--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My creativity and my political work are…" description: "\"My creativity and my political work are linked. I don't do this work out of guilt or out of responsibility.\" — Holly Near" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/487/holly-near-13172_creativity_my-creativity-and-my-political-work-are_73664.jpg" --- # My creativity and my political work are linked. I don't do… ![“My creativity and my political work are linked. I don't do this work out of guilt or out of responsibility.” quote by Holly Near](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/487/holly-near-13172_creativity_my-creativity-and-my-political-work-are_73664.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/487/holly-near-13172_creativity_my-creativity-and-my-political-work-are_73664.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/487/holly-near-13172_creativity_my-creativity-and-my-political-work-are_73664.jpg) > “My creativity and my political work are linked. I don't do this work out of guilt or out of responsibility.” [Holly Near](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-near/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She sees artistic expression and activism as mutually reinforcing, driven by personal conviction rather than external pressure. **In simple terms:** Art fuels activism, not duty. Key Takeaway Passion, not guilt, drives creative activism. Themes activism creativity integrity motivation self-determination Mood determined inspired defiant Type political artistic motivational When to use this quote - organizing protests - creating protest songs - designing activist posters - writing political essays Key Concepts political art personal agency ethical autonomy Practical Applications - using music to mobilize voters - leveraging performance to raise awareness Questions to Reflect On - How does personal belief shape public expression? - When does responsibility become empowerment? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Creativity Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity-political-959720/) [Guilt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guilt/) [Guilt Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guilt-responsibility-959723/) [Linked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/linked/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Political Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-work-959721/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Regret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regret/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Work Guilt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-guilt-959722/) [Work out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-out/) ## Related quotes > [“He takes the guilt and responsibility that others can't. John takes the punches. I just take the hunger, and most times it feels like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-c-gaughen/he-takes-the-guilt-and-responsibility-that-others-can-t-john-takes/) [A.C. Gaughen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-c-gaughen/) > [“A large part of our artistic creativity, our political commitment and our religious piety is fuelled by the fear of death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/a-large-part-of-our-artistic-creativity-our-political-commitment-and/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > [Success should stem from entrepreneurial creativity, not political connectivity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/foster-friess/success-should-stem-from-entrepreneurial-creativity-not-political/) [Foster Friess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/foster-friess/) > [“A rational anarchist believes that concepts such as ‘state’ and ‘society’ and ‘government’ have no existence save as physically exemplified in the acts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/a-rational-anarchist-believes-that-concepts-such-as-state-and-society/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [I've always seen my campaigns against corruption as political work of a purer form than what opposition leaders usually do. All they do is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexei-navalny/i-ve-always-seen-my-campaigns-against-corruption-as-political-work-of/) [Alexei Navalny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexei-navalny/) > [The country needs the political work of women to-day as much as it has ever needed woman in any other work at any other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-ellen-foster/the-country-needs-the-political-work-of-women-to-day-as-much-as-it/) [Judith Ellen Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-ellen-foster/) > [The fear of a work becoming dated is one of the most effective tools for keeping people from writing political work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-kushner/the-fear-of-a-work-becoming-dated-is-one-of-the-most-effective-tools/) [Tony Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-kushner/) > [Most of the energy of political work is devoted to correcting the effects of mismanagement of government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/most-of-the-energy-of-political-work-is-devoted-to-correcting-the/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [I don't think there's any one definition, but to do effective political work you have to have vision and practicality, and learn how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cranston/i-don-t-think-there-s-any-one-definition-but-to-do-effective/) [Alan Cranston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cranston/) > [The country needs the political work of women today as much as it has ever needed woman in any other work at any other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-ellen-foster/the-country-needs-the-political-work-of-women-today-as-much-as-it-has/) [Judith Ellen Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-ellen-foster/) > [I have a very clear, genuine vision about what political work should be, what politics and politicians should contribute to the nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suresh-gopi/i-have-a-very-clear-genuine-vision-about-what-political-work-should/) [Suresh Gopi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suresh-gopi/) > [Spirituality is the foundation of all my political work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winona-laduke/spirituality-is-the-foundation-of-all-my-political-work/) [Winona LaDuke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winona-laduke/) > [I have reaffirmed my political will to work towards national unity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdelaziz-bouteflika/i-have-reaffirmed-my-political-will-to-work-towards-national-unity/) [Abdelaziz Bouteflika](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdelaziz-bouteflika/) > [The interesting artists I know are the ones doing political work. The most interesting people I know are the people who care about politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nell-zink/the-interesting-artists-i-know-are-the-ones-doing-political-work-the/) [Nell Zink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nell-zink/) > [Hmmm! n I wonder that we have grown so much in our political work that even we bargain for our past doings with our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sardar-hyder-abbas/hmmm-n-i-wonder-that-we-have-grown-so-much-in-our-political-work-that/) [Sardar Hyder Abbas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sardar-hyder-abbas/) ## More by Holly Near > [When the students were killed at Kent State, the cast voted to do a demonstration from the stage, and I abstained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-near/when-the-students-were-killed-at-kent-state-the-cast-voted-to-do-a/) [Holly