--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is possible to insult Americans?”…" description: "\"“It is possible to insult Americans?” “They are automatically insulted and enraged,” said the young composer. “They form splenetic organizations by the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2d/walter-van-tilburg-clark-42123_americans_it-is-possible-to-insult-americans-they_710365.jpg" --- # It is possible to insult Americans?” “They are… ![“It is possible to insult Americans?” “They are automatically insulted and enraged,” said the young composer. “They form splenetic organizations by the hundreds, and write letters to periodicals and congressmen. They gather in mobs and pay no attention. They hang people without trial and shoot…” quote by Walter Van Tilburg Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2d/walter-van-tilburg-clark-42123_americans_it-is-possible-to-insult-americans-they_710365.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2d/walter-van-tilburg-clark-42123_americans_it-is-possible-to-insult-americans-they_710365.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2d/walter-van-tilburg-clark-42123_americans_it-is-possible-to-insult-americans-they_710365.jpg) > ““It is possible to insult Americans?” “They are automatically insulted and enraged,” said the young composer. “They form splenetic organizations by the hundreds, and write letters to periodicals and congressmen. They gather in mobs and pay no attention. They hang people without trial and shoot citizens down with machine guns out of passing cars. They will despise you because you do not eat the same things they eat for breakfast. They even apply indifference.”” [Walter Van Tilburg Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-van-tilburg-clark/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote sat American society as volatile, quick to anger, and prone to violent, irrational collective actions over minor differences. **In simple terms:** Americans are depicted as easily provoked and violent. Key Takeaway Beware of overgeneralizing groups. Themes society violence groupthink identity politics Mood critical ironic skeptical Type satirical observational When to use this quote - political rallies - online debates - community meetings - media commentary Key Concepts social psychology mob mentality cultural criticism Questions to Reflect On - How does satire shape our view of national character? - What are the dangers of stereotyping? A Different Perspective Not all Americans react this way; the quote reflects a satirical exaggeration. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Americans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/americans/) [Machine gun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/machine-gun/) ## Related quotes > [No matter how many people you kill, using a machine gun in battle is not a war crime because it does not cause unnecessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-junger/no-matter-how-many-people-you-kill-using-a-machine-gun-in-battle-is/) [Sebastian Junger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-junger/) > [“The short-barrel MP9 submachine gun released a cluster of silenced rounds that ran up Novakovich’s body, some of the bullets sparking off the case…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-swallow/the-short-barrel-mp9-submachine-gun-released-a-cluster-of-silenced/) [James Swallow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-swallow/) > [“He looked as if someone had machine gunned his soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-brewer/he-looked-as-if-someone-had-machine-gunned-his-soul/) [Gil Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-brewer/) > [I got drafted into the army and by pure chance was pushed into a silk-screen shop at this camp where I was, because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-mackenzie/i-got-drafted-into-the-army-and-by-pure-chance-was-pushed-into-a-silk/) [Warren MacKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-mackenzie/) > [“...Not yet dry behind the ears, not old enough to buy a beer, but old enough to die for his country. He can recite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-palin/not-yet-dry-behind-the-ears-not-old-enough-to-buy-a-beer-but-old/) [Sarah Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-palin/) > [I noticed the bushes all around where I stood in my fight with the machine guns were all cut down. The bullets went over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvin-c-york/i-noticed-the-bushes-all-around-where-i-stood-in-my-fight-with-the/) [Alvin C. York](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvin-c-york/) > [No one I hang out with thinks that a random person on the street should be able to buy a machine gun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margo-price/no-one-i-hang-out-with-thinks-that-a-random-person-on-the-street/) [Margo Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margo-price/) > [If, for instance, you put in a Malay officer who's very religious and who has family ties in Malaysia in charge of a machine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/if-for-instance-you-put-in-a-malay-officer-who-s-very-religious-and/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [Visually I've always liked the 20s 30s for film. I do these because I like the music. I like the clothes. I like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/visually-i-ve-always-liked-the-20s-30s-for-film-i-do-these-because-i/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [Esther be the one that shoots a machine gun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zz-top-21087/esther-be-the-one-that-shoots-a-machine-gun/) ZZ Top > [My mind's a machine gun, my body's the bullets and the audience is the target.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gg-allin/my-mind-s-a-machine-gun-my-body-s-the-bullets-and-the-audience-is-the/) [GG Allin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gg-allin/) > [“He hammered along, arms swinging by his sides. He was known, well known, along the highways in hiding that are traveled by the poor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/he-hammered-along-arms-swinging-by-his-sides-he-was-known-well-known/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“We establish no religion in this country, we command no worship, we mandate no belief. Nor will we ever. Church and state are, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/we-establish-no-religion-in-this-country-we-command-no-worship-we/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [No one rocks a heavy machine gun like Michelle Rodriguez.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-w-s-anderson/no-one-rocks-a-heavy-machine-gun-like-michelle-rodriguez/) [Paul W. S. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-w-s-anderson/) > [As a kid, my favorite book, up until 'X-Men,' was 'Avengers.' What does Captain America have? He has a shield. What does Thor have?