--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Oftentimes, the way it seems to be is…" description: "\"Oftentimes, the way it seems to be is that our artists in particular point themselves out as spokesmen for a certain constituency in a community, and t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03d/gil-scott-heron-9568_art_oftentimes-the-way-it-seems-to-be-is-tha_44590.jpg" --- # Oftentimes, the way it seems to be is that our artists in… ![“Oftentimes, the way it seems to be is that our artists in particular point themselves out as spokesmen for a certain constituency in a community, and thereby place themselves in that vulnerable position.” quote by Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03d/gil-scott-heron-9568_art_oftentimes-the-way-it-seems-to-be-is-tha_44590.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03d/gil-scott-heron-9568_art_oftentimes-the-way-it-seems-to-be-is-tha_44590.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03d/gil-scott-heron-9568_art_oftentimes-the-way-it-seems-to-be-is-tha_44590.jpg) > “Oftentimes, the way it seems to be is that our artists in particular point themselves out as spokesmen for a certain constituency in a community, and thereby place themselves in that vulnerable position.” [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Artists often claim to represent a specific community, which exposes them to criticism and expectations from that group. **In simple terms:** Representation creates vulnerability. Key Takeaway Speaking for a group invites scrutiny. Themes identity responsibility vulnerability representation community Mood reflective serious Type observation commentary When to use this quote - public speaking - activist art - media interviews - cultural festivals Key Concepts voice politics artistic integrity Practical Applications - advocacy campaigns - community workshops Questions to Reflect On - How does representing a group affect artistic freedom? - When does representation become a burden? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Artists Particular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artists-particular-658905/) [Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Oftentimes Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oftentimes-way-658907/) [Particular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/particular/) [Place Vulnerable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/place-vulnerable-259227/) [Position](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/position/) [Seems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seems/) [Vulnerable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vulnerable/) [Vulnerable Position](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vulnerable-position-658906/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [“I’ve come to wonder whether artists in particular seek out hard times the way flowers turn their faces toward the sun.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/therese-anne-fowler/i-ve-come-to-wonder-whether-artists-in-particular-seek-out-hard-times/) [Therese Anne Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/therese-anne-fowler/) > [The industry has always been accepting of gay artists, but a particular thing for me is to see gay artists of color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mnek/the-industry-has-always-been-accepting-of-gay-artists-but-a/) [MNEK](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mnek/) > [“The hope that he'll change, the search for the magic key, and the intensity of her love all combine to place the woman in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-forward/the-hope-that-he-ll-change-the-search-for-the-magic-key-and-the/) [Susan Forward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-forward/) > [Why are we putting people who are already in a vulnerable position through this dreadful, appalling stress?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-corbyn/why-are-we-putting-people-who-are-already-in-a-vulnerable-position/) [Jeremy Corbyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-corbyn/) > [A filmmaker is in a very vulnerable position when their films are releasing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soni-razdan/a-filmmaker-is-in-a-very-vulnerable-position-when-their-films-are/) [Soni Razdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soni-razdan/) > [Its not until we see someone in a place where they are vulnerable to actually understand the truth of that someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/its-not-until-we-see-someone-in-a-place-where-they-are-vulnerable-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Parenting is the most important thing to many of us, and so it's also the place we're most vulnerable. We're all a little afraid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glennon-doyle-melton/parenting-is-the-most-important-thing-to-many-of-us-and-so-it-s-also/) [Glennon Doyle Melton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glennon-doyle-melton/) > [It is not necessary to be strong in every place if in the place you are vulnerable, you are loved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/it-is-not-necessary-to-be-strong-in-every-place-if-in-the-place-you/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [The Christian life is not about finding safety and comfort; it’s about finding yourself in a dangerous place of vulnerable compassion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-stetzer/the-christian-life-is-not-about-finding-safety-and-comfort-it-s-about/) [Ed Stetzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-stetzer/) > [This planet is a wonderful place, but a vulnerable place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/assata-shakur/this-planet-is-a-wonderful-place-but-a-vulnerable-place/) [Assata Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/assata-shakur/) > [“If she wanted this man to trust her, to open up to her, she would have to strip every last piece of herself away,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianna-hardy/if-she-wanted-this-man-to-trust-her-to-open-up-to-her-she-would-have/) [Dianna Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianna-hardy/) > [I think being vulnerable paves the way for humility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-sadowski/i-think-being-vulnerable-paves-the-way-for-humility/) [Jonathan Sadowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-sadowski/) > [As a new mother, you're so vulnerable and make mistakes all the time. I guess there's more pressure when you're in the public eye,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-marais/as-a-new-mother-you-re-so-vulnerable-and-make-mistakes-all-the-time-i/) [Jessica Marais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-marais/) > [It's shocking when someone who is really bad thinks they're really good. It's heartbreaking, because singing is such a vulnerable thing to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-camp/it-s-shocking-when-someone-who-is-really-bad-thinks-they-re-really/) [Anna Camp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-camp/) > [Throughout human history, as our species has faced the frightening, terrorizing fact that we do not know who we are, or where we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/throughout-human-history-as-our-species-has-faced-the-frightening/) [Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/) ## More by Gil Scott-Heron > [I was one of the first three black students to go to an all-white school in Tennessee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/i-was-one-of-the-first-three-black-students-to-go-to-an-all-white/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [A good poet feels what his community feels. Like if you stub your toe, the rest of your body hurts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/a-good-poet-feels-what-his-community-feels-like-if-you-stub-your-toe/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [I find it not just strange but almost ridiculous that people could take a song like the one I was doing and interpret it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/i-find-it-not-just-strange-but-almost-ridiculous-that-people-could/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [Womenfolk raised me and I was full-grown before I knew I came from a broken home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/womenfolk-raised-me-and-i-was-full-grown-before-i-knew-i-came-from-a/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [If you aren't having no fun, die, because you're running a worthless program, far as I'm concerned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/if-you-aren-t-having-no-fun-die-because-you-re-running-a-worthless/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [I have a novel that I can write. It's about three soldiers from Somalia. Some babies have been disappearing up on 144th Street, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/i-have-a-novel-that-i-can-write-it-s-about-three-soldiers-from/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [ I work hard at it \[delivery of lyrics\], just like I worked hard at getting my masters degree. It's not just something I sit… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/i-work-hard-at-it-delivery-of-lyrics-just-like-i-worked-hard-at/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [Your life has to consist of more than 'Black people should unite.' You hope they do, but not twenty-four hours a day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/your-life-has-to-consist-of-more-than-black-people-should-unite-you/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [You should be able to do anything you can afford as an adult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/you-should-be-able-to-do-anything-you-can-afford-as-an-adult/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [You know what has made me the happiest I've ever been? Seeing my son and daughter graduate from college. More than wanting them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/you-know-what-has-made-me-the-happiest-i-ve-ever-been-seeing-my-son/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [I've always had questions about what it meant to be a protester, to be in the minority. Are the people who are trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/i-ve-always-had-questions-about-what-it-meant-to-be-a-protester-to-be/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [I was a piano player before I was a poet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/i-was-a-piano-player-before-i-was-a-poet/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [I cannot afford to watch Fox News.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/i-cannot-afford-to-watch-fox-news/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [I think a whole lot of stuff gets by people - I could name half a dozen groups that do songs that are openly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/i-think-a-whole-lot-of-stuff-gets-by-people-i-could-name-half-a-dozen/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [I would say if you are familiar with our history and the history of our art and literature that you see a clear cut…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/i-would-say-if-you-are-familiar-with-our-history-and-the-history-of/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) [Explore all 71 Gil Scott-Heron quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) ## 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. 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