--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We have been maintaining a standard of…" description: "\"We have been maintaining a standard of living by putting things on the debt of the next generation.\" — Richard Lamm" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a65/richard-lamm-10220_debt_we-have-been-maintaining-a-standard-of-l_1385935.jpg" --- # We have been maintaining a standard of living by putting… ![“We have been maintaining a standard of living by putting things on the debt of the next generation.” quote by Richard Lamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a65/richard-lamm-10220_debt_we-have-been-maintaining-a-standard-of-l_1385935.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a65/richard-lamm-10220_debt_we-have-been-maintaining-a-standard-of-l_1385935.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a65/richard-lamm-10220_debt_we-have-been-maintaining-a-standard-of-l_1385935.jpg) > “We have been maintaining a standard of living by putting things on the debt of the next generation.” [Richard Lamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lamm/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Society sustains its lifestyle by shifting debt to future generations, creating long‑term financial strain. **In simple terms:** We live beyond our means, leaving debt to kids. Key Takeaway Shift to sustainable budgeting now. Themes economics intergenerational equity public policy environment future planning Mood concerned reflective Type political ethical When to use this quote - government budgeting - family financial planning - environmental policy - social welfare programs Key Concepts fiscal responsibility intergenerational justice sustainability Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance present needs with future obligations? - What policies can limit intergenerational debt? A Different Perspective May reduce current comfort but risk future crises. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Debt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/debt/) [Debt Generation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/debt-generation-3503839/) [Generations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generations/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Maintaining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maintaining/) [Maintaining Standard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maintaining-standard-2678986/) [Next](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next/) [Next generation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next-generation/) [Standard Living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/standard-living/) [Standards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/standards/) [Standards of living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/standards-of-living/) [Things Debt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-debt-4814774/) ## Related quotes > [Maintaining our standard; that's our challenge day-in and day-out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-rice/maintaining-our-standard-that-s-our-challenge-day-in-and-day-out/) [Tim Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-rice/) > [The debt that each generation owes to the past, it must pay to the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-scott-duniway/the-debt-that-each-generation-owes-to-the-past-it-must-pay-to-the/) [Abigail Scott Duniway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-scott-duniway/) > [As soon as the recovery is well under way, we need to set up a long-term plan to reduce the structural deficit and make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-soon-as-the-recovery-is-well-under-way-we-need-to-set-up-a-long/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We have a high standard of living. ... In Norway, we've tripled our income since 1970. In the rest of western Europe, income has merely doubled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jens-stoltenberg/we-have-a-high-standard-of-living-in-norway-we-ve-tripled-our-income/) [Jens Stoltenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jens-stoltenberg/) > [Capitalism gave the world what it needed, a higher standard of living for a steadily increasing number of people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/capitalism-gave-the-world-what-it-needed-a-higher-standard-of-living/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [God prospers me not to raise my standard of living, but to raise my standard of giving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-alcorn/god-prospers-me-not-to-raise-my-standard-of-living-but-to-raise-my/) [Randy Alcorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-alcorn/) > [Only in more production and in new production can the American standard of living be increased and the economy be sound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-p-sloan/only-in-more-production-and-in-new-production-can-the-american/) [Alfred P. 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There has to be a standard of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-batali/are-we-darwinists-where-we-live-and-let-live-or-are-we-nurturing-as-a/) [Mario Batali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-batali/) > [Good economic policy requires not so much the bravado to implement drastic change as the strength and wisdom to make reasonable trade-offs over the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-blair-henry/good-economic-policy-requires-not-so-much-the-bravado-to-implement/) [Peter Blair Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-blair-henry/) > [Take good care of the things you have. Careless people spend more for a given standard of living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-crook-de-camp/take-good-care-of-the-things-you-have-careless-people-spend-more-for/) [Catherine Crook de Camp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-crook-de-camp/) > [Capitalism has created the highest standard of living ever known on earth. The evidence is incontrovertible. The contrast between West and East Berlin is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/capitalism-has-created-the-highest-standard-of-living-ever-known-on/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) ## More by Richard Lamm > ['Diversity' is a wonderfully seductive word. It stresses differences rather than commonalities. Diverse people worldwide are mostly engaged in hating each other - that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lamm/diversity-is-a-wonderfully-seductive-word-it-stresses-differences/) [Richard Lamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lamm/) > [History shows, in my opinion, that no nation can survive the tension, conflict and antagonism of two competing languages and cultures. 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