--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I thought that punk in its original state…" description: "\"I thought that punk in its original state was a revolutionary movement. But like surrealism, it failed in its revolutionary attempt.\" — Alex Cox" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ce/alex-cox-19686_punk_i-thought-that-punk-in-its-original-stat_2492552.jpg" --- # I thought that punk in its original state was a… ![“I thought that punk in its original state was a revolutionary movement. But like surrealism, it failed in its revolutionary attempt.” quote by Alex Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ce/alex-cox-19686_punk_i-thought-that-punk-in-its-original-stat_2492552.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ce/alex-cox-19686_punk_i-thought-that-punk-in-its-original-stat_2492552.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ce/alex-cox-19686_punk_i-thought-that-punk-in-its-original-stat_2492552.jpg) > “I thought that punk in its original state was a revolutionary movement. But like surrealism, it failed in its revolutionary attempt.” [Alex Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-cox/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Punk began as a revolutionary force but, like surrealism, it lost its transformative power. **In simple terms:** Punk started revolutionary but failed to stay revolutionary. Key Takeaway Recognize when movements lose their edge. Themes culture revolution art Mood critical reflective Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - music scenes - political activism - art criticism Key Concepts social change artistic movements Questions to Reflect On - Can a movement regain its original purpose? - What sustains true revolutionary energy? A Different Perspective Revolutions can become co-opted or diluted over time. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Punk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/punk/) [Revolutionary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revolutionary/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Surrealism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surrealism/) ## Related quotes > [“Jesus didn't die as a frustrated failed revolutionary. His death was the revolution.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-willimon/jesus-didn-t-die-as-a-frustrated-failed-revolutionary-his-death-was/) [William H. Willimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-willimon/) > [In a free system any large, popular, revolutionary movement should be able to bring about its ends by such a voluntary process. As more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-nozick/in-a-free-system-any-large-popular-revolutionary-movement-should-be/) [Robert Nozick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-nozick/) > [This is an inevitable and easily recognizable stage in every revolutionary movement: reformers must expect to be disowned by those who are only too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/this-is-an-inevitable-and-easily-recognizable-stage-in-every/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [The accumulated experience of mankind in the struggle against exploitation, synthesized in Marxism, enabled the Mozambican revolutionary movement to benefit from and absorb that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samora-machel/the-accumulated-experience-of-mankind-in-the-struggle-against/) [Samora Machel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samora-machel/) > [No revolutionary movement is complete without its poetical expression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-connolly/no-revolutionary-movement-is-complete-without-its-poetical-expression/) [James Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-connolly/) > [Taken as a whole, the Chinese revolutionary movement led by the Communist Party embraces the two stages, i.e., the democratic and the socialist revolutions,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mao-zedong/taken-as-a-whole-the-chinese-revolutionary-movement-led-by-the/) [Mao Zedong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mao-zedong/) > [Feminism is a revolutionary movement which is different from the class struggle movement, the proletarian movement, but which is a movement which must be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/feminism-is-a-revolutionary-movement-which-is-different-from-the/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [We must see the great distinction between a reform movement and a revolutionary movement. We are called upon to raise certain basic questions about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/we-must-see-the-great-distinction-between-a-reform-movement-and-a/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [“The Enlightenment was not a revolutionary movement; it was not even a political movement. It was a collection of scholars, writers, artists and historians…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hirst/the-enlightenment-was-not-a-revolutionary-movement-it-was-not-even-a/) John Hirst > [Could women's liberation ever be a revolutionary movement, not rhetorically but on the ground?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-dworkin/could-women-s-liberation-ever-be-a-revolutionary-movement-not/) [Andrea Dworkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-dworkin/) > [Ho Chi Minh was well aware that the enemy possessed more firepower than did his own forces, and sought to use what he viewed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-duiker/ho-chi-minh-was-well-aware-that-the-enemy-possessed-more-firepower/) [William J. Duiker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-duiker/) > [It is a curious fact that with every great revolutionary movement the question of 'free love' comes into the foreground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-engels/it-is-a-curious-fact-that-with-every-great-revolutionary-movement-the/) [Friedrich Engels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-engels/) > [There is no example in historyof a revolutionary movement involving such gigantic masses being so bloodless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky-1879-1940/there-is-no-example-in-historyof-a-revolutionary-movement-involving/) Leon Trotsky (1879\_1940 > [“He was a son of the revolutionary movement when he and the revolutionary movement were still pristine. It was a special time for Filipino…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/psyche-roxas-mendoza/he-was-a-son-of-the-revolutionary-movement-when-he-and-the/) [Psyche Roxas-Mendoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/psyche-roxas-mendoza/) > [All the political movements of our country that have hitherto played any important role in our modern history had been lacking in the ideal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhagat-singh/all-the-political-movements-of-our-country-that-have-hitherto-played/) [Bhagat Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhagat-singh/) ## More by Alex Cox > [Because there is actually something very interesting in Goodfellas, how the style of the film changes as time goes by and based on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-cox/because-there-is-actually-something-very-interesting-in-goodfellas/) [Alex Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-cox/) > [You can't change the system through violence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-cox/you-can-t-change-the-system-through-violence/) [Alex Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-cox/) > [In Goodfellas they have this one scene where the camera goes down some steps and walks through a kitchen into a restaurant and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-cox/in-goodfellas-they-have-this-one-scene-where-the-camera-goes-down/) [Alex Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-cox/) > [And it says something about our level of disassociation, that