--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The true artform is being a human being." description: "\"The true artform is being a human being.\" — Herbie Hancock" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5bf/herbie-hancock-2674_human_the-true-artform-is-being-a-human-being_2448264.jpg" --- # The true artform is being a human being. ![“The true artform is being a human being.” quote by Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5bf/herbie-hancock-2674_human_the-true-artform-is-being-a-human-being_2448264.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5bf/herbie-hancock-2674_human_the-true-artform-is-being-a-human-being_2448264.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5bf/herbie-hancock-2674_human_the-true-artform-is-being-a-human-being_2448264.jpg) > “The true artform is being a human being.” [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Being authentic and fully human is the highest artistic expression. **In simple terms:** Authenticity is true art. Key Takeaway Embrace humanity in creativity. Themes authenticity art humanity Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - performance - teaching - daily interactions Key Concepts existentialism self‑expression Questions to Reflect On - How does being human shape your art? - Can authenticity be taught? A Different Perspective May be idealistic; not all can achieve. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artform Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artform-human-547907/) [Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human/) [Human beings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-beings/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Jazz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jazz/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [True](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true/) [True Artform](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-artform-547906/) ## Related quotes > [The final true artform in what we're talking about is the goal itself. And for us to try and stop that from happening, we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kasey-keller/the-final-true-artform-in-what-we-re-talking-about-is-the-goal-itself/) [Kasey Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kasey-keller/) > [I don't mind being classified as a jazz artist, but I do mind being restricted to being a jazz artist. My foundation has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/i-don-t-mind-being-classified-as-a-jazz-artist-but-i-do-mind-being/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [One thing I like about jazz is that it emphasized doing things differently from what other people were doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/one-thing-i-like-about-jazz-is-that-it-emphasized-doing-things/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [There are a lot of records coming out, in every field of music, not just jazz.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/there-are-a-lot-of-records-coming-out-in-every-field-of-music-not/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [One of the greatest attributes of jazz, I think, is that it is that open.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/one-of-the-greatest-attributes-of-jazz-i-think-is-that-it-is-that-open/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [The strongest thing that any human being has going is their own integrity and their own heart. As soon as you start veering away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/the-strongest-thing-that-any-human-being-has-going-is-their-own/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [I think we as human beings need to be able to appreciate each other's differences and I think jazz really takes us in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-alpert/i-think-we-as-human-beings-need-to-be-able-to-appreciate-each-other-s/) [Herb Alpert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-alpert/) > [Where human eyes have never seen, where human beings have never been, I build a world of abstract dreams, and I wait for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-ra/where-human-eyes-have-never-seen-where-human-beings-have-never-been-i/) [Sun Ra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-ra/) > [Human beings seek community, and permanent openness is hard to sustain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-douthat/human-beings-seek-community-and-permanent-openness-is-hard-to-sustain/) [Ross Douthat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-douthat/) > [For our purposes as human beings, the mind is the center of everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/for-our-purposes-as-human-beings-the-mind-is-the-center-of-everything/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) > [A composer knows that music is written by human beings for human beings and that music is a continuation of life, not something separated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanns-eisler/a-composer-knows-that-music-is-written-by-human-beings-for-human/) [Hanns Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanns-eisler/) > [I think everybody, or the great majority of human beings, have this aspiration to become other: to live a different identity, at least for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-vargas-llosa/i-think-everybody-or-the-great-majority-of-human-beings-have-this/) [Mario Vargas Llosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-vargas-llosa/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [Here's the reality. The image of a white Jesus has been used to justify enslavement, conquest, colonialism, the genocide of indigenous peoples. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/here-s-the-reality-the-image-of-a-white-jesus-has-been-used-to/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [Gambling has held human beings in thrall for millennia. It has been engaged in everywhere, from the dregs of society to the most respectable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-l-bernstein/gambling-has-held-human-beings-in-thrall-for-millennia-it-has-been/) [Peter L. Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-l-bernstein/) ## More by Herbie Hancock > [You would not exist if you did not have something to bring to the table of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/you-would-not-exist-if-you-did-not-have-something-to-bring-to-the/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [One of the greatest attributes of jazz, I think, is that it is that open.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/one-of-the-greatest-attributes-of-jazz-i-think-is-that-it-is-that-open/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [You can practice to attain knowledge, but you can't practice to attain wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/you-can-practice-to-attain-knowledge-but-you-can-t-practice-to-attain/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [Most people define themselves by what they do - 'I'm a musician.' Then one day it occurred to me that I'm only a musician…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/most-people-define-themselves-by-what-they-do-i-m-a-musician-then-one/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [I don't think there are any pure Africans of the African Americans, but the African part of our history was pretty much taken away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/i-don-t-think-there-are-any-pure-africans-of-the-african-americans/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [So in other words, we were constantly challenged to grow, and thats what a master does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/so-in-other-words-we-were-constantly-challenged-to-grow-and-thats/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [The strongest thing that any human being has going is their own integrity and their own heart. As soon as you start veering away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/the-strongest-thing-that-any-human-being-has-going-is-their-own/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [Like no matter what happens, this would be the ultimate, they can make something positive happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/like-no-matter-what-happens-this-would-be-the-ultimate-they-can-make/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [There are a lot of records coming out, in every field of music, not just jazz.