Food, one assumes, provides nourishment; but Americans eat it fully aware that small amounts of poison have been added to improve its appearance and delay its putrefaction.
John CageRead
There was a German philosopher who is very well known, his name was Immanuel Kant, and he said there are two things that don’t have to mean anything, one is music and the other is laughter. Don’t have to mean anything that is, in order to give us deep pleasure.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Music and laughter are valuable experiences that provide joy without needing to have a deeper meaning.
John Cage reflects on the thoughts of Immanuel Kant, emphasizing that music and laughter are two experiences that can bring us immense pleasure without the burden of having to convey a specific meaning. This idea encourages us to appreciate the intrinsic value of art and joy in our lives, highlighting that not all experiences need to be deeply analyzed to be significant.
Themes
MusicLaughterPleasureMeaningPhilosophy
In practice
Example use cases
Using this quote in a speech about the importance of creativity in our lives.
More from John Cage
All quotes →Which is more musical: a truck passing by a factory or a truck passing by a music school?
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I remember loving sound before I ever took a music lesson. And so we make our lives by what we love.
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I can't understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I'm frightened of the old ones.
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People who aren't artists often feel that artists are inspired. But if you work at your art you don't have time to be inspired.
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Let no one imagine that in owning a recording he has the music. The very practice of music is a celebration that we own nothing.
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