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The need to make music, and to listen to it, is…

“The need to make music, and to listen to it, is universally expressed by human beings. I cannot imagine, even in our most primitive times, the emergence of talented painters to make cave paintings without there having been, near at hand, equally creative people making song. It is, like speech, a…” quote by Lewis Thomas
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“The need to make music, and to listen to it, is universally expressed by human beings. I cannot imagine, even in our most primitive times, the emergence of talented painters to make cave paintings without there having been, near at hand, equally creative people making song. It is, like speech, a dominant aspect of human biology.”

Lewis Thomas

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Music is a universal human drive, intertwined with language and essential to our biology.

In simple terms: Music is a basic human need.

Key Takeaway

Cultivate music listening and creation.

Themes

art biology culture

Mood

reflective scientific

Type

philosophical educational

When to use this quote

  • education
  • therapy
  • community events
  • personal practice
  • media production

Key Concepts

neuroscience evolution communication

Questions to Reflect On

  • Why is music so pervasive across societies?
  • How does music shape human interaction?
A Different Perspective

May overlook cultural variations in musical expression.

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