--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: America still has the right stuff to…" description: "\"America still has the right stuff to thrive. We still have the most creative, diverse, innovative culture and open society - in a world where the abili..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0d/thomas-friedman-1784_ability_america-still-has-the-right-stuff-to-thr_2747167.jpg" --- # America still has the right stuff to thrive. We still have… ![“America still has the right stuff to thrive. We still have the most creative, diverse, innovative culture and open society - in a world where the ability to imagine and generate new ideas with speed and to implement them through global collaboration is the most important competitive advantage.” quote by Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0d/thomas-friedman-1784_ability_america-still-has-the-right-stuff-to-thr_2747167.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0d/thomas-friedman-1784_ability_america-still-has-the-right-stuff-to-thr_2747167.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0d/thomas-friedman-1784_ability_america-still-has-the-right-stuff-to-thr_2747167.jpg) > “America still has the right stuff to thrive. We still have the most creative, diverse, innovative culture and open society - in a world where the ability to imagine and generate new ideas with speed and to implement them through global collaboration is the most important competitive advantage.” [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. America's strength lies in its creative, diverse, collaborative culture, essential for global competition. **In simple terms:** Innovation and openness give America an edge. Key Takeaway Foster diversity and collaboration. Themes economics innovation culture Mood optimistic analytical Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - business strategy - education - policy making - team building Key Concepts Globalization creative economies Questions to Reflect On - How can we sustain creative collaboration? - What barriers hinder open society? A Different Perspective Overreliance on innovation may ignore systemic issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Advantage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advantage/) [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Collaboration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collaboration/) [Competitive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competitive/) [Competitive advantage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competitive-advantage/) [Creative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [New ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-ideas/) [Open society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/open-society/) [Right stuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-stuff/) [Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society/) [Speed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speed/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“Practicing entrepreneurship in IT starts with the outlier leadership and builds an innovative culture - the collective attitude to experiment better ways to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-zhu/practicing-entrepreneurship-in-it-starts-with-the-outlier-leadership/) [Pearl Zhu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-zhu/) > [We have to fight the terrorists as if there were no rules and preserve our open society as if there were no terrorists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/we-have-to-fight-the-terrorists-as-if-there-were-no-rules-and/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [India's future lies in being an open society, an open polity, a functioning democracy respecting all fundamental human freedoms, accepting the rule of law…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manmohan-singh/india-s-future-lies-in-being-an-open-society-an-open-polity-a/) [Manmohan Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manmohan-singh/) > [The very word Secrecy is repugnant in a free and open society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-very-word-secrecy-is-repugnant-in-a-free-and-open-society/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The main enemy of the open society, I believe, is no longer the communist but the capitalist threat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/the-main-enemy-of-the-open-society-i-believe-is-no-longer-the/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [When I had made more money than I needed for myself and my family, I set up a foundation to promote the values and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/when-i-had-made-more-money-than-i-needed-for-myself-and-my-family-i/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [There's not as much big money on the left, but you've got George Soros, who has the Open Society Institute. He's pushing liberal policies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/there-s-not-as-much-big-money-on-the-left-but-you-ve-got-george-soros/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [A free and open society is an ongoing conflict, interrupted periodically by compromises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/a-free-and-open-society-is-an-ongoing-conflict-interrupted/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [We live in what's called an open society, which of course means they open our emails, open our phone records, and open our medical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/we-live-in-what-s-called-an-open-society-which-of-course-means-they/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [We don't stop talking about how the world might be better just because we have no chance of making it to Prime Minister. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/we-don-t-stop-talking-about-how-the-world-might-be-better-just/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [If you want an open society, you have to put up with the chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-bowyer-bell/if-you-want-an-open-society-you-have-to-put-up-with-the-chaos/) J. Bowyer Bell > [“You know, I learned at a very early age that what kind of social system or political system prevails is very important. Not just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/you-know-i-learned-at-a-very-early-age-that-what-kind-of-social/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [In an open society, no idea can be above scrutiny, just as no people should be beneath dignity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maajid-nawaz/in-an-open-society-no-idea-can-be-above-scrutiny-just-as-no-people/) [Maajid Nawaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maajid-nawaz/) > [We need to understand that an open society and free speech and press... really are the best weapons against al Qaeda and extremism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/we-need-to-understand-that-an-open-society-and-free-speech-and-press/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [The very word 'secrecy' is repugnant in a free and open society. ... There is little value in ensuring the survival of our nation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/the-very-word-secrecy-is-repugnant-in-a-free-and-open-society-there/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) ## More by Thomas Friedman > [I'm pretty much an open book. I am a fanatic golfer and golf nut. If I have three free hours any day, my first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/i-m-pretty-much-an-open-book-i-am-a-fanatic-golfer-and-golf-nut-if-i/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [The financial crisis just made the hole deeper, which is why our stimulus needs to be both big and smart, both financially and educationally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/the-financial-crisis-just-made-the-hole-deeper-which-is-why-our/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [Many jobs at Google require math, computing, and coding skills, so if your good grades truly reflect skills in those areas that you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/many-jobs-at-google-require-math-computing-and-coding-skills-so-if/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [Never before in the history of the planet have so many people, on their own, had the ability to find so much information about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/never-before-in-the-history-of-the-planet-have-so-many-people-on/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [When I was growing up, my parents told me, 'Finish your dinner. 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I tell my daughters, 'Finish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/when-i-was-growing-up-my-parents-told-me-finish-your-dinner-people-in/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [Hillary Clinton has decided to line up with John McCain in pushing to suspend the federal excise tax on gasoline, 18.4 cents a gallon,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/hillary-clinton-has-decided-to-line-up-with-john-mccain-in-pushing-to/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [Two things are going on at the same time with the flattening of the world: The relentless quest for efficiency is squeezing some of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/two-things-are-going-on-at-the-same-time-with-the-flattening-of-the/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [Our president's latest energy initiative was to go to Saudi Arabia and beg King Abdullah to give us a little relief on gasoline prices.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/our-president-s-latest-energy-initiative-was-to-go-to-saudi-arabia/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [I don't think the Arab Spring had much to do with energy. I think it was just the opposite, in fact. I think the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/i-don-t-think-the-arab-spring-had-much-to-do-with-energy-i-think-it/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [Until we fully understand what turned two brothers who allegedly perpetrated the Boston Marathon bombings into murderers, it is hard to make any policy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/until-we-fully-understand-what-turned-two-brothers-who-allegedly/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [Geopolitics is all about leverage. We cannot make ourselves safer abroad unless we change our behavior at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/geopolitics-is-all-about-leverage-we-cannot-make-ourselves-safer/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [Big breakthroughs happen when what is suddenly possible meets what is desperately needed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/big-breakthroughs-happen-when-what-is-suddenly-possible-meets-what-is/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [That's right-the striking thing about greenhouse gases is the diversity of sources that emit them. A herd of cattle belching can be worse than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/that-s-right-the-striking-thing-about-greenhouse-gases-is-the/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [There is something more severe than the problem with Thomas Friedman, which can be generalized to represent someone causing action while being completely unaccountable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/there-is-something-more-severe-than-the-problem-with-thomas-friedman/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [Pessimists are usually right and optimists are usually wrong but all the great changes have been accomplished by optimists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/pessimists-are-usually-right-and-optimists-are-usually-wrong-but-all/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) [Explore all 208 Thomas Friedman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. 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Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. 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