--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Nothing more then nothing can be said. We…" description: "\"“Nothing more then nothing can be said. We make our lives by what we love. Being American, having been trained to be sentimental, I fought for noises …..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/412/john-cage-2094_somewhere-else_nothing-more-then-nothing-can-be-said-we_473863.png" --- # Nothing more then nothing can be said. We make our lives… ![“Nothing more then nothing can be said. We make our lives by what we love. Being American, having been trained to be sentimental, I fought for noises … when the war came along, I decided to use only quiet sounds. There seemed to me to be no truth, no good, in anything big. Somebody asked Debussy…” quote by John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/412/john-cage-2094_somewhere-else_nothing-more-then-nothing-can-be-said-we_473863.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/412/john-cage-2094_somewhere-else_nothing-more-then-nothing-can-be-said-we_473863.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/412/john-cage-2094_somewhere-else_nothing-more-then-nothing-can-be-said-we_473863.png) > ““Nothing more then nothing can be said. We make our lives by what we love. Being American, having been trained to be sentimental, I fought for noises … when the war came along, I decided to use only quiet sounds. There seemed to me to be no truth, no good, in anything big. Somebody asked Debussy how he wrote music. He said: “I take all the tones there are, leave out he one’s I don’t want, and use all the others”. Satie said: “When I was young, people told me; you’ll see when you’re fifty years old. Now I’m fifty. I’ve seen nothing”. Slowly as the talk goes on, we are getting nowhere – and that is a pleasure. It is not irritating to be where one is, it is only irritating to think one would like to be somewhere else. If anybody is sleepy, let him go to sleep. All I know about method is that when I’m not working I sometimes think I know something, but when I’m working, it is quit clear I know nothing.”” [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. The speaker reflects on artistic minimalism, the futility of grand narratives, and the value of quiet, honest expression over pretension. **In simple terms:** Art can be simple and honest, avoiding unnecessary complexity. Key Takeaway Embrace simplicity and presence in creation. Themes minimalism authenticity creativity discontent acceptance Mood contemplative ironic detached Type philosophical artistic When to use this quote - musical composition - personal introspection - cultural critique - mental health - creative process Key Concepts artistic restraint existential reflection silence as statement Questions to Reflect On - What does “nothing” mean to you? - How can quietness become a form of resistance? A Different Perspective It may neglect the power of collective action and social change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Asked Debussy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asked-debussy-4089544/) [Debussy Wrote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/debussy-wrote-1113555/) [Music Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-said-457208/) [Satie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/satie-1617781/) [Satie Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/satie-said-4089543/) [Somewhere else](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/somewhere-else/) [Young people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-people/) ## Related quotes > [What is a seemingly conservative Englishman doing, leading the world in the mastery of a classically Spanish instrument? Debussy wrote some of the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-bream/what-is-a-seemingly-conservative-englishman-doing-leading-the-world/) [Julian Bream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-bream/) > [Erik Satie does not say the opposite of Debussy; he says the same thing only the other way round.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-bergam-n/erik-satie-does-not-say-the-opposite-of-debussy-he-says-the-same/) [Jose Bergamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-bergam-n/) > [Everything that has a spare piano is 'like Satie' and everything with strings is 'filmic,' Sometimes I get annoyed when they say my stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-obel/everything-that-has-a-spare-piano-is-like-satie-and-everything-with/) [Agnes Obel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-obel/) > [“Erik Satie died on July 1, 1925; his last words were 'Ah, the cows...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-richardson/erik-satie-died-on-july-1-1925-his-last-words-were-ah-the-cows/) [John Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-richardson/) > [When I went to the analyst for a kind of preliminary meeting, he said, 'I'll be able to fix you so that you'll write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/when-i-went-to-the-analyst-for-a-kind-of-preliminary-meeting-he-said/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) > [“On thing he discovered with a great deal of astonishment was that music held more for him than just pleasure. There was meat to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-frazier/on-thing-he-discovered-with-a-great-deal-of-astonishment-was-that/) [Charles Frazier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-frazier/) > [“He exuded ambiguities she decided, that was his fascination. His mouth spoke; his eyes said something other: his smile belied everything… He played with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-a-mckillip/he-exuded-ambiguities-she-decided-that-was-his-fascination-his-mouth/) [Patricia A. McKillip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-a-mckillip/) > [“...the vivid past would not go away. Like music, said Peg. Even when it was over, it kept living inside you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-joyce/the-vivid-past-would-not-go-away-like-music-said-peg-even-when-it-was/) [Rachel Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-joyce/) > [“I planned to spend mine in new music," said Beth, with a little sigh, which no one heard but the hearth brush and kettle-holder.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/i-planned-to-spend-mine-in-new-music-said-beth-with-a-little-sigh/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Great Music, it said, and Great Poetry would like quieten Modern Youth down and make Modern Youth more Civilized. Civilized my syphilised yarbles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-burgess/great-music-it-said-and-great-poetry-would-like-quieten-modern-youth/) [Anthony Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-burgess/) > [For awhile the only thing people were talking to me about my music, that's all they ever said: 'You must be a nature lover.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-elverum/for-awhile-the-only-thing-people-were-talking-to-me-about-my-music/) [Phil Elverum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-elverum/) > [“Poetry is like a song without music,” I said loftily. “A song without music is like a body without a soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss-the-name-of-the-wind/poetry-is-like-a-song-without-music-i-said-loftily-a-song-without/) [Patrick Rothfuss- The Name of the Wind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss-the-name-of-the-wind/) > [“Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling/ah-music-he-said-wiping-his-eyes-a-magic-beyond-all-we-do-here/) [J.K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling/) > [Videos destroyed the vitality of rock and roll. Before that, music said, "Listen to me." Now it says, "Look at me."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/videos-destroyed-the-vitality-of-rock-and-roll-before-that-music-said/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [Elvis Presley's music said, 'Free your body.' The Beatles said, 'Free your mind.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sheff/elvis-presley-s-music-said-free-your-body-the-beatles-said-free-your/) [David Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sheff/) ## 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 Somewhere else quotes > [“SILENT LIKE SLEEP You appear by my side, silent like sleep. Soft hair, a little wild. No fear, gentle like a calm river. 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It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/i-would-have-done-anything-for-him-maybe-that-was-my-sickness-we-made/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [I want the paintings to take me or the viewer out somewhere else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-schnabel/i-want-the-paintings-to-take-me-or-the-viewer-out-somewhere-else/) [Julian Schnabel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-schnabel/) > [A warrior, or any man for that matter, cannot possibly wish he were somewhere else; a warrior because he lives by challenge, an ordinary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-castaneda/a-warrior-or-any-man-for-that-matter-cannot-possibly-wish-he-were/) [Carlos Castaneda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-castaneda/) > [God puts you where God needs you. You are where you are supposed to be. The job you are doing may not be any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-kushner/god-puts-you-where-god-needs-you-you-are-where-you-are-supposed-to-be/) [Lawrence Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-kushner/) > [maybe tonight you're scared of falling, and maybe there's somebody here or somewhere else you're thinking about, worrying over, fretting over, trying to figure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/maybe-tonight-you-re-scared-of-falling-and-maybe-there-s-somebody/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [If you don't know where you're going, you'll wind up somewhere else. Not all those who wander are lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/if-you-don-t-know-where-you-re-going-you-ll-wind-up-somewhere-else/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [“I realized that most thoughts are impersonal happenings, like self-assembling machines. 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Slowly as the talk goes on, we are getting nowhere – and that is a pleasure. It is not irritating to be where one is, it is only irritating to think one would like to be somewhere else. If anybody is sleepy, let him go to sleep. 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