Truman Capote: Time to Americans is Money

Posted by admin on Sunday, September 30, 2018

Truman Capote Money Quote saying different cultures focus on time as having relevance to differing aspects – Americans simply see time as dollars. Truman Capote said:
 

 

“Time. Time. What is time? Swiss manufacture it, French hoard it, Italians squander it, Americans say it is money” — Truman Capote

 

 

In this quote, Truman Capote seems to be making an observation about different cultural attitudes toward time and efficiency. Some key points:

• He poses the philosophical question “What is time?” perhaps implying its complex, subjective nature.
• Capote notes that the Swiss are known for manufacturing/building precision timepieces (watches).
• The French are characterized as hoarding or carefully stockpiling their time in a prudent manner.
• Italians are portrayed as wastefully spending or dissipating their time freely without reservation.
• Americans are depicted as viewing time equivalently to money – something to be economically productive with and avoid frittering away unprofitably.

Overall, Capote appears to be commenting humorously on stereotypical national mentalities toward time – the Swiss meticulously create it, French jealously guard it, Italians lavishly spend it, and Americans pragmatically monetize it. The quote offers an amusing cultural critique through comparisons of different societal mindsets.

Birthday September 30, 1924 (Died August 25, 1984)