Envy is the central fact of American life.
Interpretation
Envy shapes social dynamics and attitudes in American culture.
Gore Vidal's statement on envy highlights its pervasive influence in American life, suggesting that feelings of jealousy and desire for what others have are central to understanding social interactions and behaviors in the society. This notion reflects on how envy can drive competition, create divides, and shape individuals' perceptions of success and happiness within a collective culture.
In practice
During a keynote speech, I mentioned, 'As Gore Vidal said, envy is the central fact of American life, reminding us to be aware of how jealousy affects our interactions and aspirations.
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.
Too many think lightly of sin, and therefore think lightly of the Savior. He who has stood before his God, convicted and condemned, with the rope about his neck, is the man to weep for joy when he is pardoned, to hate the evil which has been forgiven him, and to live to the honor of the Redeemer by whose blood he has been cleansed.
Money is a bubble that never pops. It's a consensus hallucination.
Within the soul of each Vietnam veteran there is probably something that says "Bad war, good soldier." Only now are Americans beginning to separate the war from the warrior.
The beautiful souls are they that are universal, open, and ready for all things.
The rule of law should be upheld by all political parties. They should neither advise others to break the law, nor encourage others to do so even when they strongly disagree with the legislation put forward by the government of the day.
Every breath is a sacrament, an affirmation of our connection with all other living things, a renewal of our link with our ancestors and a contribution to generations yet to come. Our breath is a part of life's breath, the ocean of air that envelopes the earth.
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