That we have made a hero of Howard Hughes tells us something interesting about ourselves, something only dimly remembered, tells us that the secret point of money and power in America is neither the things that money can buy nor power for power’s sake (Americans are uneasy with their possessions, guilty about power, all of which is difficult for Europeans to perceive because they are themselves so truly materialistic, so versed in the uses of power), but absolute personal freedom, mobility, privacy. It is the instinct which drove America to the Pacific, all through the nineteenth century, the desire to be able to find a restaurant open in case you want a sandwich, to be a free agent, live by one’s own rules. Joan Didion
About This Quote

Our country is the land of opportunity. Those who start with nothing can make something of themselves. This quote captures the American dream perfectly. When you are given the chance to create your own life, you should do so with full confidence and belief in yourself. You can make it big in America, but only if you have the will and desire to go after it.

Source: Slouching Towards Bethlehem

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  1. Character – the willingness to accept responsibility for one's own life – is the source from which self-respect springs.
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