--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sometimes it's better to live through…" description: "\"Sometimes it's better to live through someone's work than the person themselves, and to realise that every human being is flawed, but through art they ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc9/emily-haines-13200_art_sometimes-it-s-better-to-live-through-so_969998.png" --- # Sometimes it's better to live through someone's work than… ![“Sometimes it's better to live through someone's work than the person themselves, and to realise that every human being is flawed, but through art they can be perfect.” quote by Emily Haines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc9/emily-haines-13200_art_sometimes-it-s-better-to-live-through-so_969998.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc9/emily-haines-13200_art_sometimes-it-s-better-to-live-through-so_969998.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc9/emily-haines-13200_art_sometimes-it-s-better-to-live-through-so_969998.png) > “Sometimes it's better to live through someone's work than the person themselves, and to realise that every human being is flawed, but through art they can be perfect.” [Emily Haines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-haines/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Art allows us to see the idealized version of a person, transcending their imperfections and revealing a timeless truth. **In simple terms:** Art shows a perfect side of flawed people. Key Takeaway Seek meaning in creation, not just creators. Themes art humanity imperfection perfection Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical creative When to use this quote - museum visits - reading biographies - appreciating music - creative projects Key Concepts aesthetics transcendence identity Questions to Reflect On - How does art change your view of a person? - Can perfection in art mislead us? A Different Perspective Art can romanticize flaws, ignoring real struggles. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Human beings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-beings/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) ## Related quotes > [I let characters be human and flawed and relatable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-sheridan/i-let-characters-be-human-and-flawed-and-relatable/) [Taylor Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-sheridan/) > [I'm a human. Every human is flawed. I might be flawed in different ways than some people, or worse ways than some people, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-max/i-m-a-human-every-human-is-flawed-i-might-be-flawed-in-different-ways/) [Tucker Max](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-max/) > [As a human, I am flawed in that it is difficult for me to consider others before myself. It feels like I have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/as-a-human-i-am-flawed-in-that-it-is-difficult-for-me-to-consider/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [I let characters be human and flawed and relatable. When we do things that aren't that great, we can understand it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-sheridan/i-let-characters-be-human-and-flawed-and-relatable-when-we-do-things/) [Taylor Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-sheridan/) > [“Olivia was so beautifully broken. The hairline cracks in her personality were more pieces of art than flaws. I loved flawed art.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarryn-fisher/olivia-was-so-beautifully-broken-the-hairline-cracks-in-her/) [Tarryn Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarryn-fisher/) > [We must realise that we are only human. We make mistakes just like everybody else. We are not perfect just like everybody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/we-must-realise-that-we-are-only-human-we-make-mistakes-just-like/) Senoraroy > [Every once in a while, something happens to you that makes you realise that the human race is not quite as bad as it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hacking/every-once-in-a-while-something-happens-to-you-that-makes-you-realise/) [Ian Hacking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hacking/) > [To be truly empathetic, we have to acknowledge that we're all human, we're all flawed, and that life can be difficult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-gebbia/to-be-truly-empathetic-we-have-to-acknowledge-that-we-re-all-human-we/) [Joe Gebbia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-gebbia/) > [“By opening our hearts, revealing our scars, we are made human and flawed and whole.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-t-sullivan/by-opening-our-hearts-revealing-our-scars-we-are-made-human-and/) [Mark T. Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-t-sullivan/) > [“Someone very wise once told me that by opening our hearts, revealing our scars, we are made human and flawed and whole.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-t-sullivan/someone-very-wise-once-told-me-that-by-opening-our-hearts-revealing/) [Mark T. Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-t-sullivan/) > [Art has a way of confronting us, of reminding us, of engaging us, in what it means to be human, and what it means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/art-has-a-way-of-confronting-us-of-reminding-us-of-engaging-us-in/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [I think it's really important that we see women represented properly in TV, and that's a multi-dimensional person: a real human being who's flawed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-bunbury/i-think-it-s-really-important-that-we-see-women-represented-properly/) [Kylie Bunbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-bunbury/) > [O great creator of being grant us one more hour to perform our art and perfect our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-morrison/o-great-creator-of-being-grant-us-one-more-hour-to-perform-our-art/) [Jim Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-morrison/) > [I love this site. It was lovingly hand-shaped it. Your soul transformed this into this art. It was perfect. I have tried to create…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/i-love-this-site-it-was-lovingly-hand-shaped-it-your-soul-transformed/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [“Everyone is trying to perfect beauty but they don’t realize it’s abstract art. It’s not something to perfect. Everyone is already beautiful you just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/breana-najera/everyone-is-trying-to-perfect-beauty-but-they-don-t-realize-it-s/) Breana