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/there-are-a-lot-of-records-coming-out-in-every-field-of-music-not/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [I like to present something that the people haven't seen or haven't heard before. Otherwise they might as well just stay home and play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/i-like-to-present-something-that-the-people-haven-t-seen-or-haven-t/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [I don't go around, the way many musicians do, with earbuds in my ear listening to my iPod all day and just sticking my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/i-don-t-go-around-the-way-many-musicians-do-with-earbuds-in-my-ear/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [Creativity and artistic endeavors have a mission that goes far beyond just making music for the sake of music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/creativity-and-artistic-endeavors-have-a-mission-that-goes-far-beyond/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [The most valuable things in life are priceless. They are courage, compassion, wisdom, respect for ourselves and others, and a host of characteristics that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/the-most-valuable-things-in-life-are-priceless-they-are-courage/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [Creativity shouldn't be following radio; it should be the other way around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/creativity-shouldn-t-be-following-radio-it-should-be-the-other-way/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [One thing I like about jazz is that it emphasized doing things differently from what other people were doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/one-thing-i-like-about-jazz-is-that-it-emphasized-doing-things/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) [Explore all 155 Herbie Hancock quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) ## More Human quotes > [There is no human nature, since there is no god to conceive it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/there-is-no-human-nature-since-there-is-no-god-to-conceive-it/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [To hurry through the rise and fall of a fine, full sentence is like defying the role of time in human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-clark/to-hurry-through-the-rise-and-fall-of-a-fine-full-sentence-is-like/) [Kenneth Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-clark/) > [“The global population of Earth are involved in the following corporate government experiments: The long term effects of - 1. Nuclear bomb fallout radiation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-global-population-of-earth-are-involved-in-the-following/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [Gambling has held human beings in thrall for millennia. It has been engaged in everywhere, from the dregs of society to the most respectable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-l-bernstein/gambling-has-held-human-beings-in-thrall-for-millennia-it-has-been/) [Peter L. Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-l-bernstein/) > [Here's the reality. The image of a white Jesus has been used to justify enslavement, conquest, colonialism, the genocide of indigenous peoples. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/here-s-the-reality-the-image-of-a-white-jesus-has-been-used-to/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [Every human creates his own problems. Problems are ones private property and we shouldnt meddle into them self-initiatively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruben-papian/every-human-creates-his-own-problems-problems-are-ones-private/) [Ruben Papian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruben-papian/) > [I found out about Sister Song through Poppy Liu, who's on the show 'Hacks.' Reproductive rights are human rights, and I wanted to shine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayo-edebiri/i-found-out-about-sister-song-through-poppy-liu-who-s-on-the-show/) [Ayo Edebiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayo-edebiri/) > [The human element should be the two players on the court, not the officials. The best officials are the ones you never notice. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-scott/the-human-element-should-be-the-two-players-on-the-court-not-the/) [Gene Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-scott/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [I've always been a believer in research. It's great to have an instinctual human reaction to a character, too, of course, but it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/i-ve-always-been-a-believer-in-research-it-s-great-to-have-an/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) > [Almost all accidents take place because of human distraction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-thrun/almost-all-accidents-take-place-because-of-human-distraction/) [Sebastian Thrun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-thrun/) > [I think everybody, or the great majority of human beings, have this aspiration to become other: to live a different identity, at least for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-vargas-llosa/i-think-everybody-or-the-great-majority-of-human-beings-have-this/) [Mario Vargas Llosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-vargas-llosa/) > [Professionally speaking, the proudest moment was when I booked the 'Human Stain.' I knew it had Nicole Kidman, Anthony Hopkins, Ed Harris and Gary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/professionally-speaking-the-proudest-moment-was-when-i-booked-the/) [Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/) > [A composer knows that music is written by human beings for human beings and that music is a continuation of life, not something separated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanns-eisler/a-composer-knows-that-music-is-written-by-human-beings-for-human/) [Hanns Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanns-eisler/) > [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) [Browse all 8,656 Human quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The true artform is being a human being.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Herbie Hancock" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/the-true-artform-is-being-a-human-being/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Human" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/the-true-artform-is-being-a-human-being/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5bf/herbie-hancock-2674_human_the-true-artform-is-being-a-human-being_2448264.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5bf/herbie-hancock-2674_human_the-true-artform-is-being-a-human-being_2448264.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5bf/herbie-hancock-2674_human_the-true-artform-is-being-a-human-being_2448264.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The true artform is being a human being.” — Herbie Hancock", "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": "Herbie Hancock", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The true artform is being a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/the-true-artform-is-being-a-human-being/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/the-true-artform-is-being-a-human-being/#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 } } ] } ```