Assange Quote by Dean Wareham
“I guess I could be singing about Superman, or about Zarathustra coming down from the mountain, but in my mind I was singing about Julian Assange. I wish I could say that Nietzsche inspired my lyrics but all I can honestly say is I was inspired by the graphic design of these '70s paperback covers for Beyond Good & Evil and The Birth of Tragedy and The Gay Science.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Album liner notes, 2015, indie music press
The songwriter channels influences from philosophy and graphic design, linking modern icons like Assange with classic thinkers.
In simple terms: Music blends philosophy, design, and contemporary figures.
Key Takeaway
Explore diverse inspirations for creative work.
Themes
art
philosophy
politics
design
Mood
thoughtful
critical
Type
analytical
creative
When to use this quote
- songwriting
- visual art
- activism
- academic study
Key Concepts
intertextuality
cultural remix
Questions to Reflect On
- What does borrowing philosophical imagery add?
- How can art responsibly reference political figures?
A Different Perspective
Risk of superficial references without deep understanding.
![“There's a huge amount of footage of Julian [ Assange] online, but he's usually in presentation or defending mode, talking about his cause, or the revelations which Wikileaks have brought about. There's none of Assange relaxing or in private mode. There's none of the personality I tried to give him…” quote by Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/57d/benedict-cumberbatch-1156_amount_there-s-a-huge-amount-of-footage-of-juli_1862020.jpg)
![“I know he [Julian Assange] is a man of fierce determination, and now living under the strain of house arrest in the Ecuadorean embassy as a "political exile," as he calls himself.” quote by Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/6f3/benedict-cumberbatch-1156_assange_i-know-he-julian-assange-is-a-man-of-fie_1621360.jpg)
![“My assessment of Julian Assange is a professional one, really, of what he's managed to achieve, and the idea that he came up with, which set the world alight and continues to inspire others like Snowden [NSA leaker Edward Snowden], about the secret goings-on that are done in our name with our tax…” quote by Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/27f/benedict-cumberbatch-1156_achieve_my-assessment-of-julian-assange-is-a-pro_1376286.jpg)
![“I understand from those who adore him, he [Julian Assange] has a great sense of humor which rarely gets an airing because he's dealing with such serious issues.” quote by Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/31c/benedict-cumberbatch-1156_adore_i-understand-from-those-who-adore-him-he_1069671.jpg)
![“I had to imagine myself into certain aspects of [Julian Assange] character for our version of events. That involved extrapolating based on clues in his biography, his public persona, photographs, and other accounts of him by people who encountered him during that extraordinary period from 2007 to…” quote by Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f3e/benedict-cumberbatch-1156_accounts_i-had-to-imagine-myself-into-certain-asp_359165.jpg)
![“I'd love to meet Julian [Assange], and time permitting, and his will permitting, I'm sure it will happen at some point. Even though he's been very critical of the film [The Fifth Estate], he's been very polite about me and my work, and I feel the same way about him.” quote by Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/733/benedict-cumberbatch-1156_assange_i-d-love-to-meet-julian-assange-and-time_290842.jpg)
