--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Foreigners have a complex set of…" description: "\"Foreigners have a complex set of associations in their minds when they think of America - from Iraq to 9/11, certainly, but also from Coke to jeans. It..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9f/shashi-tharoor-2698_also_foreigners-have-a-complex-set-of-associa_1326355.png" --- # Foreigners have a complex set of associations in their… ![“Foreigners have a complex set of associations in their minds when they think of America - from Iraq to 9/11, certainly, but also from Coke to jeans. It is entirely possible for people around the world to love American products, American books, American movies, American music, and dislike the…” quote by Shashi Tharoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9f/shashi-tharoor-2698_also_foreigners-have-a-complex-set-of-associa_1326355.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9f/shashi-tharoor-2698_also_foreigners-have-a-complex-set-of-associa_1326355.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9f/shashi-tharoor-2698_also_foreigners-have-a-complex-set-of-associa_1326355.png) > “Foreigners have a complex set of associations in their minds when they think of America - from Iraq to 9/11, certainly, but also from Coke to jeans. It is entirely possible for people around the world to love American products, American books, American movies, American music, and dislike the policies of the government of America.” [Shashi Tharoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shashi-tharoor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People separate cultural products from political policies, forming mixed feelings about a nation. **In simple terms:** Love culture, dislike politics. Key Takeaway Recognize the nuance in global perceptions. Themes culture politics identity globalization perception Mood reflective analytical Type observational commentary When to use this quote - marketing campaigns - diplomatic negotiations - media analysis - tourism promotion Key Concepts soft power national branding cognitive dissonance Questions to Reflect On - How do you reconcile admiration for a culture with criticism of its government? - What role does media play in shaping these mixed associations? A Different Perspective Oversimplifying can ignore deep-rooted grievances. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Also](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/also/) [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [American](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american/) [American movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-movie/) [American movies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-movies/) [American music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-music/) [Around](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/around/) [Around the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/around-the-world/) [Associations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/associations/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Books American](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books-american-1550478/) [Certainly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certainly/) [Coke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coke/) [Complex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complex/) [Dislike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dislike/) [Entirely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entirely/) [Foreigners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foreigners/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Iraq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iraq/) [Jeans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jeans/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love American](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-american-241312/) [Minds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minds/) [Movies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movies/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Policies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/policies/) [Possible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possible/) [Products](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/products/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Think America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-america/) [To love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/to-love/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“We’d had a revelation. This was the direction American movies should take: into idiosyncratic characters, into dialogue with an ear for the vulgar and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/we-d-had-a-revelation-this-was-the-direction-american-movies-should/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [Romanian movies are not made the same as American movies are, only because it's newer there. For instance, cigarettes, over there, are much more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-bell/romanian-movies-are-not-made-the-same-as-american-movies-are-only/) [Kristen Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-bell/) > [American movies are the most popular movies everywhere, and it is true that the quality is far from uniformly terrific.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-pollack/american-movies-are-the-most-popular-movies-everywhere-and-it-is-true/) [Sydney Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-pollack/) > [America always seemed to me this foreign land that I imagined I could escape to if I needed to get away - and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-garfield/america-always-seemed-to-me-this-foreign-land-that-i-imagined-i-could/) [Andrew Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-garfield/) > [I look at American movies, the big muscles, and try to apply that to Chinese film-making.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ang-lee/i-look-at-american-movies-the-big-muscles-and-try-to-apply-that-to/) [Ang Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ang-lee/) > [We've grown up with American movies. Not to say that American movies - or movies that have been based in Watts, Compton, or Inglewood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyega/we-ve-grown-up-with-american-movies-not-to-say-that-american-movies/) [John Boyega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyega/) > [I learned English from watching American movies and American series. And you'd watch the movie the first time and not understand anything. Then you'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristaps-porzingis/i-learned-english-from-watching-american-movies-and-american-series/) [Kristaps Porzingis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristaps-porzingis/) > [For me, personally, I grew up watching American heroes and American movies and TV.