Lust was a positive high-tension cable, plugged into my core, activating a near-epileptic seizure of conviction that this was the one thing I had to do in life.
Will SelfRead
When anyone starts out to do something creative - especially if it seems a little unusual - they seek approval, often from those least inclined to give it. But a creative life cannot be sustained by approval, any more than it can be destroyed by criticism - you learn this as you go on.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Creative endeavors often seek approval from unsupportive sources, yet true creativity thrives independently of external validation.
This quote highlights the struggle that many creative individuals face when starting their projects. Often, they look for approval from others, particularly those who may not appreciate their unique ideas. However, true creativity should not rely on the validation of others; it can flourish in an environment of freedom and self-expression, and criticisms should not deter one from pursuing their vision. Over time, artists and creators come to understand that their work is intrinsically valuable, irrespective of external opinions.
Themes
CreativityApprovalIndependenceSelf-ExpressionCriticism
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech at an art conference, an artist could use this quote to inspire others to pursue their creative passions without fear of judgment.
More from Will Self
All quotes →What fiction offers us is an intimacy shorn of the messy contingencies of human existence - gender, race, class or age. Those moments of transcendence when we exclaim 'You know exactly what I mean!' depend for much of their force on the anonymous character of the intimacy between writer and reader.
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Sometimes, when I hear people without experience of addiction blame addicts for their behaviour, I feel like saying to them: 'You simply don't understand - how can a child be held responsible for doing such a dreadful thing to himself?' But then again, at other times I have to acknowledge: it was done wilfully.
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Death, the real simile for disease - for when we are ill, do we not always feel like we are dying, even if it's only a little? - remains, despite our secularism, the most metaphoricised phenomenon of all.
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The marvellous thing about writing, whether it be fiction or journalism, is that it is simultaneously the most intimate and the most anonymous of meetings between people. It is profoundly intimate in reaching into the psyche of another, at the same time as being devoid of social characteristics, cultural characteristics, economic characteristics.
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One of the most heartening phenomena in today's Britain is the great diversity of the modern nerd - the nerd is out and proud, and while she may love 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' merchandise more than is strictly warranted, she is in every way to be cherished as an exemplar of cosmopolitanism and tolerance.
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