“The true New Yorker secretly believes that people living anywhere else have to be, in some sense, kidding.”
What this quote means
Updike's witty observation captures the affectionate chauvinism of New Yorkers, who see their city as the center of the universe. It resonates because it reveals our tendency to view our own environment as the norm and anywhere else as an anomaly. This applies to anyone proud of their culture or city, who can smile while recognizing this benevolent arrogance in themselves.
How to apply it daily
Identify a local habit or preference you assume is universal, and remind yourself that other cultures have their own truths.
Continue
Related quotes
Same author or same theme — keep reading.
“Please, sir, I want some more.”Create visual
“The family is the first and fundamental school of social living.”Create visual
“The strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack.”Create visual
“We become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams.”Create visual
“Imagine all the people living life in peace.”Create visual
“There is a greater percentage of the population in prison in the United States than in any other country on earth, including Russia, including China, including Iran.”Create visual