Americans are future-minded to the point of obsession. We are impatient at living in the present. Tomorrow is bound to be better... next year, next century, always what might be rather than what is. This trait in us makes for 'progress;' it also makes for a continuing dissatisfaction.
Interpretation
This quote reflects on the American tendency to focus on the future at the expense of appreciating the present.
Gore Vidal highlights a cultural characteristic of Americans who are preoccupied with the future and believe in constant improvement. While this forward-looking mindset can drive progress and innovation, it also leads to a perpetual sense of dissatisfaction, as individuals often overlook the value of the present moment in their pursuit of what is yet to come.
In practice
In a motivational speech about embracing the present for personal growth.
We must declare ourselves, become known; allow the world to discover this subterranean life of ours which connects kings and farm boys, artists and clerks. Let them see that the important thing is not the object of love, but the emotion itself.
American writers want to be not good but great; and so are neither.
Writing fiction has become a priestly business in countries that have lost their faith.
The important thing is not the object of love, but the emotion itself.
For the average American, freedom of speech is simply the freedom to repeat what everyone else is saying and no more.
Ayn Rand's 'philosophy' is nearly perfect in its immorality, which makes the size of her audience all the more ominous and symptomatic as we enter a curious new phase in our society.... To justify and extol human greed and egotism is to my mind not only immoral, but evil.
We fought a war on poverty, and poverty won
Life is very fleeting. It’s important to be gentle and optimistic. We look behind and think what we’ve done in this life has been good. It was simple; it was modest. Everyone creates their own story and moves on. That’s it. I don’t feel particularly important. What we create is not important. We’re very insignificant.
But what can a decent man speak of with most pleasure? Answer: Of himself. Well, so I will talk about myself.
When the prophet, a complacent fat man, Arrived at the mountain-top He cried: "Woe to my knowledge! I intended to see good white lands And bad black lands— But the scene is grey.
It was a time when only the dead smiled, happy in their peace.
Our society is dependent on some precarious mechanisms, and they are very dicey. They can easily collapse.
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