--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The things that will destroy America are…" description: "\"“The things that will destroy America are prosperity at any price, peace at any price, safety first instead of duty first and love of soft living and t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57a/theodore-roosevelt-218_america_the-things-that-will-destroy-america-are_1042507.jpg" --- # The things that will destroy America are prosperity at any… ![“The things that will destroy America are prosperity at any price, peace at any price, safety first instead of duty first and love of soft living and the get-rich-quick theory of life.” quote by Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57a/theodore-roosevelt-218_america_the-things-that-will-destroy-america-are_1042507.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57a/theodore-roosevelt-218_america_the-things-that-will-destroy-america-are_1042507.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57a/theodore-roosevelt-218_america_the-things-that-will-destroy-america-are_1042507.jpg) > ““The things that will destroy America are prosperity at any price, peace at any price, safety first instead of duty first and love of soft living and the get-rich-quick theory of life.”” [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He warns that excessive pursuit of comfort and safety undermines duty and true prosperity. **In simple terms:** Too much comfort erodes duty. Key Takeaway Balance comfort with responsibility. Themes prosperity peace security duty comfort Mood cautionary philosophical Type political ethical When to use this quote - policy making - personal budgeting - community service - risk assessment - civic education Key Concepts materialism ethical trade‑offs national character Questions to Reflect On - What comforts do you prioritize over duty? - How can societies value duty over easy wealth? A Different Perspective Comfort can be a convenient excuse for complacency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duty/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Prosperity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prosperity/) [Safety first](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/safety-first/) [Theory of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theory-of-life/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) ## Related quotes > [Everything is un-American that tends either to government by a plutocracy or government by a mob. To divide along the lines of section or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/everything-is-un-american-that-tends-either-to-government-by-a/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Americanism means the virtues of courage, honor, justice, truth, sincerity, and hardihoodthe virtues that made America. The things that will destroy America are prosperity-at-any-price,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/americanism-means-the-virtues-of-courage-honor-justice-truth-2/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Americanism means the virtues of courage, honor, justice, truth, sincerity, and hardihood - the virtues that made America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/americanism-means-the-virtues-of-courage-honor-justice-truth/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [We understand that America's prosperity is bound up with the prosperity of other nations, including emerging market nations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-powell/we-understand-that-america-s-prosperity-is-bound-up-with-the/) [Jerome Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-powell/) > [“Many ordinary Americans believe that “large differences in income are necessary for America’s prosperity,” as one standard survey question puts it.18 However, economists who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-m-bartels/many-ordinary-americans-believe-that-large-differences-in-income-are/) [Larry M. Bartels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-m-bartels/) > [Mitt Romney knows America's prosperity didn't happen because our government simply spent more. It happened because our people used their own money to open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/mitt-romney-knows-america-s-prosperity-didn-t-happen-because-our/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [America's prosperity has been built on cheap fossil fuel energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-devine/america-s-prosperity-has-been-built-on-cheap-fossil-fuel-energy/) [Miranda Devine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-devine/) > [Workers on the edge of poverty are essential to America’s prosperity, but their well-being is not treated as an integral part of the whole.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-k-shipler/workers-on-the-edge-of-poverty-are-essential-to-america-s-prosperity/) [David K. Shipler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-k-shipler/) > [“A foreign enemy out to destroy America could not have devised a more effective and insidious plot. How ironic that this was the program…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-foreign-enemy-out-to-destroy-america-could-not-have-devised-a-more/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Hillary Clinton doesn't know what she's doing except open borders and let everybody come in and destroy America by the way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/hillary-clinton-doesn-t-know-what-she-s-doing-except-open-borders-and/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The whole global warming thing is created to destroy America's free enterprise system and our economic stability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-falwell/the-whole-global-warming-thing-is-created-to-destroy-america-s-free/) [Jerry Falwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-falwell/) > [God will destroy America by the hands of the Muslims. God will not give Japan or Europe the honor of bringing down the United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/god-will-destroy-america-by-the-hands-of-the-muslims-god-will-not/) [Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/) > [You can't destroy America by destroying our elite. Think about America's elite. Think about it down through history. Destroy our elite, and about half…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/you-can-t-destroy-america-by-destroying-our-elite-think-about-america/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [If