"The Americans, who are the most efficient people on the earth, have carried [phrase-making] to such a height of perfection and have invented so wide a range of pithy and hackneyed phrases that they can carry on an amusing and animated conversation without giving a moment's reflection to what they are saying and so leave their minds free to consider the more important matters of big business and fornication."

Culture, Language, Efficiency, Habit, Communication

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"The Americans, who are the most efficient people on the earth, have carried [phrase-making] to such a height of perfection and have invented so wide a range of pithy and hackneyed phrases that they can carry on an amusing and animated conversation without giving a moment's reflection to what they are saying and so leave their minds free to consider the more important matters of big business and fornication."

Exlpore more Culture quotes

"We are what we think about and meditate on. Look around people! America is a buffet of violence, a total immersion."

Bryant McGill, American Poet

Culture, Thought, Meditation, Violence

"Culture is a symbolic veil with which we hide our animal nature from ourselves - and other animals."

Mokokoma Mokhonoana, South African Philosopher

Culture, Truth, Life, Wisdom, Power

"Cultural heritage define the uniqueness of individuals. Appreciate cultural diversity."

Lailah Gifty Akita, Ghanaian Author

Culture, Cultural, Heritage, Diversity, Uniqueness

"The way of the consumerist culture is to spend so much energy chasing happiness that it has none left to be happy."

Criss Jami, American Philosopher

Culture, Truth, Wisdom, Power, Life

"Confession. Years ago, I was invited to a cocktail party for an Asian-American networking group. As I introduced myself to a Japanese businessman, I reached out and firmly shook his hand. Much to my embarrassment now, I automatically took my other hand and wrapped our hands in a "hand hug. This is a common gesture of friendship in the South. As his wife approached, however, she appeared appalled and felt disrespected that I was touching her husband. Our cultural differences were marked. Despite this cultural mishap, I was able to redeem myself. We all moved past it and delighted in an interesting conversation. Physical touch is a touchy topic (pun intended), especially when various cultures are involved."

Susan C. Young, American Author

Culture, Wisdom, Truth, Power, Regret

"Strategy, role-model, systems thinking, trust, relationship management, balance, etc., are all important culture change principles."

Pearl Zhu, American Author

Culture, Strategy, Leadership, Change

"We are all artificial and have been unnaturally changed by violence and unwholesome conditioning."

Bryant McGill, American Poet

Culture, Violence, Truth, Life, Wisdom

"Culture and holiness must be made compatible in the environment of the kingdom."

Sunday Adelaja, Nigerian Author

Culture, Holiness, Kingdom, Environment

"The American's literature is all about being hot and sexy, inspiring a girl and going to bed with her. It focuses on being a hero, saving lives and surviving last, but it has nothing to do with dignity, serenity."

M.F. Moonzajer, Afghan Author

Culture, Literature, Truth

"Could dump two Chinee down in one of our maria and they would get rich selling rocks to each other while raising twelve kids. Then a Hindu would sell retail stuff he got from them wholesale--below cost at a fat profit. We got along."

Robert A. Heinlein, American Writer

Culture, Trade, Community, Economics

Explore more quotes by W. Somerset Maugham

"The crown of literature is poetry."

Poetry, Literature

"What has influenced my life more than any other single thing has been my stammer. Had I not stammered I would probably... have gone to Cambridge as my brothers did, perhaps have become a don and every now and then published a dreary book about French literature."

Life, Brothers, Literature, Now

"It's no good trying to keep up old friendships. It's painful for both sides. The fact is, one grows out of people, and the only thing is to face it."

People, Fact, Old, Trying

"A man marries to have a home, but also because he doesn't want to be bothered with sex and all that sort of thing."

Home, Sex, Man, Want

"We know our friends by their defects rather than by their merits."

Friendship, Friends

"When you choose your friends, don't be short-changed by choosing personality over character."

Character, Friends, Personality

"I made up my mind long ago that life was too short to do anything for myself that I could pay others to do for me."

Life, Mind

"It is not wealth one asks for, but just enough to preserve one's dignity, to work unhampered, to be generous, frank and independent."

Work, Wealth, Dignity

"It is not true that suffering ennobles the character; happiness does that sometimes, but suffering for the most part, makes men petty and vindictive."

Happiness, Men, Character, Suffering

"In Hollywood, the women are all peaches. It makes one long for an apple occasionally."

Woman, Women, Hollywood