--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Everything we do as people - not to get…" description: "\"Everything we do as people - not to get philosophical - but there is no pure-bred creativity. Everything is derived from influence and references.\" — CMAT" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/878/cmat-6150_creativity_everything-we-do-as-people-not-to-get-ph_2194046.jpg" --- # Everything we do as people - not to get philosophical… ![“Everything we do as people - not to get philosophical - but there is no pure-bred creativity. Everything is derived from influence and references.” quote by CMAT](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/878/cmat-6150_creativity_everything-we-do-as-people-not-to-get-ph_2194046.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/878/cmat-6150_creativity_everything-we-do-as-people-not-to-get-ph_2194046.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/878/cmat-6150_creativity_everything-we-do-as-people-not-to-get-ph_2194046.jpg) > “Everything we do as people - not to get philosophical - but there is no pure-bred creativity. Everything is derived from influence and references.” [CMAT](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cmat/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creativity builds on existing ideas and influences; originality is a remix of past works. **In simple terms:** All creativity is influenced by others. Key Takeaway Embrace influences, create anew. Themes creativity influence art originality culture Mood reflective inspired Type artistic philosophical When to use this quote - songwriting - visual arts - design - academic research Key Concepts Intertextuality memetics cultural evolution Questions to Reflect On - Can we ever be completely original? - How do influences shape personal style? A Different Perspective Some argue true originality still exists. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Influence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influence/) [Philosophical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophical/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) ## Related quotes > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) Taf Teh > [It's not a failure if a marriage or partnership ends after a certain number of years. I think, in general, we expect too much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-moggach/it-s-not-a-failure-if-a-marriage-or-partnership-ends-after-a-certain/) [Deborah Moggach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-moggach/) > [In fine, a life of good or evil, the hope of Heaven or the despair of Hell, Faustus stands as a reminder that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-fine-a-life-of-good-or-evil-the-hope-of-heaven-or-the-despair-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Poerty is composition to which the soul bleeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adkruk/poerty-is-composition-to-which-the-soul-bleeds/) [ADKruk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adkruk/) > [“One of the protestor's sign catches my eye. HOMISEXUALITY IS THE DEVIL'S WORK, it says. 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I think that when we as a species are scratching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-howard/i-think-it-s-in-our-nature-to-try-to-get-beyond-that-next-horizon-i/) [Ron Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-howard/) > [In the dim background of our mind we know meanwhile what we ought to be doing: getting up, dressing ourselves, answering the person who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/in-the-dim-background-of-our-mind-we-know-meanwhile-what-we-ought-to/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [“Designing posters, for me, is not only a commercial pursuit but also a philosophical endeavor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fang-chen/designing-posters-for-me-is-not-only-a-commercial-pursuit-but-also-a/) Fang Chen > [“The truth about life is complicated, indefensible and embarrassing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-weinle/the-truth-about-life-is-complicated-indefensible-and-embarrassing/) Alex Weinle ## More by CMAT > [Christmas is the only time of year where you get to experience a truly, truly indulgent potato.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cmat/christmas-is-the-only-time-of-year-where-you-get-to-experience-a/) [CMAT](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cmat/) > [I can't leave the house without earrings. I think I'd rather die. I think I'd rather die than leave the house without a pair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cmat/i-can-t-leave-the-house-without-earrings-i-think-i-d-rather-die-i/) [CMAT](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cmat/) > [My dad had a job in computers, we didn't really have any money, we weren't affluent, but we were fine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cmat/my-dad-had-a-job-in-computers-we-didn-t-really-have-any-money-we/) [CMAT](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cmat/) > [I'm a huge, huge, huge Charli XCX fan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cmat/i-m-a-huge-huge-huge-charli-xcx-fan/) [CMAT](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cmat/) > [I'm really focusing on songs that transfer well to live music, because my live band is such an important part of what I do.