Art's purpose is to sober and quiet the mind so that it is in accord with what happens. John Cage More Quotes by John Cage More Quotes From John Cage You can feel an emotion; just don't think that it's so important. John Cage emotion important thinking A meal without mushrooms is like a day without rain. John Cage mushrooms meals rain If there are questions then, of course, there are answers, but the final answer makes the questions seem absurd. John Cage absurd finals answers So somebody has talent? So what? Dime a dozen. And we're overpopulated. Actually we have more food than we have people and more art. We've gotten to the point of burning food. When will we begin to burn our art? John Cage dimes people art We only hear what we listen for. John Cage I don't need sound to talk to me. John Cage talk-to-me sound needs Combine nursing homes with nursery schools. Bring very old and very young together: they interest one another. John Cage nursing home school Why do you not do as I do? Letting go of your thoughts as though they were the cold ashes of a long dead fire? John Cage fire letting-go long To accept whatever comes, regardless of the consequences, is to be unafraid. John Cage unafraid accepting courage Now that things are so simple, there's so much to do. John Cage simple Everything I see is something I haven't memorized. John Cage havens Theatre takes place all the time - wherever one is - and art simply facilitates persuading one this is the case. John Cage cases theatre art A finished work is exactly that, requires resurrection. John Cage finished-work resurrection music We are simple-minded enough to think that if we were saying something we would use words. We are rather doing something. The meaning of what we do is determined by each one who sees and hears it. John Cage simple use thinking I am trying to be unfamiliar with what I'm doing. John Cage unfamiliar trying Everything we do is music." (Classical Composer)(From: 4'33") John Cage classical-composers composer As McLuhan says, everything happens at once. John Cage things-happen happens No one can have an idea once he starts really listening. John Cage listening ideas Each moment presents what happens. John Cage moments happens College: two hundred people reading the same book. An obvious mistake. Two hundred people can read two hundred books. John Cage reading mistake book