--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Treating your audience like thieves is…" description: "\"Treating your audience like thieves is absurd. Anyone who chooses to listen to our music becomes a collaborator.\" — Jeff Tweedy" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/126/jeff-tweedy-9796_absurd_treating-your-audience-like-thieves-is-a_2829972.png" --- # Treating your audience like thieves is absurd. Anyone who… ![“Treating your audience like thieves is absurd. Anyone who chooses to listen to our music becomes a collaborator.” quote by Jeff Tweedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/126/jeff-tweedy-9796_absurd_treating-your-audience-like-thieves-is-a_2829972.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/126/jeff-tweedy-9796_absurd_treating-your-audience-like-thieves-is-a_2829972.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/126/jeff-tweedy-9796_absurd_treating-your-audience-like-thieves-is-a_2829972.png) > “Treating your audience like thieves is absurd. Anyone who chooses to listen to our music becomes a collaborator.” [Jeff Tweedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-tweedy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Treating listeners as thieves is absurd; listening makes them collaborators in creation. **In simple terms:** Listening creates partnership. Key Takeaway Invite audience collaboration. Themes collaboration music listener relationship Mood reflective critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - concerts - online streaming - fan communities - songwriting workshops Key Concepts participatory art social contract Questions to Reflect On - How can artists foster genuine collaboration? - What responsibilities do listeners have? A Different Perspective Assumes all listeners engage equally. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absurd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absurd/) [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Audience Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience-like/) [Like Thieves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-thieves-670199/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Music Collaborator](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-collaborator-3651198/) [Thieves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thieves/) [Thieves Absurd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thieves-absurd-3651199/) [Treating Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treating-audience-988198/) ## Related quotes > [Try to find the right balance of keeping things exciting and treating your audience with respect, and also treating yourself as an artist with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-reznor/try-to-find-the-right-balance-of-keeping-things-exciting-and-treating/) [Trent Reznor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-reznor/) > [Why grab possessions like thieves, or divide them like socialists when you can ignore them like wise men?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-clifford-barney/why-grab-possessions-like-thieves-or-divide-them-like-socialists-when/) [Natalie Clifford Barney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-clifford-barney/) > [They heard somewhere in that tenantless night a bell that tolled and ceased where no bell was and they rode out on the round…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/they-heard-somewhere-in-that-tenantless-night-a-bell-that-tolled-and/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [ The threat \[of the U.S. bills SOPA and PIPA\] is the inversion of the burden of proof, where we suddenly are all treated like… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clay-shirky/the-threat-of-the-u-s-bills-sopa-and-pipa-is-the-inversion-of-the/) [Clay Shirky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clay-shirky/) > [“they rode out on the round dais of the earth which alone was dark and no light to it and which carried their figures…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/they-rode-out-on-the-round-dais-of-the-earth-which-alone-was-dark-and/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [We have shared out, like thieves, the amazing treasures of days and nights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/we-have-shared-out-like-thieves-the-amazing-treasures-of-days-and/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [I like thieves. Some of my best friends are thieves. Why, just last week we had the president of the bank over for dinner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-c-fields/i-like-thieves-some-of-my-best-friends-are-thieves-why-just-last-week/) [W. C. Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-c-fields/) > [“These meetings, they're like thieves—they follow you around, wait until you're not looking, and pounce.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jackson-bennett/these-meetings-they-re-like-thieves-they-follow-you-around-wait-until/) [Robert Jackson Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jackson-bennett/) > [“And fantasy it was, for we were not strong, only aggressive; we were not free, merely licensed; we were not compassionate, we were polite;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/and-fantasy-it-was-for-we-were-not-strong-only-aggressive-we-were-not/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“The green fractals of the forest and the eons of faint star clusters above—my math’s teacher’s order in the universe—were nothing like the thoughts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anya-allyn/the-green-fractals-of-the-forest-and-the-eons-of-faint-star-clusters/) [Anya Allyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anya-allyn/) > [You can be the most artistically perfect performer in the world, but an audience is like a broad - if you're indifferent, Endsville.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-sinatra/you-can-be-the-most-artistically-perfect-performer-in-the-world-but/) [Frank Sinatra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-sinatra/) > [Shatner will spin lines in ways you don't see coming - he winds the audience down like a spring and hits the line so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-sasso/shatner-will-spin-lines-in-ways-you-don-t-see-coming-he-winds-the/) [Will Sasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-sasso/) > [The audience is like my instrument. It's not just me up there, it's collaborative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-mcferrin/the-audience-is-like-my-instrument-it-s-not-just-me-up-there-it-s/) [Bobby McFerrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-mcferrin/) > [I know there are people who don't like their audience or like the experience of being recognized or celebrated, but my audience has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-taylor/i-know-there-are-people-who-don-t-like-their-audience-or-like-the/) [James Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-taylor/) > [“I’m not really interested in the audience’s enjoyment,' Cave mumbles once he has changed into clean pants. 