--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Freedom from likes and dislikes, the…" description: "\"“Freedom from likes and dislikes, the sudden sense of identification, the spirit of comedy.”\" — John Cage" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a15/john-cage-2094_comedy_freedom-from-likes-and-dislikes-the-sudd_648622.png" --- # Freedom from likes and dislikes, the sudden sense of… ![“Freedom from likes and dislikes, the sudden sense of identification, the spirit of comedy.” quote by John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a15/john-cage-2094_comedy_freedom-from-likes-and-dislikes-the-sudd_648622.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a15/john-cage-2094_comedy_freedom-from-likes-and-dislikes-the-sudd_648622.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a15/john-cage-2094_comedy_freedom-from-likes-and-dislikes-the-sudd_648622.png) > ““Freedom from likes and dislikes, the sudden sense of identification, the spirit of comedy.”” [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Freedom arises when we let go of judgments, allowing spontaneous humor and identification to emerge. **In simple terms:** Letting go of judgments creates freedom. Key Takeaway Release judgments to experience spontaneous joy. Themes freedom humor identity spontaneity Mood reflective playful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - creative brainstorming - improvisation - mindfulness practice - social interaction Key Concepts philosophy psychology artistic expression Questions to Reflect On - What judgments are you holding onto? - How does humor shift your perspective? A Different Perspective Humor can be misinterpreted without context. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Emptiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emptiness/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) ## Related quotes > [Freedom to do what one likes is really bondage, while being free to do what one must, what is right, is real freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/freedom-to-do-what-one-likes-is-really-bondage-while-being-free-to-do/) [Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/) > [After the first shock of recognition - a sudden sense of "this is what I'm going to write" - the novel starts to breed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/after-the-first-shock-of-recognition-a-sudden-sense-of-this-is-what-i/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [...and yet could swear it was just then that I fell in love. It wasn't, of course, simply the onions -- it was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/and-yet-could-swear-it-was-just-then-that-i-fell-in-love-it-wasn-t-of/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [“...the important questions are answered by not liking only but disliking and accepting equally what one likes and dislikes. Otherwise there is no access…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/the-important-questions-are-answered-by-not-liking-only-but-disliking/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) > [In an utter emptiness anything can take place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/in-an-utter-emptiness-anything-can-take-place/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) > [To justify our likes and dislikes, we generally say that the work we dislike is not serious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-sickert/to-justify-our-likes-and-dislikes-we-generally-say-that-the-work-we/) [Walter Sickert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-sickert/) > [If you are still following your likes and dislikes, you have not even begun to practise Dhamma.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/if-you-are-still-following-your-likes-and-dislikes-you-have-not-even/) [Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/) > [I think, oddly, that the world of the amateur is quite self-contained, and it depends on "likes" from other amateurs to perpetuate itself. Of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-franklin/i-think-oddly-that-the-world-of-the-amateur-is-quite-self-contained/) [Stuart Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-franklin/) > [There's only one thing worse than a man who doesn't have strong likes and dislikes, and that's a man who has strong likes and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-randall/there-s-only-one-thing-worse-than-a-man-who-doesn-t-have-strong-likes/) [Tony Randall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-randall/) > [“Labels confine as much as they define. Remember that when you discuss people and preferences. Likes and dislikes speak of who you aren't, too.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-shamhart/labels-confine-as-much-as-they-define-remember-that-when-you-discuss/) [Nick Shamhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-shamhart/) > [Likes and dislikes private matter of each person. To expect it to do well, that everyone would like him are redundant. Remember that! People…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/likes-and-dislikes-private-matter-of-each-person-to-expect-it-to-do/) Mak\_786 > [“My brother had very specific likes and dislikes. Basically, he liked anything until it harmed him and then he was wary.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/my-brother-had-very-specific-likes-and-dislikes-basically-he-liked/) [Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/) > [With age likes and dislikes change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waheeda-rehman/with-age-likes-and-dislikes-change/) [Waheeda Rehman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waheeda-rehman/) > [A man who is invested takes the time to get to know you well, and his gifts will be a testament to his expert…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-hussey/a-man-who-is-invested-takes-the-time-to-get-to-know-you-well-and-his/) [Matthew Hussey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-hussey/) > [I don't actually know anything about you, your likes, dislikes, and even your attitude. but somehow I find myself loving you ..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaypee/i-don-t-actually-know-anything-about-you-your-likes-dislikes-and-even/) [Jaypee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaypee/) ## More by John Cage > [If something is boring after two minutes, try it for four. If still boring, then eight. Then sixteen. Then thirty-two. Eventually one discovers that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/if-something-is-boring-after-two-minutes-try-it-for-four-if-still/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) > [ It was at Harvard not quite forty years ago that I went into an anechoic \[totally silent\] chamber not expecting in that silent room… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/it-was-at-harvard-not-quite-forty-years-ago-that-i-went-into-an/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) > [So somebody has talent? So what? Dime a dozen. And we're overpopulated. Actually we have more food than we have people and more art.