inquiry, creation, and craft, that a man becomes something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/it-is-by-losing-himself-in-the-objective-in-inquiry-creation-and/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [ “The Sexual plight of these children \[those adolescents experimenting sexually\] is officially not mentioned. The revolutionary attack on hypocrisy by Ibsen, Freud, Ellis, Dreiser,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/the-sexual-plight-of-these-children-those-adolescents-experimenting/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [All men are creative but few are artists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/all-men-are-creative-but-few-are-artists/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [Thwarted, or starved, in the important objects proper to young capacities, the boys and young men naturally find or invent deviant objects for themselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/thwarted-or-starved-in-the-important-objects-proper-to-young/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [We do not need to be able to say what "human nature" is in order to be able to say that some training is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/we-do-not-need-to-be-able-to-say-what-human-nature-is-in-order-to-be/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [Not to teach the whole curriculum is to give up on the whole man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/not-to-teach-the-whole-curriculum-is-to-give-up-on-the-whole-man/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [An obstacle is something you see when you take your eyes off the goal Few great men could pass personnel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/an-obstacle-is-something-you-see-when-you-take-your-eyes-off-the-goal/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [The stultifying effect of the movies is not that the children see them but that their parents do, as if Hollywood provided a plausible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/the-stultifying-effect-of-the-movies-is-not-that-the-children-see/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [“As our organized system perfects itself, there is less "open" environment. It is hard for a social animal to grow when there is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/as-our-organized-system-perfects-itself-there-is-less-open/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [The ancient dream of man to fly among the stars and go through the could and look down on the lands and seas has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/the-ancient-dream-of-man-to-fly-among-the-stars-and-go-through-the/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [When the sciences are supreme, average people lose their feeling of causality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/when-the-sciences-are-supreme-average-people-lose-their-feeling-of/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [We define boredom as the pain a person feels when he's doing nothing or something irrelevant, instead of something he wants to do but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/we-define-boredom-as-the-pain-a-person-feels-when-he-s-doing-nothing/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) [Explore all 88 Paul Goodman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) ## More American society quotes > [The contempt for law and the contempt for the human consequences of lawbreaking go from the bottom to the top of American society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-contempt-for-law-and-the-contempt-for-the-human-consequences-of/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [American society is now remarkably atomized. Political organizations have collapsed. In fact, it seems like even bowling leagues are collapsing. The left has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/american-society-is-now-remarkably-atomized-political-organizations/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I don't see much future for the Americans ... it's a decayed country. And they have their racial problem, and the problem of social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/i-don-t-see-much-future-for-the-americans-it-s-a-decayed-country-and/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [I have tried to defend what is most precious to our American society, a society that is now at war against the forces of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demian-bichir/i-have-tried-to-defend-what-is-most-precious-to-our-american-society/) [Demian Bichir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demian-bichir/) > [Cumulatively, American society is sliding toward a new form of 'authoritarian democracy'. Elections continue, free speech is generally protected, institutions operate in accordance with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-a-falk/cumulatively-american-society-is-sliding-toward-a-new-form-of/) [Richard A. Falk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-a-falk/) > [“As a culture, we had no heroes. Certainly not any politician--Barack Obama was then the most admired man in America (and likely still is),…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance/as-a-culture-we-had-no-heroes-certainly-not-any-politician-barack/) [J.D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance/) > [ “The Sexual plight of these children \[those adolescents experimenting sexually\] is officially not mentioned. The revolutionary attack on hypocrisy by Ibsen, Freud, Ellis, Dreiser,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/the-sexual-plight-of-these-children-those-adolescents-experimenting/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [Hip-hop is contributing to American society's misogyny and racism, hyper-sexuality anti-Black representations. Hip-Hop isn't setting the standard for misogyny. No one reduces the presidency…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bakari-kitwana/hip-hop-is-contributing-to-american-society-s-misogyny-and-racism/) [Bakari Kitwana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bakari-kitwana/) > [I believe it is essential to have English as the official language of our National Government, for the English language is the tie that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-sensenbrenner/i-believe-it-is-essential-to-have-english-as-the-official-language-of/) [Jim Sensenbrenner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-sensenbrenner/) > [Black people cannot and will not become integrated into American society on any terms but those of self-determination and autonomy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerda-lerner/black-people-cannot-and-will-not-become-integrated-into-american/) [Gerda Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerda-lerner/) > [Black people in America have to, for their own protection, develop a defense mechanism, and I just grew terribly tired of it. When you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-robinson/black-people-in-america-have-to-for-their-own-protection-develop-a/) [Randall Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-robinson/) > [Public image is extremely important in American society and I observed personally that the Presidency of John F. Kennedy did much in the public…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rosovsky/public-image-is-extremely-important-in-american-society-and-i/) [Henry Rosovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rosovsky/) > [Sometimes, you know, the president is a father-like figure in American society, to most Americans, even today, no matter how cynical we've become. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-baldwin/sometimes-you-know-the-president-is-a-father-like-figure-in-american/) [Alec Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-baldwin/) > [The family has always been the cornerstone of American society. Our families nurture, preserve, and pass on to each succeeding generation the values we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-family-has-always-been-the-cornerstone-of-american-society-our/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [While President Barack Obama has, in one sense, tipped his hand by saying that he wants judges with "empathy" for certain groups, he has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/while-president-barack-obama-has-in-one-sense-tipped-his-hand-by/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) [Browse all 315 American society quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-society/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The organization of American society is an interlocking system of semi-monopolies notoriously venal, an electorate notoriously unenlightened, misled by mass media notoriously phony.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paul Goodman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/the-organization-of-american-society-is-an-interlocking-system-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "American society" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/the-organization-of-american-society-is-an-interlocking-system-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3f/paul-goodman-7755_american-society_the-organization-of-american-society-is_2341015.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3f/paul-goodman-7755_american-society_the-organization-of-american-society-is_2341015.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3f/paul-goodman-7755_american-society_the-organization-of-american-society-is_2341015.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The organization of American society is an interlocking system of semi-monopolies notoriously venal, an…” — Paul Goodman", "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": "Paul Goodman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The organization of American society is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/the-organization-of-american-society-is-an-interlocking-system-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/the-organization-of-american-society-is-an-interlocking-system-of/#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 } } ] } ```