--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For a long time I was interested in being…" description: "\"For a long time I was interested in being a social worker. In a lot of ways I feel that that's all my music is, trying to help people.\" — Iris DeMent" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d7/iris-dement-28308_help-people_for-a-long-time-i-was-interested-in-bein_2726643.jpg" --- # For a long time I was interested in being a social worker… ![“For a long time I was interested in being a social worker. In a lot of ways I feel that that's all my music is, trying to help people.” quote by Iris DeMent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d7/iris-dement-28308_help-people_for-a-long-time-i-was-interested-in-bein_2726643.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d7/iris-dement-28308_help-people_for-a-long-time-i-was-interested-in-bein_2726643.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d7/iris-dement-28308_help-people_for-a-long-time-i-was-interested-in-bein_2726643.jpg) > “For a long time I was interested in being a social worker. In a lot of ways I feel that that's all my music is, trying to help people.” [Iris DeMent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-dement/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Music serves as a means to help others, reflecting a personal mission of social support. **In simple terms:** Music is about helping people. Key Takeaway Create music that supports others. Themes music service empathy Mood compassionate inspired Type artistic social When to use this quote - charity concerts - therapy sessions - community workshops - personal healing Key Concepts songwriting social work Questions to Reflect On - How does your music address social issues? - What impact do you aim for? A Different Perspective Balancing art and activism can be challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Help people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/help-people/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Social worker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-worker/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Unless you're seen on-screen, people assume that you're married, you have a child, so you're not interested. So, social media and PR comes handy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhumika-chawla/unless-you-re-seen-on-screen-people-assume-that-you-re-married-you/) [Bhumika Chawla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhumika-chawla/) > [I'm interested in social commentary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-bigelow/i-m-interested-in-social-commentary/) [Kathryn Bigelow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-bigelow/) > [People with autism aren't interested in social chit-chat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/people-with-autism-aren-t-interested-in-social-chit-chat/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [I've always been interested in social psychology and why certain groups of people do things while others don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jihae/i-ve-always-been-interested-in-social-psychology-and-why-certain/) [Jihae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jihae/) > [I have no interest that I go to India or go to Hollywood or Bollywood. I'm not interested. I am a social media sensation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/qandeel-baloch/i-have-no-interest-that-i-go-to-india-or-go-to-hollywood-or-bollywood/) [Qandeel Baloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/qandeel-baloch/) > [I've always been interested in the social conflict of my age, my own time, as well as the result of positive and negative of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-rothman/i-ve-always-been-interested-in-the-social-conflict-of-my-age-my-own/) Stephanie Rothman > [I'm much more interested in developing human character in society. And I'm much more interested in the social conditions that foster commitment to ideals,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/i-m-much-more-interested-in-developing-human-character-in-society-and/) [Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/) > [I was always interested in social change but never actually did anything about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-rattray/i-was-always-interested-in-social-change-but-never-actually-did/) [Ben Rattray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-rattray/) > [I'm really interested in social justice, and if an artist has a certain power of being heard and voicing something important, it's right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirin-neshat/i-m-really-interested-in-social-justice-and-if-an-artist-has-a/) [Shirin Neshat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirin-neshat/) > [I think we get on with living our lives like everybody else does. Where we're at in music is trying to explain what's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gill/i-think-we-get-on-with-living-our-lives-like-everybody-else-does/) [Andy Gill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gill/) > [You see, pops, that's the kind of talk that's ruining the music. Everyone's trying to do something new, no one trying to learn the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-armstrong/you-see-pops-that-s-the-kind-of-talk-that-s-ruining-the-music/) [Louis Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-armstrong/) > [How I set myself apart is by creating the sort of real and honest music, which is who I'm also trying to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bay/how-i-set-myself-apart-is-by-creating-the-sort-of-real-and-honest/) [James Bay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bay/) > [I just want to make that my life: recording music and trying to write a good song every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-granduciel/i-just-want-to-make-that-my-life-recording-music-and-trying-to-write/) [Adam Granduciel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-granduciel/) > [I've always gone back and forth between acting and music, but for music I'm not trying to be a pop star - I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-greenberg/i-ve-always-gone-back-and-forth-between-acting-and-music-but-for/) [Bryan Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-greenberg/) > [I think the music that speaks to me the most is music that is personal. And that's the music that I'm trying to make.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rostam-batmanglij/i-think-the-music-that-speaks-to-me-the-most-is-music-that-is/) [Rostam Batmanglij](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rostam-batmanglij/) ## More by Iris DeMent > [Some guy refuses to fight and we call that the sin, but he's standing up for what he believes in and that seems pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-dement/some-guy-refuses-to-fight-and-we-call-that-the-sin-but-he-s-standing/) [Iris Dement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-dement/) > [Writing, overall, has never been what I'd call fun. It's fulfilling. It doesn't come real easy for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-dement/writing-overall-has-never-been-what-i-d-call-fun-it-s-fulfilling-it/) [Iris Dement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-dement/) > [Making the record was tons of fun, the most fun I've ever had.