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cmat/i-m-really-focusing-on-songs-that-transfer-well-to-live-music-because/) [CMAT](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cmat/) > [Even when I was a child, I used to constantly get into trouble at school because I couldn't stop talking and people didn't like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cmat/even-when-i-was-a-child-i-used-to-constantly-get-into-trouble-at/) [CMAT](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cmat/) > [I really do think that in life, people just want to talk about their problems. In particular, Irish people and English people don't really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cmat/i-really-do-think-that-in-life-people-just-want-to-talk-about-their/) [CMAT](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cmat/) > [I hope somebody gives me money for writing and releasing songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cmat/i-hope-somebody-gives-me-money-for-writing-and-releasing-songs/) [CMAT](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cmat/) > [I don't think Lena Dunham is any worse a person than Dua Lipa. I just think that some people are really careful about what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cmat/i-don-t-think-lena-dunham-is-any-worse-a-person-than-dua-lipa-i-just/) [CMAT](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cmat/) > [I think a lot of people think that I'm a humorist or comedy songwriter. I will never take offence, but I think a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cmat/i-think-a-lot-of-people-think-that-i-m-a-humorist-or-comedy/) [CMAT](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cmat/) > [My name is CMAT and I'm literally just a young one from Dunboyne/Dublin, depending who you ask.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cmat/my-name-is-cmat-and-i-m-literally-just-a-young-one-from-dunboyne/) [CMAT](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cmat/) > [I'm an embarrassing person who's done some very embarrassing things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cmat/i-m-an-embarrassing-person-who-s-done-some-very-embarrassing-things/) [CMAT](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cmat/) > [This is the thing - being a popstar is either the best thing ever or the worst thing ever, and there's not really any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cmat/this-is-the-thing-being-a-popstar-is-either-the-best-thing-ever-or/) [CMAT](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cmat/) > [I'm very openly a big fan of The Last Dinner Party, they're such a beacon for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cmat/i-m-very-openly-a-big-fan-of-the-last-dinner-party-they-re-such-a/) [CMAT](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cmat/) > [I got my first iPod when I was 12. Spent the whole of Christmas Day downloading Beatles songs off of LimeWire and it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cmat/i-got-my-first-ipod-when-i-was-12-spent-the-whole-of-christmas-day/) [CMAT](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cmat/) [Explore all 100 CMAT quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cmat/) ## More Creativity quotes > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“The Soviet “creative intelligentsia” - that is, people accustomed to thinking one thing, saying another and doing a third - is as a whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-amalrik/the-soviet-creative-intelligentsia-that-is-people-accustomed-to/) Andrei Amalrik > [It’s so important to create in your own voice, to hold onto what makes you unique, and have faith in your vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/it-s-so-important-to-create-in-your-own-voice-to-hold-onto-what-makes/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates it, bearing within him the image of a cathedral.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/a-rock-pile-ceases-to-be-a-rock-pile-the-moment-a-single-man/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [You don't get lucky. You create lucky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sharma/you-don-t-get-lucky-you-create-lucky/) [Robin Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sharma/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [“You are the end of beauty and creativity one must have created so far.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/you-are-the-end-of-beauty-and-creativity-one-must-have-created-so-far/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [Jonah Lehrer is one of the most talented explainers of science that we’ve got. What a pleasure it is to follow his investigation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-foer/jonah-lehrer-is-one-of-the-most-talented-explainers-of-science-that/) [Joshua Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-foer/) > [If you've got creativity, imagination, and intelligence, and you want to be hypnotised, then there's no reason you shouldn't be able to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-barry/if-you-ve-got-creativity-imagination-and-intelligence-and-you-want-to/) [Keith Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-barry/) > [“I believe in magic. As a writer, I create them on blank paper.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonnia-kemmer/i-believe-in-magic-as-a-writer-i-create-them-on-blank-paper/) [Sonnia Kemmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonnia-kemmer/) > [Creativity is like chasing chickens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christoph-niemann/creativity-is-like-chasing-chickens/) Christoph Niemann > [It is proposed that a form of free dialogue may well be one of the most effective ways of investigating the crisis which faces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bohm/it-is-proposed-that-a-form-of-free-dialogue-may-well-be-one-of-the/) [David Bohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bohm/) > [You always hear actors say, 'Theater is my first love,' and it is. It's a time when you really get to do what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-landecker/you-always-hear-actors-say-theater-is-my-first-love-and-it-is-it-s-a/) [Amy Landecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-landecker/) > [Create an environment for people to fail, to learn, and to grow. Their creativity and productivity will increase.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/create-an-environment-for-people-to-fail-to-learn-and-to-grow-their/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 13,625 Creativity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Everything we do as people - not to get philosophical - but there is no pure-bred creativity. 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