I wanted to develop a scenario to destroy America, I would do what the Republicans are doing. Take the brightest and best young…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-young/if-i-wanted-to-develop-a-scenario-to-destroy-america-i-would-do-what/) [Andrew Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-young/) > [That's Al Qaeda's new plan: to destroy America one period at a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-handler/that-s-al-qaeda-s-new-plan-to-destroy-america-one-period-at-a-time/) [Chelsea Handler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-handler/) ## More by Theodore Roosevelt > [No people is wholly civilized where a distinction is drawn between stealing an office and stealing a purse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/no-people-is-wholly-civilized-where-a-distinction-is-drawn-between/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [There can be no effective control of corporations while their political activity remains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/there-can-be-no-effective-control-of-corporations-while-their/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Get action. Seize the moment. Man was never intended to become an oyster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/get-action-seize-the-moment-man-was-never-intended-to-become-an-oyster/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Argument weak; speak loudly!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/argument-weak-speak-loudly/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Let the watchwords of all our people be the old familiar watchwords of honesty, decency, fair-dealing, and commonsense."... "We must treat each man on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/let-the-watchwords-of-all-our-people-be-the-old-familiar-watchwords/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [The forces that tend for evil are great and terrible, but the forces of truth and love and courage and honesty and generosity and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/the-forces-that-tend-for-evil-are-great-and-terrible-but-the-forces/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Every reform movement has a lunatic fringe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/every-reform-movement-has-a-lunatic-fringe/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Conservation and rural-life policies are really two sides of the same policy; and down at the bottom this policy rests upon the fundamental law…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/conservation-and-rural-life-policies-are-really-two-sides-of-the-same/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [It is a great mistake to think that the extremist is a better man than the moderate. Usually the difference is not that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/it-is-a-great-mistake-to-think-that-the-extremist-is-a-better-man/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [I am a strong individualist by personal habit, inheritance, and conviction; but it is a mere matter of common sense to recognize that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/i-am-a-strong-individualist-by-personal-habit-inheritance-and/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Alone of human beings the good and wise mother stands on a plane of equal honor with the bravest soldier; for she has gladly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/alone-of-human-beings-the-good-and-wise-mother-stands-on-a-plane-of/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [The greatest privilege and greatest duty for any man is to be happily married, and no other form of success or service, for either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/the-greatest-privilege-and-greatest-duty-for-any-man-is-to-be-happily/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [For unflagging interest and enjoyment, a household of children, if things go reasonably well, certainly all other forms of success and achievement lose their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/for-unflagging-interest-and-enjoyment-a-household-of-children-if/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [There can be no effective control of corporations while their political activity remains. To put an end to it will be neither a short…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/there-can-be-no-effective-control-of-corporations-while-their-2/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [If elected, I shall see to it that every man has a square deal, no less and no more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/if-elected-i-shall-see-to-it-that-every-man-has-a-square-deal-no-less/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) [Explore all 876 Theodore Roosevelt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) ## 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": "“The things that will destroy America are prosperity at any price, peace at any price, safety first instead of duty first and love of soft living and the get-rich-quick theory of life.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Theodore Roosevelt" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/the-things-that-will-destroy-america-are-prosperity-at-any-price/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "America" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/the-things-that-will-destroy-america-are-prosperity-at-any-price/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57a/theodore-roosevelt-218_america_the-things-that-will-destroy-america-are_1042507.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57a/theodore-roosevelt-218_america_the-things-that-will-destroy-america-are_1042507.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57a/theodore-roosevelt-218_america_the-things-that-will-destroy-america-are_1042507.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The things that will destroy America are prosperity at any price, peace at any price, safety first instead…” — Theodore Roosevelt", "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": "Theodore Roosevelt", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The things that will destroy America...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/the-things-that-will-destroy-america-are-prosperity-at-any-price/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/the-things-that-will-destroy-america-are-prosperity-at-any-price/#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 } } ] } ```