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-dement/making-the-record-was-tons-of-fun-the-most-fun-i-ve-ever-had/) [Iris Dement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-dement/) > [I've always been aware of having feelings that were pretty intense at times. I imagine most people have had that, or they wouldn't be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-dement/i-ve-always-been-aware-of-having-feelings-that-were-pretty-intense-at/) [Iris DeMent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-dement/) > [This is how it has been since time began: If you want to make something really worthwhile and true, then you have to suffer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-dement/this-is-how-it-has-been-since-time-began-if-you-want-to-make/) [Iris Dement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-dement/) > [If something bothers me, it bothers me for a long time until I find a way to work it out. Music provided me with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-dement/if-something-bothers-me-it-bothers-me-for-a-long-time-until-i-find-a/) [Iris DeMent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-dement/) > [Turn off the TV and start digging around for information that's not from a corporation trying to make money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-dement/turn-off-the-tv-and-start-digging-around-for-information-that-s-not/) [Iris Dement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-dement/) > [My guitar is really tempermental. I don't give up on it though, I'm close to my guitar!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-dement/my-guitar-is-really-tempermental-i-don-t-give-up-on-it-though-i-m/) [Iris Dement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-dement/) > [Maybe I spent more time dwelling on emotions than some people, and maybe that's why I ended up writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-dement/maybe-i-spent-more-time-dwelling-on-emotions-than-some-people-and/) [Iris Dement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-dement/) > [I've always written about things that cause me to feel something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-dement/i-ve-always-written-about-things-that-cause-me-to-feel-something/) [Iris DeMent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-dement/) > [I honestly don't listen to a lot of music - I spend so much time working at my own music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-dement/i-honestly-don-t-listen-to-a-lot-of-music-i-spend-so-much-time/) [Iris DeMent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-dement/) > [I don't know what other people are like, I haven't been able to crawl inside anybody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-dement/i-don-t-know-what-other-people-are-like-i-haven-t-been-able-to-crawl/) [Iris DeMent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-dement/) > [We got CEOs making 200 times the worker's pay, but they'll fight like hell against raising the minimum wage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-dement/we-got-ceos-making-200-times-the-worker-s-pay-but-they-ll-fight-like/) [Iris DeMent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-dement/) > [I was mainly influenced by the Carter Family, Jimmie Rodgers, Loretta Lynn, Merle Haggard, and others like Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-dement/i-was-mainly-influenced-by-the-carter-family-jimmie-rodgers-loretta/) [Iris DeMent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-dement/) > [I never set out to write songs about the world around me... it just kind of came about as a result of paying more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-dement/i-never-set-out-to-write-songs-about-the-world-around-me-it-just-kind/) [Iris DeMent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-dement/) [Explore all 19 Iris DeMent quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-dement/) ## More Help people quotes > [I want to help people struggling with whatever it is they're going through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santan-dave/i-want-to-help-people-struggling-with-whatever-it-is-they-re-going/) [Santan Dave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santan-dave/) > [We need, in a special way, to work twice as hard to help people understand that animals are fellow creatures, that we must protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/we-need-in-a-special-way-to-work-twice-as-hard-to-help-people/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [This is what happens when you try to help people. You get screwed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/this-is-what-happens-when-you-try-to-help-people-you-get-screwed/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [Try to help people rather than focusing on what's in it for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-brogan/try-to-help-people-rather-than-focusing-on-what-s-in-it-for-me/) [Chris Brogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-brogan/) > [When you really need help, people will respond. Sincerity means dropping the image facade and showing a willingness to be vulnerable. Tell it the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-canfield/when-you-really-need-help-people-will-respond-sincerity-means/) [Jack Canfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-canfield/) > [If you ask why I do what I do - I want to make a difference. I don't just want to maintain the status…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-broad/if-you-ask-why-i-do-what-i-do-i-want-to-make-a-difference-i-don-t/) [Eli Broad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-broad/) > [“Powerful people sometimes do things to help people like me without really understanding people like me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance/powerful-people-sometimes-do-things-to-help-people-like-me-without/) [J.D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance/) > [It's kind of hard to spend long hours trying to help people and then find out that the favorite game of the columnist is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-scott/it-s-kind-of-hard-to-spend-long-hours-trying-to-help-people-and-then/) [Bill Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-scott/) > [“Much of the ability to help other people arises from personal power, but it would be naive to assert that nothing else is required.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-m-weinberg/much-of-the-ability-to-help-other-people-arises-from-personal-power/) [Gerald M. Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-m-weinberg/) > [Love is doing what will enthrall the beloved with the greatest and longest joy. What will enthrall the beloved this way is the glory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/love-is-doing-what-will-enthrall-the-beloved-with-the-greatest-and/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [“We Will Let You Down: If We’re Close Enough to Help, We’re Close Enough to Hurt Bob Nobody wants to be the church that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-briggs-2/we-will-let-you-down-if-we-re-close-enough-to-help-we-re-close-enough/) J.R. Briggs > [You wanted to become a doctor to help people and feel better at the end of your job, I think, watching them, as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-moran/you-wanted-to-become-a-doctor-to-help-people-and-feel-better-at-the/) [Caitlin Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-moran/) > [“You can't not help people just because they're stupid or forgetful or unpleasant... If I don't help them, who will?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-can-t-not-help-people-just-because-they-re-stupid-or-forgetful-or/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [I do try to be of some use in the world. I sometimes do volunteer work with kids, and manage to help some people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shirley/i-do-try-to-be-of-some-use-in-the-world-i-sometimes-do-volunteer-work/) [John Shirley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shirley/) > [I think from what I personally know, I am really quite proud of most of the people I know who have 'made it,' who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-haley/i-think-from-what-i-personally-know-i-am-really-quite-proud-of-most/) [Alex Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-haley/) [Browse all 1,290 Help people quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/help-people/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "For a long time I was interested in being a social worker. 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