--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Well, I had a small degree, that little…" description: "\"Well, I had a small degree, that little infection of skepticism about America which resides in the minds of even America's closest friends. That Americ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b9/robert-macneil-25522_america_well-i-had-a-small-degree-that-little-in_2374678.jpg" --- # Well, I had a small degree, that little infection of… ![“Well, I had a small degree, that little infection of skepticism about America which resides in the minds of even America's closest friends. That America can't be quite as good as it says it is. And why does it need so relentlessly to keep saying how good it is?” quote by Robert MacNeil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b9/robert-macneil-25522_america_well-i-had-a-small-degree-that-little-in_2374678.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b9/robert-macneil-25522_america_well-i-had-a-small-degree-that-little-in_2374678.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b9/robert-macneil-25522_america_well-i-had-a-small-degree-that-little-in_2374678.jpg) > “Well, I had a small degree, that little infection of skepticism about America which resides in the minds of even America's closest friends. That America can't be quite as good as it says it is. And why does it need so relentlessly to keep saying how good it is?” [Robert MacNeil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-macneil/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Skepticism about America's self‑praise reflects a critical view that can prevent blind patriotism. **In simple terms:** Questioning America's claims is healthy. Key Takeaway Balance pride with critical analysis. Themes patriotism skepticism national identity media truth Mood thoughtful analytical Type reflective critical When to use this quote - public debate - education - policy making - media literacy Key Concepts Political discourse media criticism national mythos Questions to Reflect On - What evidence supports your view? - How can constructive critique be voiced? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on criticism may erode unity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Closest friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/closest-friends/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Skepticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skepticism/) ## Related quotes > [I'm an eternal optimist with a small degree of cynicism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-mclachlan/i-m-an-eternal-optimist-with-a-small-degree-of-cynicism/) [Sarah McLachlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-mclachlan/) > [I think guilt can be good to a small degree, keep you on the right path.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-buck/i-think-guilt-can-be-good-to-a-small-degree-keep-you-on-the-right-path/) [Joe Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-buck/) > [A small degree of wit, accompanied by good sense, is less tiresome in the long run than a great amount of wit without it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/a-small-degree-of-wit-accompanied-by-good-sense-is-less-tiresome-in/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [A very small degree of betrayal is sufficient to cause the death of trust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/a-very-small-degree-of-betrayal-is-sufficient-to-cause-the-death-of/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [A very small degree of hope is sufficient to cause the birth of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stendhal/a-very-small-degree-of-hope-is-sufficient-to-cause-the-birth-of-love/) [Stendhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stendhal/) > [I do think America has made it quite clear that it is in the interest both of America and China to avoid situations in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/i-do-think-america-has-made-it-quite-clear-that-it-is-in-the-interest/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) > [The music industry over there seems to treat America like it's one territory even though they got offices in different parts of America -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-booth/the-music-industry-over-there-seems-to-treat-america-like-it-s-one/) [Sean Booth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-booth/) > [The mecca of filmmaking in the world just so happens to be in America. It's quite simply a case of us just going where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-o-loughlin/the-mecca-of-filmmaking-in-the-world-just-so-happens-to-be-in-america/) [Alex O'Loughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-o-loughlin/) > [No one really knows who I am or where I came from in America, and there's something quite nice about that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-beckinsale/no-one-really-knows-who-i-am-or-where-i-came-from-in-america-and/) [Kate Beckinsale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-beckinsale/) > [In America, it's quite admirable if someone's done well or been successful at whatever it is. Whereas in Britain, they're not. They only like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aphex-twin/in-america-it-s-quite-admirable-if-someone-s-done-well-or-been/) [Aphex Twin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aphex-twin/) > [America has never quite forgiven Europe for having been discovered somewhat earlier in history than itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/america-has-never-quite-forgiven-europe-for-having-been-discovered/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [One of my closest friends is a trans man who is incredible. And a lot of my clients are trans women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-van-ness/one-of-my-closest-friends-is-a-trans-man-who-is-incredible-and-a-lot/) [Jonathan Van Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-van-ness/) > [“It’s been said that you make as much money as the average