--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Pardon me, but my father says that it is…" description: "\"“Pardon me, but my father says that it is a lie that Americans have everything. You have no sheep, no goats, no trees, no oil, no vines, no wine, not e..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b23/robert-fulghum-1807_agriculture_pardon-me-but-my-father-says-that-it-is_1861882.jpg" --- # Pardon me, but my father says that it is a lie that… ![“Pardon me, but my father says that it is a lie that Americans have everything. You have no sheep, no goats, no trees, no oil, no vines, no wine, not even chickens. He asks, 'What kind of life is that?' He says, 'No wonder you don't sing or dance or recite poetry very often.” quote by Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b23/robert-fulghum-1807_agriculture_pardon-me-but-my-father-says-that-it-is_1861882.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b23/robert-fulghum-1807_agriculture_pardon-me-but-my-father-says-that-it-is_1861882.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b23/robert-fulghum-1807_agriculture_pardon-me-but-my-father-says-that-it-is_1861882.jpg) > ““Pardon me, but my father says that it is a lie that Americans have everything. You have no sheep, no goats, no trees, no oil, no vines, no wine, not even chickens. He asks, 'What kind of life is that?' He says, 'No wonder you don't sing or dance or recite poetry very often.”” [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote highlights the scarcity of natural resources in America and suggests that material abundance does not guarantee cultural richness like music, dance, or poetry. **In simple terms:** Lack of resources may limit cultural expression. Key Takeaway Seek cultural richness beyond material wealth. Themes resource scarcity culture materialism Mood reflective thoughtful Type observational philosophical When to use this quote - urban planning - education - community arts - policy making Key Concepts environmental determinism cultural vitality Questions to Reflect On - How can societies nurture arts despite material wealth? - What role does nature play in cultural identity? A Different Perspective Abundance of resources can also coexist with cultural neglect. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Agriculture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agriculture/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Meaningfulness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meaningfulness/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) ## Related quotes > [“I assume everything that President Trump says is a lie until proven otherwise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/i-assume-everything-that-president-trump-says-is-a-lie-until-proven/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“If i believe my truth is true and you believe your truth is true,what if my truth says yours is a lie.is it still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lecrea/if-i-believe-my-truth-is-true-and-you-believe-your-truth-is-true-what/) Lecrea > [Everything the State says is a lie, and everything it has it has stolen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/everything-the-state-says-is-a-lie-and-everything-it-has-it-has-stolen/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“Girlie, you don’t have to tell us what happened, but I’m telling you this. First thing we’re doing is getting you karate lessons. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-kuhn/girlie-you-don-t-have-to-tell-us-what-happened-but-i-m-telling-you/) N. Kuhn > [Every father says the same thing: “Where's your mother?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-cosby/every-father-says-the-same-thing-where-s-your-mother/) [Bill Cosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-cosby/) > [What a father says to his children is not heard by the world, but it will be heard by posterity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul/what-a-father-says-to-his-children-is-not-heard-by-the-world-but-it/) [Jean Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul/) > [“Dad loves his father, but he says he has always been the same. Even when his kids were young, Grandpa John was always negative.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaz-campbell/dad-loves-his-father-but-he-says-he-has-always-been-the-same-even/) Kaz Campbell > [Look at me. I was a warrior on this land where the sun rises, now I come from where the sun sets. Whose voice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-cloud/look-at-me-i-was-a-warrior-on-this-land-where-the-sun-rises-now-i/) [Red Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-cloud/) > [“My father says it is the peacemakers who take the biggest risks. He says any fool can start a war. It takes courage to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-lafferty/my-father-says-it-is-the-peacemakers-who-take-the-biggest-risks-he/) [Linda Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-lafferty/) > [But I was right. I think that must be an hereditary quality, for my father says he is scarcely ever wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gaskell/but-i-was-right-i-think-that-must-be-an-hereditary-quality-for-my/) [Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) > [Papa's in a bad way, Locke. I wanted to see you before you saw him - he has some...things he wishes to discuss with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/papa-s-in-a-bad-way-locke-i-wanted-to-see-you-before-you-saw-him-he/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [“My father’s,” she says, smiling. “He used to think I was the greatest thing ever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-yoon/my-father-s-she-says-smiling-he-used-to-think-i-was-the-greatest/) [Nicola Yoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-yoon/) > [Perrin, my father says