Najera ## More by Emily Haines > [Lots of people take the option of not activating their own life, of really letting it happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-haines/lots-of-people-take-the-option-of-not-activating-their-own-life-of/) [Emily Haines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-haines/) > [The architecture of the song, if it's built properly, can withstand all kinds of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-haines/the-architecture-of-the-song-if-it-s-built-properly-can-withstand-all/) [Emily Haines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-haines/) > [Oftentimes the most produced and synth-tastic songs are the ones that end up sounding the best acoustic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-haines/oftentimes-the-most-produced-and-synth-tastic-songs-are-the-ones-that/) [Emily Haines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-haines/) > [In my imaginary utopian world there would be a greater allegiance between music writers and musicians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-haines/in-my-imaginary-utopian-world-there-would-be-a-greater-allegiance/) [Emily Haines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-haines/) > [I think every musician is different, every artist is different, and in a perfect world people would be able to pursue their own path…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-haines/i-think-every-musician-is-different-every-artist-is-different-and-in/) [Emily Haines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-haines/) > [I think a sexual energy is a positive energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-haines/i-think-a-sexual-energy-is-a-positive-energy/) [Emily Haines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-haines/) > [Being alive and understanding that and making the decision to actually live take a lot of courage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-haines/being-alive-and-understanding-that-and-making-the-decision-to/) [Emily Haines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-haines/) > [In Canada there's an extensive grant system that really allows people to make their work without having to suffer that much, and I'm staring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-haines/in-canada-there-s-an-extensive-grant-system-that-really-allows-people/) [Emily Haines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-haines/) > [The writing process is very much like being in a dark tunnel, and you don't really know what you will end up with until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-haines/the-writing-process-is-very-much-like-being-in-a-dark-tunnel-and-you/) [Emily Haines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-haines/) > [Of course there are influences, of course there are things that are inspiring, but it's weird to think that I'm trying to keep a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-haines/of-course-there-are-influences-of-course-there-are-things-that-are/) [Emily Haines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-haines/) > [I like the idea that you would participate in mainstream culture, especially for young girls and young kids who are looking for an alternative.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-haines/i-like-the-idea-that-you-would-participate-in-mainstream-culture/) [Emily Haines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-haines/) > [But its crazy - like ten percent a year increase of children taking fucking anti-depressants. Pre-schoolers are like, the most prescribed. That makes me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-haines/but-its-crazy-like-ten-percent-a-year-increase-of-children-taking/) [Emily Haines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-haines/) > [Believe in the power of songs,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-haines/believe-in-the-power-of-songs/) [Emily Haines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-haines/) > [I love to read about music and about art, but I don't try and take things about mythology or guidelines as to how I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-haines/i-love-to-read-about-music-and-about-art-but-i-don-t-try-and-take/) [Emily Haines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-haines/) > [I think that every band is different, and in fact that's one of the biggest problems with the old-school music industry is that... one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-haines/i-think-that-every-band-is-different-and-in-fact-that-s-one-of-the/) [Emily Haines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-haines/) [Explore all 51 Emily Haines quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-haines/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [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/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“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 > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Sometimes it's better to live through someone's work than the person themselves, and to realise that every human being is flawed, but through art they can be perfect.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Emily Haines" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-haines/sometimes-it-s-better-to-live-through-someone-s-work-than-the-person/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-haines/sometimes-it-s-better-to-live-through-someone-s-work-than-the-person/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc9/emily-haines-13200_art_sometimes-it-s-better-to-live-through-so_969998.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc9/emily-haines-13200_art_sometimes-it-s-better-to-live-through-so_969998.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc9/emily-haines-13200_art_sometimes-it-s-better-to-live-through-so_969998.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Sometimes it's better to live through someone's work than the person themselves, and to realise that every…” — Emily Haines", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Emily Haines", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-haines/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Sometimes it's better to live through...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-haines/sometimes-it-s-better-to-live-through-someone-s-work-than-the-person/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-haines/sometimes-it-s-better-to-live-through-someone-s-work-than-the-person/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```