--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What excites me about America is its…" description: "\"“What excites me about America is its social mobility, people continually rising from the bottom to the top and altering the culture in the process. On..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/150/robert-greene-498_social-mobility_what-excites-me-about-america-is-its-soc_927683.png" --- # What excites me about America is its social mobility… ![“What excites me about America is its social mobility, people continually rising from the bottom to the top and altering the culture in the process. On another level, however, we remain a nation that lives in social ghettos. Celebrities generally congregate around other celebrities; academics and…” quote by Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/150/robert-greene-498_social-mobility_what-excites-me-about-america-is-its-soc_927683.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/150/robert-greene-498_social-mobility_what-excites-me-about-america-is-its-soc_927683.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/150/robert-greene-498_social-mobility_what-excites-me-about-america-is-its-soc_927683.png) > ““What excites me about America is its social mobility, people continually rising from the bottom to the top and altering the culture in the process. On another level, however, we remain a nation that lives in social ghettos. Celebrities generally congregate around other celebrities; academics and intellectuals are cloistered in their worlds; people like to associate with those of their kind. If we leave these narrow worlds, it is usually as an observer of another way of life.”” [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. America offers social mobility yet remains divided into exclusive groups, urging people to step outside comfort zones to broaden perspectives. **In simple terms:** Society is both open and segregated. Key Takeaway Seek diverse experiences beyond familiar circles. Themes social mobility segregation culture observation growth Mood analytical critical thought‑provoking Type philosophical social commentary When to use this quote - career networking - travel - education - community engagement Key Concepts sociology networking self‑awareness Questions to Reflect On - What benefits arise from crossing social boundaries? - How can we reduce elite isolation? A Different Perspective Breaking out of cliques can be socially risky. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Social mobility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-mobility/) [Way of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way-of-life/) ## Related quotes > [America's 'social contract' is equal opportunity... yet we have failed in achieving that seminal goal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-kaiser/america-s-social-contract-is-equal-opportunity-yet-we-have-failed-in/) [George Kaiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-kaiser/) > [“Social welfare is destroying the soul of America. Social programs are cancers growing within the spirit of the people they were created to serve.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-t-kiyosaki/social-welfare-is-destroying-the-soul-of-america-social-programs-are/) [Robert T. Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-t-kiyosaki/) > [Liberal dominance of important areas of America's social and political life has undermined many of the virtues that have sustained this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mona-charen/liberal-dominance-of-important-areas-of-america-s-social-and/) [Mona Charen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mona-charen/) > [Putting women first would mean strengthening America's social safety net, because a higher proportion of single-mother families live in poverty here than in any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-coontz/putting-women-first-would-mean-strengthening-america-s-social-safety/) [Stephanie Coontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-coontz/) > [“Many in America, as one social historian wrote, 'believed implicitly that New York's social leaders went to bed in full evening dress, brushed their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/many-in-america-as-one-social-historian-wrote-believed-implicitly/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Social mobility has always been a slippery term, with nebulous markers of success: how many state school children have to achieve postgraduate degrees, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-foster/social-mobility-has-always-been-a-slippery-term-with-nebulous-markers/) [Dawn Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-foster/) > [The stress laid on upward social mobility in the United States has tended to obscure the fact that there can be more than one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-halsey/the-stress-laid-on-upward-social-mobility-in-the-united-states-has/) [Margaret Halsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-halsey/) > [We need a sustainable system of student finance that promotes opportunity, encourages aspiration, increases social mobility and is governed by fairness. But all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-rayner/we-need-a-sustainable-system-of-student-finance-that-promotes/) [Angela Rayner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-rayner/) > [“There is real hope for a culture that makes it as easy to buy a book as it does a pack of cigarettes."--a civic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-rabinowitz/there-is-real-hope-for-a-culture-that-makes-it-as-easy-to-buy-a-book/) Paula Rabinowitz > [“One of the drawbacks of upward social mobility is a sense of guilty indebtedness to the old neighborhood.