Quote by J. William Fulbright
To me, the irony of this involvement with size, as I observed earlier, is the unwillingness or inability of so many Americans to identify themselves with something as vast as the United States. Bigger cars, bigger parking lots, bigger corporate structures, bigger farms, bigger drug stores, bigger supermarkets, bigger motion-picture screens. The tangible and the functional expand, while the intangible and the beautiful shrink. Left to wither is the national purpose, national educational needs, literature and theater, and our critical faculties. The national dialogue is gradually being lost in a froth of misleading self-congratulation and cliche. National needs and interests are slowly being submerged by the national preoccupation with the irrelevant.
Summary
This quote highlights the irony of how many Americans prioritize material and physical expansion, such as bigger cars, buildings, and stores, while neglecting the intangible aspects of their nation's identity. While tangible and functional things grow, important elements like national purpose, education, literature, theater, and critical thinking diminish. The quote suggests that Americans are losing sight of their national needs and interests, becoming more focused on superficial self-praise and distractions. It criticizes the increasing preoccupation with irrelevant matters and the diminishing national dialogue.
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