Quote by W. H. Auden

In a land which is fully settled, most men must accept their local environment or try to change it by political means; only the exceptionally gifted or adventurous can leave to seek his fortune elsewhere. In America, on the other hand, to move on and make a fresh start somewhere else is still the normal reaction to dissatisfaction and failure.

In a land which is fully settled, most men must accept their

Summary

This quote highlights the difference between settled lands and America in terms of individuals' response to dissatisfaction and failure. In settled lands, people typically resort to either accepting their circumstances or trying to bring about change through political means. Only a few exceptionally talented or bold individuals have the opportunity to venture out and seek their fortune elsewhere. However, in America, it is considered a normal reaction to move on and start afresh in a different location when faced with discontent or setbacks. This emphasis on the freedom to explore new possibilities is seen as a distinctive characteristic of American society.

Topics

Satisfaction

By W. H. Auden

Liked the quote? Share it with your friends.

Random Quotations

There are people who possess not so much genius as a certain

There are people who possess not so much genius as a certain talent for perceiving the desires of the century, or even of the decade, before it has done so itself.

G. C. (Georg Christoph) Lichtenb

Greatness & Great Things

Sorrow has produced more melody than mirth.

Sorrow has produced more melody than mirth.

Sadness

They are not only idle who do nothing, but they are idle als

They are not only idle who do nothing, but they are idle also who might be better employed.

Purpose

El que lee mucho y anda mucho, ve mucho y sabe mucho.

El que lee mucho y anda mucho, ve mucho y sabe mucho.

Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

Truth

One aged man -- one man -- can't fill a house.

One aged man -- one man -- can't fill a house.

Loneliness

The democratic youth lives along day by day, gratifying the

The democratic youth lives along day by day, gratifying the desire that occurs to him, at one time drinking and listening to the flute, at another downing water and reducing, now practicing gymnastic, and again idling and neglecting everything; and sometimes spending his time as though he were occupied in philosophy.

Students

As a woman I have no country. As a woman my country is the w

As a woman I have no country. As a woman my country is the whole world.

Women

An actress is not a machine, but they treat you like a machi

An actress is not a machine, but they treat you like a machine. A money machine.

Money

The world's literature and folklore are full of stories that

The world's literature and folklore are full of stories that point out how futile it can be to seek happiness. Rather, happiness is a blessing that comes to you as you go along; a treasure that you incidentally find.

Happiness

My first holiday to San Francisco in 1998-99 was supposed to

My first holiday to San Francisco in 1998-99 was supposed to be a two-week vacation but I ended up staying five weeks and nearly didn't come home.

Home

With nothing can one approach a work of art so little as wit

With nothing can one approach a work of art so little as with critical words: they always come down to more or less happy misunderstandings.

Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters to a

Art

I talked about the barriers created by monopolies. I said th

I talked about the barriers created by monopolies. I said that it was the role of government to break up these monopolies and that we couldn't do it alone.

Alone