--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was young, it was very exciting to…" description: "\"When I was young, it was very exciting to have a thought that we can change the world if we all collaborated, but I think it's not just an artist's res..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f55/gates-mcfadden-68631_art_when-i-was-young-it-was-very-exciting-to_3215869.png" --- # When I was young, it was very exciting to have a thought… ![“When I was young, it was very exciting to have a thought that we can change the world if we all collaborated, but I think it's not just an artist's responsibility as I think we all have responsibilities to different things, whatever we choose in our lives.” quote by Gates McFadden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f55/gates-mcfadden-68631_art_when-i-was-young-it-was-very-exciting-to_3215869.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f55/gates-mcfadden-68631_art_when-i-was-young-it-was-very-exciting-to_3215869.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f55/gates-mcfadden-68631_art_when-i-was-young-it-was-very-exciting-to_3215869.png) > “When I was young, it was very exciting to have a thought that we can change the world if we all collaborated, but I think it's not just an artist's responsibility as I think we all have responsibilities to different things, whatever we choose in our lives.” [Gates McFadden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gates-mcfadden/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Collaboration fuels change, but responsibility is shared across all fields, not just artists. **In simple terms:** Working together can change the world, but everyone must act. Key Takeaway Take responsibility in your chosen path. Themes collaboration responsibility art social change individual agency optimism Mood inspirational motivational hopeful Type practical encouraging When to use this quote - community projects - artistic endeavors - career planning - social initiatives Key Concepts collective action ethical duty personal purpose Questions to Reflect On - What responsibility do you feel in your field? - How can collaboration enhance your impact? A Different Perspective Artists alone cannot drive change; collective effort needed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Artist Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist-responsibility-324157/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Change the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-the-world/) [Change World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-world/) [Changing the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changing-the-world/) [Collaborated Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collaborated-think-6026675/) [Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) [Different things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different-things/) [Exciting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exciting/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Life changing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-changing/) [Our lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-lives/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Responsibility Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility-think-309234/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World Collaborated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-collaborated-6026676/) [Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young/) ## Related quotes > [In the interests of everyone the artist had a responsibility to use his medium well. In the Tibetan culture, most of the paintings are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/in-the-interests-of-everyone-the-artist-had-a-responsibility-to-use/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [I feel it's my social responsibility to shine a light on areas that don't get seen. My personal feeling is that it's an artist's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-nottage/i-feel-it-s-my-social-responsibility-to-shine-a-light-on-areas-that/) [Lynn Nottage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-nottage/) > [The artist seeks contact with his intuitive sense of the gods, but in order to create his work, he cannot stay in this seductive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/the-artist-seeks-contact-with-his-intuitive-sense-of-the-gods-but-in/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [I just try and get the best out of an artist - we all have a responsibility to fill the world with awesome songs!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-squire/i-just-try-and-get-the-best-out-of-an-artist-we-all-have-a/) [Matt Squire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-squire/) > [I think an artist's responsibility is more complex than people realize.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-foster/i-think-an-artist-s-responsibility-is-more-complex-than-people-realize/) [Jodie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-foster/) > [Art is no crime. It's every artist's responsibility to make art that is meaningful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirin-neshat/art-is-no-crime-it-s-every-artist-s-responsibility-to-make-art-that/) [Shirin Neshat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirin-neshat/) > [“A musician's or artist's responsibility is a simple one, and that is, through your music to tell the truth,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-morello/a-musician-s-or-artist-s-responsibility-is-a-simple-one-and-that-is/) [Tom Morello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-morello/) > [I think that its an artist's responsibility to have a point of view. Society takes its cue from popular art. People need something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/i-think-that-its-an-artist-s-responsibility-to-have-a-point-of-view/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) > [In any society, the artist has a responsibility. His effectiveness is certainly limited and a painter or writer cannot change the world. But they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-bunuel/in-any-society-the-artist-has-a-responsibility-his-effectiveness-is/) [Luis Bunuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-bunuel/) > [To some extent I happily don't know what I'm doing. I feel that it's an artist's responsibility to trust that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/to-some-extent-i-happily-don-t-know-what-i-m-doing-i-feel-that-it-s/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [A work of art does not need an explanation. The work has to speak for itself. The work may be subject to many interpretations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bourgeois/a-work-of-art-does-not-need-an-explanation-the-work-has-to-speak-for/) [Louise Bourgeois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bourgeois/) > [A martial artist has to take responsibility for himself and accept the consequences of his own doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-lee/a-martial-artist-has-to-take-responsibility-for-himself-and-accept/) [Bruce Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-lee/) > [To be an artist is to take responsibility for the world's destiny. You shape it by your vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-gartel/to-be-an-artist-is-to-take-responsibility-for-the-world-s-destiny-you/) [Laurence Gartel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-gartel/) > [An artist's responsibility is a lot. I can't deny and escape from the responsibility. You have to be very guarded about your personal behaviour,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiranjeevi/an-artist-s-responsibility-is-a-lot-i-can-t-deny-and-escape-from-the/) [Chiranjeevi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiranjeevi/) > [At some point as an artist you have to take responsibility for everything you say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naughty-boy/at-some-point-as-an-artist-you-have-to-take-responsibility-for/) [Naughty Boy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naughty-boy/) ## More by Gates McFadden > [Just learning to think in another language allows you to see your own culture in a better viewpoint.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gates-mcfadden/just-learning-to-think-in-another-language-allows-you-to-see-your-own/) [Gates McFadden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gates-mcfadden/) > [Life is so fast these days, and we're exposed to so much information. Television makes us a witness to such misery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gates-mcfadden/life-is-so-fast-these-days-and-we-re-exposed-to-so-much-information/) [Gates McFadden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gates-mcfadden/) > [I love a lot of things, and I'm pretty much obsessive about most things I do, whether it be gardening, or architecture, or music.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gates-mcfadden/i-love-a-lot-of-things-and-i-m-pretty-much-obsessive-about-most/) [Gates McFadden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gates-mcfadden/) [Explore all 4 Gates McFadden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gates-mcfadden/) ## 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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": "When I was young, it was very exciting to have a thought that we can change the world if we all collaborated, but I think it's not just an artist's responsibility as I think we all have responsibilities to different things, whatever we choose in our lives.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gates McFadden" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gates-mcfadden/when-i-was-young-it-was-very-exciting-to-have-a-thought-that-we-can/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gates-mcfadden/when-i-was-young-it-was-very-exciting-to-have-a-thought-that-we-can/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f55/gates-mcfadden-68631_art_when-i-was-young-it-was-very-exciting-to_3215869.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f55/gates-mcfadden-68631_art_when-i-was-young-it-was-very-exciting-to_3215869.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f55/gates-mcfadden-68631_art_when-i-was-young-it-was-very-exciting-to_3215869.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I was young, it was very exciting to have a thought that we can change the world if we all…” — Gates McFadden", "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": "Gates McFadden", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gates-mcfadden/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I was young, it was...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gates-mcfadden/when-i-was-young-it-was-very-exciting-to-have-a-thought-that-we-can/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gates-mcfadden/when-i-was-young-it-was-very-exciting-to-have-a-thought-that-we-can/#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 } } ] } ```