a general can take care of the living or weep for the dead, but he cannot do both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jordan/perrin-my-father-says-a-general-can-take-care-of-the-living-or-weep/) [Robert Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jordan/) > [Father says it will come in time. “Time heals,” he says. I don’t tell him that I don’t know what time is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/father-says-it-will-come-in-time-time-heals-he-says-i-don-t-tell-him/) [Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/) > [Faith is not about serving some tyrant in the sky that says, 'You need to get your act together.' Faith is about having a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lecrae/faith-is-not-about-serving-some-tyrant-in-the-sky-that-says-you-need/) [Lecrae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lecrae/) ## More by Robert Fulghum > [to understand our love they'd have to turn the world upside down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/to-understand-our-love-they-d-have-to-turn-the-world-upside-down/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) > [What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/what-does-it-profit-a-man-if-he-gains-the-whole-world-and-loses-his/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) > [“Sticks and stones may break our bones, but words will break our hearts”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/sticks-and-stones-may-break-our-bones-but-words-will-break-our-hearts/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) > [Life is. I am. Anything might happen. And I believe I may invest my life with meaning. The uncertainty is a blessing in disguise.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/life-is-i-am-anything-might-happen-and-i-believe-i-may-invest-my-life/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) > [Weddings seem to be magnets for mishap and for whatever craziness lurks in family closets. In more ways than one, weddings bring out the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/weddings-seem-to-be-magnets-for-mishap-and-for-whatever-craziness/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) > [I don't think there is a hidden purpose to the universe that you have to puzzle out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/i-don-t-think-there-is-a-hidden-purpose-to-the-universe-that-you-have/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) > [The name is not important anymore - it's the tone that counts. I feel like an old dog I know. He will come to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/the-name-is-not-important-anymore-it-s-the-tone-that-counts-i-feel/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) > [“Nobody goes "AAAAAAAGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!" when they sing it. Maybe because it puts the life adventure in such clear and simple terms. The small creature is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/nobody-goes-aaaaaaagggggggghhhhhhhhh-when-they-sing-it-maybe-because/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) > [Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate-school mountain, but there at the sandpile at Sunday School.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/wisdom-was-not-at-the-top-of-the-graduate-school-mountain-but-there/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) > [You are free to give life meaning, whatever meaning you want to give it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/you-are-free-to-give-life-meaning-whatever-meaning-you-want-to-give-it/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) > [If we could just figure out how to have more fun at it, maybe more of us would join the ranks of those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/if-we-could-just-figure-out-how-to-have-more-fun-at-it-maybe-more-of/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) > [Sometimes during the day, I consciously focus on some ordinary object and allow myself a momentary "paying-attention." This paying-attention gives meaning to my life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/sometimes-during-the-day-i-consciously-focus-on-some-ordinary-object/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) > [All I ever needed to know I learned in kindergarten. Share everything ... Don't hit people ... Clean up your own mess ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/all-i-ever-needed-to-know-i-learned-in-kindergarten-share-everything/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) > [No. I was an only child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/no-i-was-an-only-child/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) > [You feel like an ant contemplating Chicago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/you-feel-like-an-ant-contemplating-chicago/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) [Explore all 206 Robert Fulghum quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) ## More Agriculture quotes > [Advances in technology will continue to reach far into every sector of our economy. Future job and economic growth in industry, defense, transportation, agriculture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bond/advances-in-technology-will-continue-to-reach-far-into-every-sector/) [Christopher Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bond/) > [To husband is to use with care, to keep, to save, to make last, to conserve. Old usage tells us that there is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/to-husband-is-to-use-with-care-to-keep-to-save-to-make-last-to/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [As the first Member of Congress from western Washington to serve on the House Agriculture Committee in over 50 years, I am proud to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-larsen/as-the-first-member-of-congress-from-western-washington-to-serve-on/) [Rick Larsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-larsen/) > [Conventional agriculture has never succeeded in feeding the world, and it's never produced anything good to eat. For the future, we need to look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-barber/conventional-agriculture-has-never-succeeded-in-feeding-the-world-and/) [Dan Barber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-barber/) > [I would say my fraternity was nothing but a bunch of farm boys; we weren't really in the whole fraternity scene, but yeah, that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-bryan/i-would-say-my-fraternity-was-nothing-but-a-bunch-of-farm-boys-we/) [Luke Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-bryan/) > [I grew up in Italy, and our country is a country of great agriculture and food produce. It wasn't like I was urban and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabella-rossellini/i-grew-up-in-italy-and-our-country-is-a-country-of-great-agriculture/) [Isabella Rossellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabella-rossellini/) > [Farmers, get out your sense of humor. Congress meets to relieve you again next week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/farmers-get-out-your-sense-of-humor-congress-meets-to-relieve-you/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [Because Iran understands Afghanistan far better than Americans do, making Iran a partner in a long-term effort to transform Afghan agriculture makes sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/because-iran-understands-afghanistan-far-better-than-americans-do/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [Sara Scherr and Jeff McNeely have given us a thoughtful, sensible book about a topic of great importance to the world. There is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ismail-serageldin/sara-scherr-and-jeff-mcneely-have-given-us-a-thoughtful-sensible-book/) [Ismail Serageldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ismail-serageldin/) > [People want development, modern thinking. They want to encourage and support research in agriculture and other fields.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharad-pawar/people-want-development-modern-thinking-they-want-to-encourage-and/) [Sharad Pawar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharad-pawar/) > [Growing corn, which from a biological perspective had always been a process of capturing sunlight to turn into food, has in no small measure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/growing-corn-which-from-a-biological-perspective-had-always-been-a/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [When politicians talk of loan waiver, they are accepting that agriculture is not economically viable. They are giving a wrong signal that farming is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-s-swaminathan/when-politicians-talk-of-loan-waiver-they-are-accepting-that/) [M. S. Swaminathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-s-swaminathan/) > [Nitrogen-based fertilizers, which came into wide use after World War II, helped prompt the agricultural revolution that has allowed the Earth to feed its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-schlossberg/nitrogen-based-fertilizers-which-came-into-wide-use-after-world-war/) [Tatiana Schlossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-schlossberg/) > [Agriculture is one economic activity that does not obey the laws of demand and supply.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/agriculture-is-one-economic-activity-that-does-not-obey-the-laws-of/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [More than a mere alternative strategy, regenerative agriculture represents a fundamental shift in our culture’s relationship to nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-eisenstein/more-than-a-mere-alternative-strategy-regenerative-agriculture/) [Charles Eisenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-eisenstein/) [Browse all 889 Agriculture quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agriculture/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Pardon me, but my father says that it is a lie that Americans have everything. You have no sheep, no goats, no trees, no oil, no vines, no wine, not even chickens. He asks, 'What kind of life is that?' He says, 'No wonder you don't sing or dance or recite poetry very often.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert Fulghum" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/pardon-me-but-my-father-says-that-it-is-a-lie-that-americans-have/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Agriculture" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/pardon-me-but-my-father-says-that-it-is-a-lie-that-americans-have/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b23/robert-fulghum-1807_agriculture_pardon-me-but-my-father-says-that-it-is_1861882.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b23/robert-fulghum-1807_agriculture_pardon-me-but-my-father-says-that-it-is_1861882.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b23/robert-fulghum-1807_agriculture_pardon-me-but-my-father-says-that-it-is_1861882.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Pardon me, but my father says that it is a lie that Americans have everything. You have no sheep, no goats…” — Robert Fulghum", "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": "Robert Fulghum", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Pardon me, but my father says...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/pardon-me-but-my-father-says-that-it-is-a-lie-that-americans-have/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/pardon-me-but-my-father-says-that-it-is-a-lie-that-americans-have/#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 } } ] } ```