--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We in the West are accustomed to thinking…" description: "\"“We in the West are accustomed to thinking that humans are all basically the same underneath our different cultural clothing, that the concerns the mid..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75d/philip-cushman-43411_class-struggle_we-in-the-west-are-accustomed-to-thinkin_101867.jpg" --- # We in the West are accustomed to thinking that humans are… ![“We in the West are accustomed to thinking that humans are all basically the same underneath our different cultural clothing, that the concerns the middle class struggles with in contemporary society are at bottom the same concerns with which all other classes societies and cultures struggle. To…” quote by Philip Cushman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75d/philip-cushman-43411_class-struggle_we-in-the-west-are-accustomed-to-thinkin_101867.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75d/philip-cushman-43411_class-struggle_we-in-the-west-are-accustomed-to-thinkin_101867.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75d/philip-cushman-43411_class-struggle_we-in-the-west-are-accustomed-to-thinkin_101867.jpg) > ““We in the West are accustomed to thinking that humans are all basically the same underneath our different cultural clothing, that the concerns the middle class struggles with in contemporary society are at bottom the same concerns with which all other classes societies and cultures struggle. To glimpse the possibility that that is not so comes as an unwelcome surprise.”” [Philip Cushman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-cushman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Cushman challenges the assumption that all humans share the same fundamental concerns, suggesting cultural and class differences can produce distinct priorities. **In simple terms:** Not everyone’s core problems are identical across societies. Key Takeaway Cultural context shapes perceived universal concerns. Themes cultural relativism social class human universals diversity Mood thoughtful critical Type sociological reflective When to use this quote - policy design - cross‑cultural research - education curricula Key Concepts intersectionality social constructivism Practical Applications - avoid one‑size‑fits‑all solutions - tailor interventions to local contexts Questions to Reflect On - What evidence supports truly universal human concerns? - How can we balance universal rights with cultural specificity? A Different Perspective Overemphasizing differences may ignore genuine shared human needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Class struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class-struggle/) [Contemporary society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contemporary-society/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Middle class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-class/) ## Related quotes > [“The history of all hitherto existing societies is the history of class struggles.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-engels/the-history-of-all-hitherto-existing-societies-is-the-history-of/) [Friedrich Engels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-engels/) > [The history of all previous societies has been the history of class struggles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/the-history-of-all-previous-societies-has-been-the-history-of-class/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [“One of the reasons the rich get richer, the poor get poorer, and the middle class struggles in debt is that the subject of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-t-kiyosaki/one-of-the-reasons-the-rich-get-richer-the-poor-get-poorer-and-the-2/) [Robert T. 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