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/so-somebody-has-talent-so-what-dime-a-dozen-and-we-re-overpopulated/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) > [“...the important questions are answered by not liking only but disliking and accepting equally what one likes and dislikes. Otherwise there is no access…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/the-important-questions-are-answered-by-not-liking-only-but-disliking/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) > [The material of music is sound and silence. Integrating these is composing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/the-material-of-music-is-sound-and-silence-integrating-these-is/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) > [There is poetry as soon as we realize that we possess nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/there-is-poetry-as-soon-as-we-realize-that-we-possess-nothing/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) > [To see, one must go beyond the imiagination and for that one must stand absolutely still as though at the center of a leap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/to-see-one-must-go-beyond-the-imiagination-and-for-that-one-must/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) > [Value judgments are destructive to our proper business, which is curiosity and awareness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/value-judgments-are-destructive-to-our-proper-business-which-is/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) > [Our intention is to affirm this life, not to bring order out of chaos, nor to suggest improvements in creation, but simply to wake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/our-intention-is-to-affirm-this-life-not-to-bring-order-out-of-chaos/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) > [There are some good people in it, but the orchestra as a whole is equivalent to a gang bent on destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/there-are-some-good-people-in-it-but-the-orchestra-as-a-whole-is/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) > [Art's purpose is to sober and quiet the mind so that it is in accord with what happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/art-s-purpose-is-to-sober-and-quiet-the-mind-so-that-it-is-in-accord/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) > [People who aren't artists often feel that artists are inspired. But if you work at your art you don't have time to be inspired.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/people-who-aren-t-artists-often-feel-that-artists-are-inspired-but-if/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) > [“Farting, don't think, just fart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/farting-don-t-think-just-fart/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) > [Not one sound fears the silence that extinguishes it. And no silence exists that is not pregnant with sound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/not-one-sound-fears-the-silence-that-extinguishes-it-and-no-silence/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) > [My work became an exploration of non-intention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/my-work-became-an-exploration-of-non-intention/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) [Explore all 186 John Cage quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) ## More Comedy quotes > ['Mad TV' is one of my most favorite shows of all time and is a huge part of my obsession with sketch comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-dawson/mad-tv-is-one-of-my-most-favorite-shows-of-all-time-and-is-a-huge/) [Shane Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-dawson/) > [You can laugh at me, but I understand show business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ksenia-sobchak/you-can-laugh-at-me-but-i-understand-show-business/) [Ksenia Sobchak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ksenia-sobchak/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I wouldn't want people to laugh at me. That's why I have to give all that I can, and at least produce something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhao-wei/i-wouldn-t-want-people-to-laugh-at-me-that-s-why-i-have-to-give-all/) [Zhao Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhao-wei/) > [“Our world will not die as a result of the bomb, as the papers say, it will die of laughter, of banality, of making a joke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/our-world-will-not-die-as-a-result-of-the-bomb-as-the-papers-say-it/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [I've been funny my whole life. This is a gift God gave me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-morgan/i-ve-been-funny-my-whole-life-this-is-a-gift-god-gave-me/) [Tracy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-morgan/) > [“Laugh and grow strong”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ignatius-of-loyola/laugh-and-grow-strong/) [Ignatius of Loyola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ignatius-of-loyola/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [There's a difference between delivering real funny and just silly funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-rel-howery/there-s-a-difference-between-delivering-real-funny-and-just-silly/) [Lil Rel Howery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-rel-howery/) > [Oh to that corkscrew, the useful tool to unlock the treasure of wit, the treasury of laughter, the front door of fellowship, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-guzaldo/oh-to-that-corkscrew-the-useful-tool-to-unlock-the-treasure-of-wit/) [Andrew Guzaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-guzaldo/) > [“Men circle like bees around honey, buzzing to communicate their sexual despair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-h-krueger/men-circle-like-bees-around-honey-buzzing-to-communicate-their-sexual/) [Carla H Krueger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-h-krueger/) > [I do love to laugh!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-giudice/i-do-love-to-laugh/) [Teresa Giudice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-giudice/) > [I really enjoy making people laugh; I've discovered that's a great technique. That's as powerful as stirring their sorrow, stirring their compassion, because that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/i-really-enjoy-making-people-laugh-i-ve-discovered-that-s-a-great/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) [Browse all 19,795 Comedy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Freedom from likes and dislikes, the sudden sense of identification, the spirit of comedy.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Cage" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/freedom-from-likes-and-dislikes-the-sudden-sense-of-identification/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Comedy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/freedom-from-likes-and-dislikes-the-sudden-sense-of-identification/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a15/john-cage-2094_comedy_freedom-from-likes-and-dislikes-the-sudd_648622.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a15/john-cage-2094_comedy_freedom-from-likes-and-dislikes-the-sudd_648622.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a15/john-cage-2094_comedy_freedom-from-likes-and-dislikes-the-sudd_648622.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Freedom from likes and dislikes, the sudden sense of identification, the spirit of comedy.” — John Cage", "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": "John Cage", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Freedom from likes and dislikes, the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/freedom-from-likes-and-dislikes-the-sudden-sense-of-identification/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/freedom-from-likes-and-dislikes-the-sudden-sense-of-identification/#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 } } ] } ```