American society Quote by Philip Roth
![“American society [...] not only sanctions gross and unfair relations among men, but it encourages them. Now, can that be denied? No. Rivalry, competition, envy, jealousy, all that is malignant in human character is nourished by the system. Possession, money, property--on such corrupt standards as…” quote by Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/930/philip-roth-681_american-society_american-society-not-only-sanctions-gros_771264.jpg)
“American society [...] not only sanctions gross and unfair relations among men, but it encourages them. Now, can that be denied? No. Rivalry, competition, envy, jealousy, all that is malignant in human character is nourished by the system. Possession, money, property--on such corrupt standards as these do you people measure happiness and success.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: American Pastoral, 1997
The author critiques how American culture promotes selfish competition, turning virtues into vices and measuring success by material gain
In simple terms: American culture fuels rivalry and greed, corrupting values
Key Takeaway
Beware of letting competition define worth
Themes
society
ethics
materialism
competition
human nature
culture
Mood
critical
reflective
analytical
Type
literary
philosophical
social commentary
When to use this quote
- Workplace dynamics
- educational settings
- family discussions
- policy making
- media analysis
Key Concepts
Moral relativism
social critique
capitalist critique
Questions to Reflect On
- How does competition shape personal ethics?
- Can success be measured beyond wealth?
A Different Perspective
The view may ignore cooperative aspects of competition and individual agency
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