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-liefeld/as-a-kid-my-favorite-book-up-until-x-men-was-avengers-what-does/) [Rob Liefeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-liefeld/) ## More by Walter Van Tilburg Clark > [“Yet the great “Why?” always at the center of the little “whats” and “hows” that makes religions into mythologies is often stronger in dead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-van-tilburg-clark/yet-the-great-why-always-at-the-center-of-the-little-whats-and-hows/) [Walter Van Tilburg Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-van-tilburg-clark/) > [“We desire justice, and justice has never been obtained in haste and strong feeling.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-van-tilburg-clark/we-desire-justice-and-justice-has-never-been-obtained-in-haste-and/) [Walter Van Tilburg Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-van-tilburg-clark/) > [“Nothing imaginative ever happens to five people at once, because each is up to only one-fifth of his personal intelligence and perception. A crowd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-van-tilburg-clark/nothing-imaginative-ever-happens-to-five-people-at-once-because-each/) [Walter Van Tilburg Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-van-tilburg-clark/) > [“He proved that it was equally true if the disregard was by a ruler or by a people. "It spreads like a disease," he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-van-tilburg-clark/he-proved-that-it-was-equally-true-if-the-disregard-was-by-a-ruler-or/) [Walter Van Tilburg Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-van-tilburg-clark/) > [“Places, like people, have their beginnings and have also their endings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-van-tilburg-clark/places-like-people-have-their-beginnings-and-have-also-their-endings/) [Walter Van Tilburg Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-van-tilburg-clark/) > [“Then our crime's worse than a murderer's. His act puts him outside the law, but keeps the law intact. Ours would weaken the law.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-van-tilburg-clark/then-our-crime-s-worse-than-a-murderer-s-his-act-puts-him-outside-the/) [Walter Van Tilburg Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-van-tilburg-clark/) > [Is it really so important to be different?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-van-tilburg-clark/is-it-really-so-important-to-be-different/) [Walter Van Tilburg Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-van-tilburg-clark/) > [“Just being is the main thing. Anything else is extra.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-van-tilburg-clark/just-being-is-the-main-thing-anything-else-is-extra/) [Walter Van Tilburg Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-van-tilburg-clark/) > [“True law, the code of justice, the essence of our sensations of right and wrong, is the conscience of society. It has taken thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-van-tilburg-clark/true-law-the-code-of-justice-the-essence-of-our-sensations-of-right/) [Walter Van Tilburg Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-van-tilburg-clark/) [Explore all 10 Walter Van Tilburg Clark quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-van-tilburg-clark/) ## More Americans quotes > [“People – Americans, mostly – realise how attached they are to material comforts when they arrive in India.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-william-roberts/people-americans-mostly-realise-how-attached-they-are-to-material/) Paul William Roberts > [Music has an intrinsic value that touches Americans - they love their music, and want more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-rosen/music-has-an-intrinsic-value-that-touches-americans-they-love-their/) [Hilary Rosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-rosen/) > [Americans are very friendly and very suspicious, that is what Americans are and that is what always upsets the foreigner, who deals with them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/americans-are-very-friendly-and-very-suspicious-that-is-what/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [“Medical studies have shown that cursing reduces levels of stress and pain. Repressing your anger is not healthy. It's much better to verbalize it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/medical-studies-have-shown-that-cursing-reduces-levels-of-stress-and/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [Just because the Americans are so good at rattling out accessible and cheap junk food, nobody looks twice when it comes to their food.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-oliver/just-because-the-americans-are-so-good-at-rattling-out-accessible-and/) [Jamie Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-oliver/) > [My parents don't care what Americans think of us; we just care what the other Indian people in our community think of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/himanshu-suri/my-parents-don-t-care-what-americans-think-of-us-we-just-care-what/) [Himanshu Suri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/himanshu-suri/) > [When Americans, who have no idea who I am, laugh at my jokes, it's exactly the same if someone loves you even if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gad-elmaleh/when-americans-who-have-no-idea-who-i-am-laugh-at-my-jokes-it-s/) [Gad Elmaleh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gad-elmaleh/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. 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We believe in saving the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-maclean/most-americans-believe-in-fairness-we-believe-that-people-should-work/) [Nancy MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-maclean/) > [“Using a wide variety of media, we could demonstrate for our fellow Americans their anxieties, desires, insufficiencies, and frustrations--and how to assuage them all.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/using-a-wide-variety-of-media-we-could-demonstrate-for-our-fellow/) [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) > [The Americans say that we are ungrateful-but I ask them for heaven's sake, what should we be grateful to them for-for murdering our fathers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-walker/the-americans-say-that-we-are-ungrateful-but-i-ask-them-for-heaven-s/) [David Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-walker/) > [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/) > [You are Americans. You love this country. Together we are entrusted with the principles that represent mankind's greatest political and social achievement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tsongas/you-are-americans-you-love-this-country-together-we-are-entrusted/) [Paul Tsongas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tsongas/) [Browse all 1,536 Americans quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/americans/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It is possible to insult Americans?” “They are automatically insulted and enraged,” said the young composer. “They form splenetic organizations by the hundreds, and write letters to periodicals and congressmen. They gather in mobs and pay no attention. They hang people without trial and shoot citizens down with machine guns out of passing cars. They will despise you because you do not eat the same things they eat for breakfast. 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