'It doesn’t bother me one way or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonella-gambotto-burke/i-m-not-really-interested-in-the-audience-s-enjoyment-cave-mumbles/) [Antonella Gambotto-Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonella-gambotto-burke/) ## More by Jeff Tweedy > [Stop trying to treat music like it's a tennis shoe, something to be branded. If the music industry wants to save money, they should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-tweedy/stop-trying-to-treat-music-like-it-s-a-tennis-shoe-something-to-be/) [Jeff Tweedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-tweedy/) > [I'm usually pretty happy. I don't ever really get disturbed in any way, or feel like I need to go back and change something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-tweedy/i-m-usually-pretty-happy-i-don-t-ever-really-get-disturbed-in-any-way/) [Jeff Tweedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-tweedy/) > [I'm very, very suspicious of anybody that finds a belief system that they feel can explain it all, for themselves or for anybody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-tweedy/i-m-very-very-suspicious-of-anybody-that-finds-a-belief-system-that/) [Jeff Tweedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-tweedy/) > [When you listen to most of the records that really had an impact on you, they always seem to be from a different era.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-tweedy/when-you-listen-to-most-of-the-records-that-really-had-an-impact-on/) [Jeff Tweedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-tweedy/) > [We'd been noticing how much more important the internet had become - once information is out there in the world now, anyone can get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-tweedy/we-d-been-noticing-how-much-more-important-the-internet-had-become/) [Jeff Tweedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-tweedy/) > [Writing songs has always been hard and easy. It's not always easy when you want it to be, and then sometimes it's just like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-tweedy/writing-songs-has-always-been-hard-and-easy-it-s-not-always-easy-when/) [Jeff Tweedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-tweedy/) > [For the most part I stand by all of records. I just always like the one I've done most recently the best and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-tweedy/for-the-most-part-i-stand-by-all-of-records-i-just-always-like-the/) [Jeff Tweedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-tweedy/) > [I have always thought it was important to maintain some connection for myself to what it takes to make a song work by myself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-tweedy/i-have-always-thought-it-was-important-to-maintain-some-connection/) [Jeff Tweedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-tweedy/) > [Avant-garde is the one area of music that has never changed. It doesn't mean anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-tweedy/avant-garde-is-the-one-area-of-music-that-has-never-changed-it-doesn/) [Jeff Tweedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-tweedy/) > [I still have a lot of faith that there's very few people who are savvy enough to actually produce a good sounding copy of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-tweedy/i-still-have-a-lot-of-faith-that-there-s-very-few-people-who-are/) [Jeff Tweedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-tweedy/) > [“Hey! I'm A Cherry Ghost!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-tweedy/hey-i-m-a-cherry-ghost/) [Jeff Tweedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-tweedy/) > [“I am an American aquarium drinker”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-tweedy/i-am-an-american-aquarium-drinker/) [Jeff Tweedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-tweedy/) > [Sometimes it's liberating to confront horrible things in lyrics as a way to master the shadow-self that exists in everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-tweedy/sometimes-it-s-liberating-to-confront-horrible-things-in-lyrics-as-a/) [Jeff Tweedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-tweedy/) > [What you once were isn't what you want to be anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-tweedy/what-you-once-were-isn-t-what-you-want-to-be-anymore/) [Jeff Tweedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-tweedy/) > [I always think its easier for me to write without thinking about the strict meter that's required for songs and song structures and things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-tweedy/i-always-think-its-easier-for-me-to-write-without-thinking-about-the/) [Jeff Tweedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-tweedy/) [Explore all 70 Jeff Tweedy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-tweedy/) ## More Absurd quotes > [“It seem absurd to me that they don't know, haven't felt any change or tremor, even as my life has been completely turned upside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/it-seem-absurd-to-me-that-they-don-t-know-haven-t-felt-any-change-or/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [When a person’s tongue is extensively wrong, it is absurd, no less than unscriptural, to say that their heart is right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle/when-a-person-s-tongue-is-extensively-wrong-it-is-absurd-no-less-than/) [J. C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle/) > [Every sensible man, every honorable man, must hold the Christian sect in horror." "Christianity is the most ridiculous, the most absurd and bloody religion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/every-sensible-man-every-honorable-man-must-hold-the-christian-sect/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [It is human nature to think wisely and to act in an absurd fashion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/it-is-human-nature-to-think-wisely-and-to-act-in-an-absurd-fashion/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [It is a dangerous and fateful presumption, besides the absurd temerity that it implies, to disdain what we do not comprehend. For after you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-a-dangerous-and-fateful-presumption-besides-the-absurd-temerity/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I thought to myself: if it’s true that every person has a star in the sky, mine must be distant, dim, and absurd. Perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadegh-hedayat/i-thought-to-myself-if-it-s-true-that-every-person-has-a-star-in-the/) [Sadegh Hedayat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadegh-hedayat/) > [If, indeed, a firearm were more dangerous to its possessors than to potential aggressors, would it not make sense for the government to arm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mamet/if-indeed-a-firearm-were-more-dangerous-to-its-possessors-than-to/) [David Mamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mamet/) > [“You were torturing a cat," she says. "With a freaking prod." "A prod I built myself in metal shop," he says. "But of course…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/you-were-torturing-a-cat-she-says-with-a-freaking-prod-a-prod-i-built/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [I have never heard enough classical music to be able to enjoy it; & the simple truth is, I detest it. 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But solitude also produces perverseness, the disproportianate, the absurd and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mann/solitude-produces-originality-bold-and-astonishing-beauty-poetry-but/) [Thomas Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mann/) [Browse all 1,644 Absurd quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absurd/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Treating your audience like thieves is absurd. 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