Near](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-near/) > [All my life I have gone out on a limb, but I have turned the limb into a bridge, and there is cool, clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-near/all-my-life-i-have-gone-out-on-a-limb-but-i-have-turned-the-limb-into/) [Holly Near](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-near/) > [You can't just leave out one part; the bread won't rise if the yeast isn't there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-near/you-can-t-just-leave-out-one-part-the-bread-won-t-rise-if-the-yeast/) [Holly Near](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-near/) > [My parents had been involved in the labor movement; if we'd grown up in the city, we would have been red-diaper babies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-near/my-parents-had-been-involved-in-the-labor-movement-if-we-d-grown-up/) [Holly Near](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-near/) > [Whenever new ideas emerge, songs soon follow, and before long the songs are leading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-near/whenever-new-ideas-emerge-songs-soon-follow-and-before-long-the-songs/) [Holly Near](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-near/) > [A lot of artists say, I'm not political. People are afraid of this word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-near/a-lot-of-artists-say-i-m-not-political-people-are-afraid-of-this-word/) [Holly Near](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-near/) > [In less than a century we experienced great movement. The youth movement! The labor movement! The civil rights movement! The peace movement! The solidarity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-near/in-less-than-a-century-we-experienced-great-movement-the-youth/) [Holly Near](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-near/) > [Peace can start with just one heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-near/peace-can-start-with-just-one-heart/) [Holly Near](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-near/) > [Music can be used against us as much as it can be used for us. Muzak can put a whole nation to sleep, whereas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-near/music-can-be-used-against-us-as-much-as-it-can-be-used-for-us-muzak/) [Holly Near](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-near/) > [I like this life. I like it when it's hard, and I like it better when it's not, but I know you don't get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-near/i-like-this-life-i-like-it-when-it-s-hard-and-i-like-it-better-when/) [Holly Near](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-near/) > [Why do we kill people who are killing people to show that killing people is wrong?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-near/why-do-we-kill-people-who-are-killing-people-to-show-that-killing/) [Holly Near](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-near/) > [Time has passed through me and become a song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-near/time-has-passed-through-me-and-become-a-song/) [Holly Near](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-near/) > [Leaping away from my mistakes has propelled me forward. It has great force behind it. It makes for great storytelling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-near/leaping-away-from-my-mistakes-has-propelled-me-forward-it-has-great/) [Holly Near](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-near/) > [White middle- and upper-class men have a longer journey to go than many people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-near/white-middle-and-upper-class-men-have-a-longer-journey-to-go-than/) [Holly Near](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-near/) > [When I am willing, all sound is available to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-near/when-i-am-willing-all-sound-is-available-to-me/) [Holly Near](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-near/) [Explore all 51 Holly Near quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-near/) ## More Creativity quotes > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [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/) > [“The Soviet “creative intelligentsia” - that is, people accustomed to thinking one thing, saying another and doing a third - is as a whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-amalrik/the-soviet-creative-intelligentsia-that-is-people-accustomed-to/) [Andrei Amalrik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-amalrik/) > [It’s so important to create in your own voice, to hold onto what makes you unique, and have faith in your vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/it-s-so-important-to-create-in-your-own-voice-to-hold-onto-what-makes/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates it, bearing within him the image of a cathedral.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/a-rock-pile-ceases-to-be-a-rock-pile-the-moment-a-single-man/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [You don't get lucky. You create lucky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sharma/you-don-t-get-lucky-you-create-lucky/) [Robin Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sharma/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [“You are the end of beauty and creativity one must have created so far.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/you-are-the-end-of-beauty-and-creativity-one-must-have-created-so-far/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [Jonah Lehrer is one of the most talented explainers of science that we’ve got. What a pleasure it is to follow his investigation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-foer/jonah-lehrer-is-one-of-the-most-talented-explainers-of-science-that/) [Joshua Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-foer/) > [If you've got creativity, imagination, and intelligence, and you want to be hypnotised, then there's no reason you shouldn't be able to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-barry/if-you-ve-got-creativity-imagination-and-intelligence-and-you-want-to/) [Keith Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-barry/) > [“I believe in magic. As a writer, I create them on blank paper.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonnia-kemmer/i-believe-in-magic-as-a-writer-i-create-them-on-blank-paper/) [Sonnia Kemmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonnia-kemmer/) > [Creativity is like chasing chickens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christoph-niemann/creativity-is-like-chasing-chickens/) [Christoph Niemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christoph-niemann/) > [It is proposed that a form of free dialogue may well be one of the most effective ways of investigating the crisis which faces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bohm/it-is-proposed-that-a-form-of-free-dialogue-may-well-be-one-of-the/) [David Bohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bohm/) > [You always hear actors say, 'Theater is my first love,' and it is. It's a time when you really get to do what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-landecker/you-always-hear-actors-say-theater-is-my-first-love-and-it-is-it-s-a/) [Amy Landecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-landecker/) > [Create an environment for people to fail, to learn, and to grow. Their creativity and productivity will increase.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/create-an-environment-for-people-to-fail-to-learn-and-to-grow-their/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 13,625 Creativity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My creativity and my political work are linked. 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