American character Quote by Vance Packard

Let us instance one respect in which American life has recently undergone a great change. We allude to its increased devotion to pleasure, to…

— Frank Crowninshield

“Limbic pursuits sink slowly and steadily lower on America’s list of collective priorities. Top-ranking items remain the pursuit of wealth, physical beauty, youthful appearance,…

— Thomas Lewis

I feel more voluntary about my pleasures and pains than the average American who has his needs dictated by Madison Avenue (my projections, of…

— Duane Elgin

The entitlement mentality so carefully cultivated by liberal academics, politicians, clergymen, and journalists continues to corrode the self-sufficiency that once defined the American character.

— Mona Charen

The main emotion of the adult American who has had all the advantages of wealth, education, and culture is disappointment.

— John Cheever

The notion that a human being should be constantly happy is a uniquely modern, uniquely American, uniquely destructive idea.

— Andrew Weil

“Oh, go on' you prod encouragingly. 'Well, just a small one then,' they say and dartingly take a small one, and then get a…

— Bill Bryson

The essence of what it is to be American is the deep moral urge to be free, to freely express yourself and have the…

— Steven Spielberg

Surrounded by the self -sufficiency of American culture, we can convince ourselves that we have what it takes to achieve something great.

— David Platt

We find personal success and great, if not enduring, influence on the outer fashioning of the world allotted to the violent, the passionate individual…

— Richard Wagner

The individualism of American life, to our glory and despair, creates anger and encourages its release; for when everything is possible, limitations are irksome.…

— Carol Tavris

Our capacity for production and enjoyment is a function, in the last analysis, of our character, our integrity.

— Stephen Covey