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What are the symbols of American strength, wealth, power and modernity? Certainly not jazz and rock and roll, not chewing-gum or hamburgers, Broadway or Hollywood. It's their skyscrapers. Their Pentagon. Their science. Their technology.
Oriana Fallaci
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote highlights symbols of American power and modernity, emphasizing architecture and technology over cultural elements.

Oriana Fallaci's quote critiques the perceptions of American strength and modernity by listing symbols that represent the country's power. Rather than traditional cultural elements like music and food, she points to physical manifestations such as skyscrapers, military structures, and advancements in science and technology, suggesting these are the true icons of American identity and influence.

Themes

AmericaSymbolsStrengthModernityArchitectureTechnology

In practice

Example use cases

In a speech about American identity, one might refer to this quote to emphasize the importance of innovation and infrastructure.

More from Oriana Fallaci

I leave shreds of my soul on every experience.
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I know ours is a world made by men for men, their dictatorship is so ancient it even extends to language.
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A lot of women ask themselves why they should bring a child into the world? So that it will be hungry, so that it will be cold, so that it will be betrayed and humiliated, so that it will be slaughtered by war or disease? They reject the hope that its hunger will be satisfied, its cold warmed, that loyalty and respect will accompany it through life, that it will be a devote a life to the effort to eliminate war and disease.
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You cannot govern, you cannot administrate, with an ignoramus.
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I am known for a life spent in the struggle for freedom, and freedom includes the freedom of religion.
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I'm going to show you the real New York - witty, smart, and international - like any metropolis. Tell me this: where in Europe can you find old Hungary, old Russia, old France, old Italy? In Europe you're trying to copy America, you're almost American. But here you'll find Europeans who immigrated a hundred years ago - and we haven't spoiled them. Oh, Gio! You must see why I love New York. Because the whole world's in New York.
Oriana FallaciRead

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