--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We Americans... like change. It is at…" description: "\"We Americans... like change. It is at once our weakness and our strength.\" — W. Somerset Maugham" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/193/w-somerset-maugham-237_change_we-americans-like-change-it-is-at-once-o_1144970.jpg" --- # We Americans... like change. It is at once our weakness… ![“We Americans... like change. It is at once our weakness and our strength.” quote by W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/193/w-somerset-maugham-237_change_we-americans-like-change-it-is-at-once-o_1144970.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/193/w-somerset-maugham-237_change_we-americans-like-change-it-is-at-once-o_1144970.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/193/w-somerset-maugham-237_change_we-americans-like-change-it-is-at-once-o_1144970.jpg) > “We Americans... like change. It is at once our weakness and our strength.” [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) ## 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 paradox: change fuels innovation but also creates instability. **In simple terms:** Change can be both good and bad. Key Takeaway Balance adaptability with stability. Themes change strength weakness paradox Mood reflective analytical Type philosophical political When to use this quote - business strategy - political reform - personal growth - team dynamics Key Concepts sociopolitics national identity psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you harness change without losing core values? - When does change become detrimental? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on change can erode tradition and continuity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Americans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/americans/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Strength](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strength/) [Weakness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weakness/) ## Related quotes > [Fear of change was a weakness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/fear-of-change-was-a-weakness/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [I like the mentality of the Americans. It's like when you talk about money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-prost/i-like-the-mentality-of-the-americans-it-s-like-when-you-talk-about/) [Alain Prost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-prost/) > [So many Korean Americans like me came to this country with the hope of achieving their own American Dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-steel/so-many-korean-americans-like-me-came-to-this-country-with-the-hope/) [Michelle Steel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-steel/) > [Americans like to think 'Python' is how English people really are. There is an element of truth to that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-idle/americans-like-to-think-python-is-how-english-people-really-are-there/) [Eric Idle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-idle/) > [You will find the Americans much like the Greeks found the Romans: great, big, vulgar, bustling people more vigorous than we are and also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-macmillan/you-will-find-the-americans-much-like-the-greeks-found-the-romans/) [Harold Macmillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-macmillan/) > [“Larry has been absorbed, as he wished, into that tumultuous conglomeration of humanity, distracted by so many conflicting interests, so lost in the world's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/larry-has-been-absorbed-as-he-wished-into-that-tumultuous/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“Americans like what is easy, and it's easy to like pregnant women - they're like ducklings or bunnies or dogs. Still, it baffles me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-flynn/americans-like-what-is-easy-and-it-s-easy-to-like-pregnant-women-they/) [Gillian Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-flynn/) > [I think Americans like the practical; they like the human. And I like both those things myself, and I try and put them into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keegan/i-think-americans-like-the-practical-they-like-the-human-and-i-like/) [John Keegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keegan/) > [Americans like swag, eh? I'm coming for you, Westbrook!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luka-doncic/americans-like-swag-eh-i-m-coming-for-you-westbrook/) [Luka Doncic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luka-doncic/) > [I like whimsy and satire, and that's what Americans like so much about Brits. We bring subtlety and sense of humor that you sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-yiannopoulos/i-like-whimsy-and-satire-and-that-s-what-americans-like-so-much-about/) [Milo Yiannopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-yiannopoulos/) > [Despite the obvious benefits, many Americans do not like Texas. Some even say they despise Texas, and make no secret of their feelings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-frazier/despite-the-obvious-benefits-many-americans-do-not-like-texas-some/) [Ian Frazier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-frazier/) > [ It's a big country out there and there are tens of millions of Americans who like what the president \[Donald Trump\] is doing. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellyanne-conway/it-s-a-big-country-out-there-and-there-are-tens-of-millions-of/) [Kellyanne Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellyanne-conway/) > [I think Brits probably feel that Americans are more like us than vice-versa, if that makes sense. Because we get everything American over here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hayley-atwell/i-think-brits-probably-feel-that-americans-are-more-like-us-than-vice/) [Hayley Atwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hayley-atwell/) > [My records have done very well in Europe and I want Americans to like my music too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demis-roussos/my-records-have-done-very-well-in-europe-and-i-want-americans-to-like/) [Demis Roussos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demis-roussos/) > [Black Americans like me are free people with free minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-jones/black-americans-like-me-are-free-people-with-free-minds/) [Vernon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-jones/) ## More by W. Somerset Maugham > [“A man thinks it quite natural that he should fall out of love with a woman, but it never strikes him for a moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/a-man-thinks-it-quite-natural-that-he-should-fall-out-of-love-with-a/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“A man's work reveals him. In social intercourse he gives you the surface that he wishes the world to accept, but in his book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/a-man-s-work-reveals-him-in-social-intercourse-he-gives-you-the/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [Love is only a dirty trick played on us to achieve continuation of the species.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/love-is-only-a-dirty-trick-played-on-us-to-achieve-continuation-of/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [The world is hard and cruel. We are here none knows why, and we go none knows whither. We must be very humble. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/the-world-is-hard-and-cruel-we-are-here-none-knows-why-and-we-go-none/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“There is no more merit in having read a thousand books than in having ploughed a thousand fields.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/there-is-no-more-merit-in-having-read-a-thousand-books-than-in-having/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“I wanted to live again and again. I was willing to accept every sort of life, no matter what its pain and sorrow; I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/i-wanted-to-live-again-and-again-i-was-willing-to-accept-every-sort/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [In Hollywood, the women are all peaches. It makes one long for an apple occasionally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/in-hollywood-the-women-are-all-peaches-it-makes-one-long-for-an-apple/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [Follow your inclinations with due regard to the policeman round the corner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/follow-your-inclinations-with-due-regard-to-the-policeman-round-the/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“His love became a prison from which he longed to escape, but he had not the strength merely to open the door-that was all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/his-love-became-a-prison-from-which-he-longed-to-escape-but-he-had/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [I did not believe him capable of love. That is an emotion in which tenderness is an essential part, but Strickland had no tenderness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/i-did-not-believe-him-capable-of-love-that-is-an-emotion-in-which/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [If only the good were a little less heavy-footed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/if-only-the-good-were-a-little-less-heavy-footed/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [Perfection has one grave defect: it is apt to be dull.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/perfection-has-one-grave-defect-it-is-apt-to-be-dull/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“A God that can be understood is no God. Who can explain the Infinite in words?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/a-god-that-can-be-understood-is-no-god-who-can-explain-the-infinite/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“My dear, you used to be quite a dish; now you're quite a tureen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/my-dear-you-used-to-be-quite-a-dish-now-you-re-quite-a-tureen/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“When people say they do not care what others thing of them, for the most part they deceive themselves”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/when-people-say-they-do-not-care-what-others-thing-of-them-for-the/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) [Explore all 840 W. Somerset Maugham quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) ## 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. 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