income of your five closest friends. Well, I have no friends, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/it-s-been-said-that-you-make-as-much-money-as-the-average-income-of/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [One my closest friends doesn't care about sharing her clothes or jewelry, but she never shares her fragrance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-louboutin/one-my-closest-friends-doesn-t-care-about-sharing-her-clothes-or/) [Christian Louboutin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-louboutin/) > [“And the influence of their peers can be utterly overwhelming. As their closest friends succumb to the trend of G.O.Y., many children feel pressured…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-emery-white/and-the-influence-of-their-peers-can-be-utterly-overwhelming-as-their/) [James Emery White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-emery-white/) ## More by Robert MacNeil > [I'm happy to have my own opinion and air it when I think it's necessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-macneil/i-m-happy-to-have-my-own-opinion-and-air-it-when-i-think-it-s/) [Robert MacNeil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-macneil/) > [Also, when I didn't like something, I could keep my opinion to myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-macneil/also-when-i-didn-t-like-something-i-could-keep-my-opinion-to-myself/) [Robert MacNeil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-macneil/) > [I grew up in kind of the last generation of Canadians who thought things that were happening in Britain were more important, almost, than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-macneil/i-grew-up-in-kind-of-the-last-generation-of-canadians-who-thought/) [Robert MacNeil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-macneil/) > [I think one of the lessons we learn in life - and it's an old lesson, but each of us has to learn it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-macneil/i-think-one-of-the-lessons-we-learn-in-life-and-it-s-an-old-lesson/) [Robert MacNeil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-macneil/) > [“If you love the language, the greatest thing you can do to ensure its survival is not to complain about bad usage but to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-macneil/if-you-love-the-language-the-greatest-thing-you-can-do-to-ensure-its/) [Robert MacNeil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-macneil/) > [Wordstruck is exactly what I was—and still am: crazy about the sound of words, the look of words, the taste of words, the feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-macneil/wordstruck-is-exactly-what-i-was-and-still-am-crazy-about-the-sound/) [Robert MacNeil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-macneil/) > [Change is legitimate and inevitable, for our language is a mighty river, picking up silt and flotsam here and discarding it there, but growing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-macneil/change-is-legitimate-and-inevitable-for-our-language-is-a-mighty/) [Robert MacNeil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-macneil/) > [We spent a month in Japan last year, a week in Istanbul for the United Nations, and nearly three months in my native Nova…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-macneil/we-spent-a-month-in-japan-last-year-a-week-in-istanbul-for-the-united/) [Robert MacNeil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-macneil/) > [“He always wrote on the flyleaf of each new book the date and where he was, so I can follow him: reading Chesterton just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-macneil/he-always-wrote-on-the-flyleaf-of-each-new-book-the-date-and-where-he/) [Robert MacNeil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-macneil/) > [I am not really retired, and may never be completely, but I can't think of a better place to contemplate retirement than New York…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-macneil/i-am-not-really-retired-and-may-never-be-completely-but-i-can-t-think/) [Robert MacNeil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-macneil/) > [Words make another place, a place to escape to with your spirit alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-macneil/words-make-another-place-a-place-to-escape-to-with-your-spirit-alone/) [Robert MacNeil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-macneil/) > [“Television is the soma of Aldous Huxley's Brave New World.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-macneil/television-is-the-soma-of-aldous-huxley-s-brave-new-world/) [Robert MacNeil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-macneil/) > [After I became a citizen, I felt freer to say what I thought about this country, both negative and positive. I think I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-macneil/after-i-became-a-citizen-i-felt-freer-to-say-what-i-thought-about/) [Robert MacNeil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-macneil/) > [But, finally, I just realized a few years ago that this is where I belonged. I mean everything I had was invested here, emotionally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-macneil/but-finally-i-just-realized-a-few-years-ago-that-this-is-where-i/) [Robert MacNeil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-macneil/) > [And I'm in favor of that because I have a gay son, who's a very successful theater designer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-macneil/and-i-m-in-favor-of-that-because-i-have-a-gay-son-who-s-a-very/) [Robert MacNeil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-macneil/) [Explore all 23 Robert MacNeil quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-macneil/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Well, I had a small degree, that little infection of skepticism about America which resides in the minds of even America's closest friends. That America can't be quite as good as it says it is. 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