we can provoke these wars abroad but we're not allowed to see people get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-cox/and-it-says-something-about-our-level-of-disassociation-that-we-can/) [Alex Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-cox/) > [Yeah, I'd be happy to go back to Mexico or Japan to make another film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-cox/yeah-i-d-be-happy-to-go-back-to-mexico-or-japan-to-make-another-film/) [Alex Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-cox/) > [I don't think about Hollywood at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-cox/i-don-t-think-about-hollywood-at-all/) [Alex Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-cox/) > [Shakespeare, who is probably the greatest writer and poet of the English language, lived in a time that was politically very conservative and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-cox/shakespeare-who-is-probably-the-greatest-writer-and-poet-of-the/) [Alex Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-cox/) > [The original deal we made was that Walker would be treated like a regular movie, rather than an arthouse thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-cox/the-original-deal-we-made-was-that-walker-would-be-treated-like-a/) [Alex Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-cox/) > [One of my contemporaries, a colorless chap who worked much harder at his law studies, is now Prime Minister.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-cox/one-of-my-contemporaries-a-colorless-chap-who-worked-much-harder-at/) [Alex Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-cox/) > [Artists make their work to be seen by others. Well, really we do it to please ourselves, but whatever your art is, you want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-cox/artists-make-their-work-to-be-seen-by-others-well-really-we-do-it-to/) [Alex Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-cox/) > [No, I did a film called 'Death and the Compass' as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-cox/no-i-did-a-film-called-death-and-the-compass-as-well/) [Alex Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-cox/) > [The greatest crime in a Shakespeare play is to murder the king.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-cox/the-greatest-crime-in-a-shakespeare-play-is-to-murder-the-king/) [Alex Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-cox/) > [Sorry, but there is no pleasure in finding new ways of saying the same stuff about projects which tanked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-cox/sorry-but-there-is-no-pleasure-in-finding-new-ways-of-saying-the-same/) [Alex Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-cox/) > [Justin Salinger showed up one day with a pink cowboy hat on and everyone else got really annoyed because somehow he'd managed to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-cox/justin-salinger-showed-up-one-day-with-a-pink-cowboy-hat-on-and/) [Alex Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-cox/) > [It's interesting actually, what's gone on with that footage, and also what happened with the footage from the war in Afghanistan, is that our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-cox/it-s-interesting-actually-what-s-gone-on-with-that-footage-and-also/) [Alex Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-cox/) [Explore all 32 Alex Cox quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-cox/) ## More Punk quotes > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [My Nirvana experience was much different than the other three guys. For me, it was really new and exciting. I was just a guy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-smear/my-nirvana-experience-was-much-different-than-the-other-three-guys/) [Pat Smear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-smear/) > [For me, creating the clothes of Givenchy is the way to make my tribe. It's related to religion, too, because it's people trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riccardo-tisci/for-me-creating-the-clothes-of-givenchy-is-the-way-to-make-my-tribe/) [Riccardo Tisci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riccardo-tisci/) > [A lot of people think that punk rock musicians don't know what they're doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-barker/a-lot-of-people-think-that-punk-rock-musicians-don-t-know-what-they/) [Travis Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-barker/) > [To see classic rock, you had to go to an arena. But punk was happening everywhere, even in little towns in the middle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-callahan/to-see-classic-rock-you-had-to-go-to-an-arena-but-punk-was-happening/) [Bill Callahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-callahan/) > [Don't crave fame, do what you do and just apply. I don't think many of them here today are that interested in fashion. Perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-wilson/don-t-crave-fame-do-what-you-do-and-just-apply-i-don-t-think-many-of/) [Louise Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-wilson/) > [I like the bad-boy types. Generally the guy I'm attracted to is the guy in the club with all the tattoos and nail polish.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/i-like-the-bad-boy-types-generally-the-guy-i-m-attracted-to-is-the/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [“Control never be a means to any practical end. It can never be a means to anything but more control… Like punk.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/control-never-be-a-means-to-any-practical-end-it-can-never-be-a-means/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [The spirit of punk-cabaret is that you feel that you can truly be all of who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-viglione/the-spirit-of-punk-cabaret-is-that-you-feel-that-you-can-truly-be-all/) [Brian Viglione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-viglione/) > [I'm a tomboy, and my style is punk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cl/i-m-a-tomboy-and-my-style-is-punk/) CL > [I hated myself totally white. So now I cheat. It's my white hair, and I put color there. My grandson says I'm punk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-hated-myself-totally-white-so-now-i-cheat-it-s-my-white-hair-and-i/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [Noise has taken the place of punk rock. People who play noise have no real aspirations to being part of the mainstream culture. Punk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thurston-moore/noise-has-taken-the-place-of-punk-rock-people-who-play-noise-have-no/) [Thurston Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thurston-moore/) > [“If the early English and LA punk bands shared a common sound, the New York bands just shared the same clubs. As such, while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clinton-heylin/if-the-early-english-and-la-punk-bands-shared-a-common-sound-the-new/) Clinton Heylin > [If Nirvana had remained a small, underground punk rock band, Kurt Cobain would still be alive. And he'd probably be living in Seattle, getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/if-nirvana-had-remained-a-small-underground-punk-rock-band-kurt/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [As a child there was no place for adventure or experimentation. I guess that kind of freedom started in high school with punk rock.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mcnairy/as-a-child-there-was-no-place-for-adventure-or-experimentation-i/) [Mark McNairy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mcnairy/) [Browse all 1,301 Punk quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/punk/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I thought that punk in its original state was a revolutionary movement. 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