American politics is a struggle, not of men but of forces. The men become every year more and more creatures of force, massed about central power houses.
Henry AdamsRead
The tourist was the great conservative who hated novelty and adored dirt.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote critiques tourists who resist change and prefer familiar experiences over new and authentic ones.
Henry Adams uses this quote to express a critical view of tourists as individuals who cling to conventional experiences and avoid the discomfort of true novelty. It highlights a paradox where traveling, often associated with exploration, turns into a quest for the familiar, underscoring a tension between adventure and comfort within human nature.
Themes
TourismChangeComfortNoveltyTradition
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about travel habits, this quote serves as a reminder of how some individuals prefer safe and familiar experiences.
More from Henry Adams
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Simplicity is the most deceitful mistress that ever betrayed man.
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Church and State, Soul and Body, God and Man, are all one at Mont Saint Michel, and the business of all is to fight, each in his own way, or to stand guard for each other.
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The American President resembles the commander of a ship at sea. He must have a helm to grasp, a course to steer, a port to seek.
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The effect of power and publicity on all men is the aggravation of self, a sort of tumor that ends by killing the victim's sympathies.
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