As a child, you respond physically, tactically. You're delighted by sound, you're delighted by recognizing something. It's like hide and seek. Is it there? Is it not there? Is it this note? Is it not this note? It's one fantastic game.
Yo-Yo MaRead
Our cultural strength has always been derived from our diversity of understanding and experience.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Cultural strength comes from the variety of perspectives and experiences in a community.
Yo-Yo Ma emphasizes that the richness of a culture is built upon the diverse understandings and experiences of its members. This variety allows for a more robust and resilient society, as different viewpoints and backgrounds contribute to a collective strength that drives innovation, creativity, and empathy within communities.
Themes
DiversityCultureStrengthCommunityUnderstanding
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about community engagement, one could use this quote to highlight the importance of diverse perspectives.
More from Yo-Yo Ma
All quotes βThere's a part of me that's always charging ahead. I'm the curious kid, always going to the edge.
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I think that peace is, in many ways, a precondition of joy.
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I think anybody who goes away finds you appreciate home more when you return.
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When we enlarge our view of the world, we deepen our understanding of our own lives.
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I learn something not because I have to, but because I really want to. That's the same view I have for performing. I'm performing because I really want to, not because I have to bring bread back home.
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My career means, if you're a non-Indian writing about Indians, at least there's one Indian in your rearview mirror.
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