Life is like topography, Hobbes. There are summits of happiness and success, flat stretches of boring routine and valleys of frustration and failure.
Bill WattersonRead
Why does man create? Is it man's purpose on earth to express himself, to bring form to thought, and to discover meaning in experience? Or is it just something to do when he's bored?
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote questions the intrinsic motivation behind human creativity and expression.
Bill Watterson's quote reflects on the fundamental reasons why humans engage in creation, suggesting that it may serve a deeper purpose such as self-expression and finding meaning in life, or it could simply be a pastime born out of boredom. It provokes thought about the value of creativity, challenging us to consider whether our creative endeavors are significant or merely a distraction.
Themes
CreationPurposeExpressionArtMeaning
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about creativity at a conference, one might quote Watterson to inspire artists about their inner motivations.
More from Bill Watterson
All quotes βSometimes when I'm talking, my words can't keep up with my thoughts. I wonder why we think faster than we speak. Probably so we can think twice.
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The secret to enjoying your job is to have a hobby that's even worse
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Shutting off the thought process is not rejuvenating; the mind is like a car battery - it recharges by running.
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Mothers are the necessity of invention.
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Dad: Honey, have you seen my glasses? I can"t find them. Mom: I haven't seen them. Calvin: (with glasses, to Dad) Calvin, go do something you hate! Being miserable builds character!
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Similar quotes
My mother encouraged me to be artistic. It was written in a contract at an early age that I would be an artist.
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Often, especially young artists, you feel like you should be doing something. And I think that can be very destructive because creativity is about connecting with the stuff that's deep inside you and making something out of that.
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I could spend my whole life photographing circuses. They combine everything I'm interested in - they're ironic, poetic, and corny at the same time. There's also something about a circus that's magical, sentimental, and almost tragic, like a Fellini film.
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Don't play what's there, play what's not there.
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Oh Woman, come before us, before our eyes longing for beauty, and tired of the ugliness of civilization, come in simple tunics, letting us see the line and harmony of the body beneath, and dance for us. Dance us the sweetness of life. Give us again the sweetness and the beauty of the true dance, give us again the joy of seeing the simple unconscious pure body of a woman. Like a great call it has come, and women must hear it and answer it.
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