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-gordon/one-of-the-drawbacks-of-upward-social-mobility-is-a-sense-of-guilty/) [Mary Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-gordon/) > [I've been talking about things like reversing the rise of inequality and strengthening social mobility,since before it was cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-ve-been-talking-about-things-like-reversing-the-rise-of-inequality/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Our political class obsesses over social mobility from one generation to the next - whether or not people are doing better than their parents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lammy/our-political-class-obsesses-over-social-mobility-from-one-generation/) [David Lammy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lammy/) > [Social mobility decreased under Labour and under the current government it is reversing. The differences between the poorest and richest are returning to Victorian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-trigell/social-mobility-decreased-under-labour-and-under-the-current/) [Jonathan Trigell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-trigell/) > [To see off Corbyn's Labour, we need to start the debate as to how and why a market economy is the way to deliver…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-soubry/to-see-off-corbyn-s-labour-we-need-to-start-the-debate-as-to-how-and/) [Anna Soubry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-soubry/) > [“Yeah, and there’s this constant refrain from privileged people; it’s like they’re all racing to prove how miserable they used to be. Every single…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-archura/yeah-and-there-s-this-constant-refrain-from-privileged-people-it-s/) K. Archura ## More by Robert Greene > [The whole concept of stage fright is fascinating. Actors get stage fright, but they wouldn't be on the stage in the first place if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/the-whole-concept-of-stage-fright-is-fascinating-actors-get-stage/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [I'm afraid I'm just too intense to have soft ideas, you know, about what to read when you're trying to pass the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/i-m-afraid-i-m-just-too-intense-to-have-soft-ideas-you-know-about/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [You are facing death and danger and competition, but at any moment, you can decide to have a fearless mindset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/you-are-facing-death-and-danger-and-competition-but-at-any-moment-you/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [Let me spell it out: with the psychotic boss, nothing you do is ever quite right. They set traps, asking you to do things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/let-me-spell-it-out-with-the-psychotic-boss-nothing-you-do-is-ever/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [Evil or manipulative people don't need a book, they just do it anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/evil-or-manipulative-people-don-t-need-a-book-they-just-do-it-anyway/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [Everybody knows what they were kind of drawn towards or what they're gifted at and it's more of courage and looking at yourself and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/everybody-knows-what-they-were-kind-of-drawn-towards-or-what-they-re/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [Remember: your bosses prefer to keep you in dependent positions. It is in their interest that you do not become self-reliant, and so they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/remember-your-bosses-prefer-to-keep-you-in-dependent-positions-it-is/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [I want to be able to write, that's my first love and I don't want to deviate from it even though I probably could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/i-want-to-be-able-to-write-that-s-my-first-love-and-i-don-t-want-to/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [It's sometimes hard to talk about politics and art. Obviously, I have my core beliefs, but I think art is best when it's troublesome…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/it-s-sometimes-hard-to-talk-about-politics-and-art-obviously-i-have/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [If you change and adapt your persona, you are seen as inauthentic; if you stay the angry young man, you fade from attention or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/if-you-change-and-adapt-your-persona-you-are-seen-as-inauthentic-if/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [Your energy, your spirit are important considerations. Feeling petty and frustrated can have reverberating consequences for your ability to think strategically and reach your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/your-energy-your-spirit-are-important-considerations-feeling-petty/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [Fear creates its own self-fulfilling dynamic- as people give into it, they lose energy and momentum. Their lack of confidence translates into inaction that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/fear-creates-its-own-self-fulfilling-dynamic-as-people-give-into-it/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [What I like about the internet, what I see there is that its much more democratic. I have much more control, and if what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/what-i-like-about-the-internet-what-i-see-there-is-that-its-much-more/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [“It is hard for us to imagine now, but our earliest human ancestors who ventured out