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People come here penniless but not cultureless. They bring us gifts. We can synthesize the best of our traditions with the best of theirs. We can teach and learn from each other to produce a better America.
Mary Pipher
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote emphasizes the value of cultural exchange and collaboration, highlighting how diversity enriches a society.

Mary Pipher's quote reflects on the importance of cultural diversity in America, suggesting that while immigrants may arrive without financial resources, they bring valuable cultural gifts. She advocates for a mutual exchange of knowledge and traditions, where both new and established communities can learn from one another to create a richer, more vibrant society.

Themes

CultureDiversityCollaborationCommunityExchange

In practice

Example use cases

This quote can be used in speeches about immigration and cultural integration.

More from Mary Pipher

Something dramatic happens to girls in early adolescence. Just as planes and ships disappear mysteriously into the Bermuda Triangle, so do the selves of girls go down in droves.
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Girls developed eating disorders when our culture developed a standard of beauty that they couldn't obtain by being healthy. When unnatural thinness became attractive, girls did unnatural things to be thin.
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When one of us tells the truth, he makes it easier for all of us to open our hearts to our pain and that of others.
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