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-maguire/for-me-personally-i-grew-up-watching-american-heroes-and-american/) [Sean Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-maguire/) > [After I began in elementary school, I was able to go to the movies, and that was how I would spend my weekends, watching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shinichiro-watanabe/after-i-began-in-elementary-school-i-was-able-to-go-to-the-movies-and/) [Shinichiro Watanabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shinichiro-watanabe/) > [The whole world loves American movies, blue jeans, jazz and rock and roll. It is probably a better way to get to know our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/the-whole-world-loves-american-movies-blue-jeans-jazz-and-rock-and/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [I'm from a little village in the south of Holland where there was nothing to do but watch American movies and television - I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-hoeks/i-m-from-a-little-village-in-the-south-of-holland-where-there-was/) [Sylvia Hoeks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-hoeks/) > [I was sick and tired of being an English actor who did a lot of American movies because I was cheap and good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-craig/i-was-sick-and-tired-of-being-an-english-actor-who-did-a-lot-of/) [Daniel Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-craig/) > [Its a big problem for American movies that all their movies are produced to be global.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/its-a-big-problem-for-american-movies-that-all-their-movies-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We have a thriving subculture of 'independent' American movies that makes an impact on America as a whole roughly equivalent to that of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-jay-epstein/we-have-a-thriving-subculture-of-independent-american-movies-that/) [Edward Jay Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-jay-epstein/) > [I think it's that thing of growing up all the time watching American movies and listening to American music. It hits you in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-mendelsohn/i-think-it-s-that-thing-of-growing-up-all-the-time-watching-american/) [Ben Mendelsohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-mendelsohn/) ## More by Shashi Tharoor > [“six decades of Independence have wrought significant change, as exposure to British practices has faded and India’s natural boisterousness has reasserted itself. Some of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shashi-tharoor/six-decades-of-independence-have-wrought-significant-change-as/) [Shashi Tharoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shashi-tharoor/) > [“My China Diary and Walking With Lions, were memoirs of his diplomatic and political experiences. The”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shashi-tharoor/my-china-diary-and-walking-with-lions-were-memoirs-of-his-diplomatic/) [Shashi Tharoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shashi-tharoor/) > [The U.N. guards the vital principles entrenched in its charter, notably the sovereign equality of states and the inadmissibility of interference in their internal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shashi-tharoor/the-u-n-guards-the-vital-principles-entrenched-in-its-charter-notably/) [Shashi Tharoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shashi-tharoor/) > [“control. The people’s character is deliberately debased, their mind is denationalized and perpetually kept in ignorance and fed with stories of England’s greatness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shashi-tharoor/control-the-people-s-character-is-deliberately-debased-their-mind-is/) [Shashi Tharoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shashi-tharoor/) > [“The past is not necessarily a guide to the future, but it does partly help explain the present. One cannot, as I have written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shashi-tharoor/the-past-is-not-necessarily-a-guide-to-the-future-but-it-does-partly/) [Shashi Tharoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shashi-tharoor/) > [The steep decline in America's image and standing after 9/11 is a direct reflection of global distaste for the instruments of American hard power:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shashi-tharoor/the-steep-decline-in-america-s-image-and-standing-after-9-11-is-a/) [Shashi Tharoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shashi-tharoor/) > [“On election days, the burdens of poverty and corruption and of a creaky economic system are put aside, and India celebrates. Many voters dress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shashi-tharoor/on-election-days-the-burdens-of-poverty-and-corruption-and-of-a/) [Shashi Tharoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shashi-tharoor/) > [“History, in any case, cannot be reduced to some sort of game of comparing misdeeds in different eras; each period must be judged in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shashi-tharoor/history-in-any-case-cannot-be-reduced-to-some-sort-of-game-of/) [Shashi Tharoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shashi-tharoor/) > [“India is my country, and in that sense my outrage is personal. But I seek nothing from history—only an account of itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shashi-tharoor/india-is-my-country-and-in-that-sense-my-outrage-is-personal-but-i/) [Shashi Tharoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shashi-tharoor/) > [I make no bones about the fact that India matters to me, and I would like to matter to India.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shashi-tharoor/i-make-no-bones-about-the-fact-that-india-matters-to-me-and-i-would/) [Shashi Tharoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shashi-tharoor/) > [“In debate he thought high and aimed low.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shashi-tharoor/in-debate-he-thought-high-and-aimed-low/) [Shashi Tharoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shashi-tharoor/) > [“Jawaharlal Nehru, who wrote in a 1936 letter to an Englishman, Lord Lothian, that British rule is ‘based on an extreme form of widespread…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shashi-tharoor/jawaharlal-nehru-who-wrote-in-a-1936-letter-to-an-englishman-lord/) [Shashi Tharoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shashi-tharoor/) > [Much of the conventional analysis of India's stature in the world relies on the all-too-familiar economic assumptions. But we are famously a land of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shashi-tharoor/much-of-the-conventional-analysis-of-india-s-stature-in-the-world/) [Shashi Tharoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shashi-tharoor/) > [Universality of the UN is a worthwhile thing in its own self because it means that every country belongs, feels it has a stake,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shashi-tharoor/universality-of-the-un-is-a-worthwhile-thing-in-its-own-self-because/) [Shashi Tharoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shashi-tharoor/) > [The Chinese, as befits a Communist autocracy, approached the task of dominating the Olympics with top-down military discipline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shashi-tharoor/the-chinese-as-befits-a-communist-autocracy-approached-the-task-of/) [Shashi Tharoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shashi-tharoor/) [Explore all 153 Shashi Tharoor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shashi-tharoor/) ## More Also quotes > [I'm a workaholic, but I also like to vacation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karrueche-tran/i-m-a-workaholic-but-i-also-like-to-vacation/) [Karrueche Tran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karrueche-tran/) > [I've also directed, shot, and edited several music videos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-king/i-ve-also-directed-shot-and-edited-several-music-videos/) [Richard King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-king/) > [Movies have power. 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