onto the grasslands of East Africa some six…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/it-is-hard-for-us-to-imagine-now-but-our-earliest-human-ancestors-who/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [“Let us call this quality the Original Mind. This mind looked at the world more directly—not through words and received ideas. It was flexible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/let-us-call-this-quality-the-original-mind-this-mind-looked-at-the/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) [Explore all 511 Robert Greene quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) ## More Social mobility quotes > [“Yeah, and there’s this constant refrain from privileged people; it’s like they’re all racing to prove how miserable they used to be. Every single…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-archura/yeah-and-there-s-this-constant-refrain-from-privileged-people-it-s/) K. Archura > [To see off Corbyn's Labour, we need to start the debate as to how and why a market economy is the way to deliver…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-soubry/to-see-off-corbyn-s-labour-we-need-to-start-the-debate-as-to-how-and/) [Anna Soubry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-soubry/) > [Social mobility decreased under Labour and under the current government it is reversing. The differences between the poorest and richest are returning to Victorian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-trigell/social-mobility-decreased-under-labour-and-under-the-current/) [Jonathan Trigell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-trigell/) > [Our political class obsesses over social mobility from one generation to the next - whether or not people are doing better than their parents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lammy/our-political-class-obsesses-over-social-mobility-from-one-generation/) [David Lammy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lammy/) > [I've been talking about things like reversing the rise of inequality and strengthening social mobility,since before it was cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-ve-been-talking-about-things-like-reversing-the-rise-of-inequality/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [“One of the drawbacks of upward social mobility is a sense of guilty indebtedness to the old neighborhood.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-gordon/one-of-the-drawbacks-of-upward-social-mobility-is-a-sense-of-guilty/) [Mary Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-gordon/) > [“There is real hope for a culture that makes it as easy to buy a book as it does a pack of cigarettes."--a civic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-rabinowitz/there-is-real-hope-for-a-culture-that-makes-it-as-easy-to-buy-a-book/) Paula Rabinowitz > [We need a sustainable system of student finance that promotes opportunity, encourages aspiration, increases social mobility and is governed by fairness. But all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-rayner/we-need-a-sustainable-system-of-student-finance-that-promotes/) [Angela Rayner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-rayner/) > [The stress laid on upward social mobility in the United States has tended to obscure the fact that there can be more than one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-halsey/the-stress-laid-on-upward-social-mobility-in-the-united-states-has/) [Margaret Halsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-halsey/) > [Social mobility has always been a slippery term, with nebulous markers of success: how many state school children have to achieve postgraduate degrees, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-foster/social-mobility-has-always-been-a-slippery-term-with-nebulous-markers/) [Dawn Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-foster/) > [“ 'Venti caramel macchiato, please,' he said. 'Hold the snobbery.' The barista laughed and hit buttons on his register. 'You sure? We're having a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-w-vaughn/venti-caramel-macchiato-please-he-said-hold-the-snobbery-the-barista/) S.W. Vaughn > [We need to focus much more on the bottom 40 per cent. They are losing ground, and the fact that they are losing ground…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-angel-gurria/we-need-to-focus-much-more-on-the-bottom-40-per-cent-they-are-losing/) [Jose Angel Gurria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-angel-gurria/) > [“There is, in the circumstances of modern life, only one solution to the problem of resentment, and that is social mobility. The worst thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/there-is-in-the-circumstances-of-modern-life-only-one-solution-to-the/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [Businesses, not benefits, are the true ladder of social mobility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-shapps/businesses-not-benefits-are-the-true-ladder-of-social-mobility/) [Grant Shapps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-shapps/) > [“Moved by the need for control, for an unchallenged top tier, the power elite in American history has thrived by placating the vulnerable and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-isenberg/moved-by-the-need-for-control-for-an-unchallenged-top-tier-the-power/) [Nancy Isenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-isenberg/) [Browse all 62 Social mobility quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-mobility/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“What excites me about America is its social mobility, people continually rising from the bottom to the top and altering the culture in the process. 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