--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ...the important questions are answered…" description: "\"“...the important questions are answered by not liking only but disliking and accepting equally what one likes and dislikes. Otherwise there is no acce..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a1/john-cage-2094_dark-night_the-important-questions-are-answered-by_80852.png" --- # ...the important questions are answered by not liking only… ![“...the important questions are answered by not liking only but disliking and accepting equally what one likes and dislikes. Otherwise there is no access to the dark night of the soul.” quote by John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a1/john-cage-2094_dark-night_the-important-questions-are-answered-by_80852.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a1/john-cage-2094_dark-night_the-important-questions-are-answered-by_80852.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a1/john-cage-2094_dark-night_the-important-questions-are-answered-by_80852.png) > ““...the important questions are answered by not liking only but disliking and accepting equally what one likes and dislikes. Otherwise there is no access to the dark night of the soul.”” [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. True insight arises when we recognize both our preferences and aversions, allowing us to confront inner darkness rather than avoiding it. **In simple terms:** Embrace both likes and dislikes to access deeper self‑knowledge. Key Takeaway Balance acceptance and rejection for growth. Themes self‑awareness duality inner conflict spiritual journey psychology Mood contemplative introspective serene Type philosophical spiritual psychological When to use this quote - personal reflection - therapy sessions - creative brainstorming - spiritual retreats - conflict resolution Key Concepts acceptance dislike dark night of the soul inner exploration Practical Applications - journaling prompts - mindfulness exercises Questions to Reflect On - What does it mean to 'dislike and accept equally'? - How might this balance affect personal growth? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dark night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark-night/) [Dark night of the soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark-night-of-the-soul/) ## Related quotes > [If the public dislikes one of my Post covers, I can't help disliking it myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-rockwell/if-the-public-dislikes-one-of-my-post-covers-i-can-t-help-disliking/) [Norman Rockwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-rockwell/) > [Writers have opinions - that, in part, is why they write. Therefore they have strong likes and dislikes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-delaney/writers-have-opinions-that-in-part-is-why-they-write-therefore-they/) [Frank Delaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-delaney/) > [There are aspects of small town life that I really like - the routine nature of it, the idea of people knowing you and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cress-williams/there-are-aspects-of-small-town-life-that-i-really-like-the-routine/) [Cress Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cress-williams/) > [It's not that I am a difficult person; it's just that I have certain strong likes and dislikes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manisha-koirala/it-s-not-that-i-am-a-difficult-person-it-s-just-that-i-have-certain/) [Manisha Koirala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manisha-koirala/) > [“They seem a bit above my likes and dislikes, so to speak," answered Sam slowly. "It don't seem to matter what I think about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/they-seem-a-bit-above-my-likes-and-dislikes-so-to-speak-answered-sam/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [I'm an economic human without any likes or dislikes!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akira-toriyama/i-m-an-economic-human-without-any-likes-or-dislikes/) [Akira Toriyama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akira-toriyama/) > [People have become desperate to reduce everything, including each other, to mindless categories of good and bad, as if the world can be divided…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-coren-mitchell/people-have-become-desperate-to-reduce-everything-including-each/) [Victoria Coren Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-coren-mitchell/) > [Happiness is within everyone, but we are not able to experience it because of our ego's likes and dislikes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mata-amritanandamayi/happiness-is-within-everyone-but-we-are-not-able-to-experience-it/) [Mata Amritanandamayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mata-amritanandamayi/) > [“It is bad for commanders and troopers to have likes and dislikes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miyamoto-musashi/it-is-bad-for-commanders-and-troopers-to-have-likes-and-dislikes/) [Miyamoto Musashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miyamoto-musashi/) > [You can't exist in this world with such strong likes and dislikes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-t-exist-in-this-world-with-such-strong-likes-and-dislikes/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Now is a time where there are so many social networks, such need for validation... you don't have to be a star or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/now-is-a-time-where-there-are-so-many-social-networks-such-need-for/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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 > [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/) ## 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 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/) > [As McLuhan says, everything happens at once.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/as-mcluhan-says-everything-happens-at-once/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) [Explore all 186 John Cage quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) ## More Dark night quotes > [On Hanukkah, the first dark night, Light yourself a candle bright. I'll you, if you will me invite To dance within that gentle light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-gordon/on-hanukkah-the-first-dark-night-light-yourself-a-candle-bright-i-ll/) [Nick Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-gordon/) > [“What do we do in the dark night? We do nothing. We wait. We remember that we are not God. We hold on. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/what-do-we-do-in-the-dark-night-we-do-nothing-we-wait-we-remember/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [Faith is a dark night for man, but in this very way it gives him light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/faith-is-a-dark-night-for-man-but-in-this-very-way-it-gives-him-light/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Maine out of season is unmistakably a great destination: hospitable, good-humored, plenty of elbow room, short days, dark nights of crackling ice crystals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-theroux/maine-out-of-season-is-unmistakably-a-great-destination-hospitable/) [Paul Theroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-theroux/) > [“Too often on such occasions one feels, as I feel so strongly with regard to poor old Stilton, that the kindly thing to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse/too-often-on-such-occasions-one-feels-as-i-feel-so-strongly-with/) [P.G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse/) > [“Look at all the resources around you before you make a decision. Look for ways to make your environment work for you. The solution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-d-sutherland/look-at-all-the-resources-around-you-before-you-make-a-decision-look/) [C.D. SUTHERLAND](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-d-sutherland/) > [“Sitting outside on a dark night, under the stars, invites confidences amongst people of all ages, and all walks of life. It invokes an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-b-shepherd/sitting-outside-on-a-dark-night-under-the-stars-invites-confidences/) [A.B. Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-b-shepherd/) > [One thing is certain, whatever choices we make: we will not miss out on some critical purgation by seeking treatment for depression or any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-farrington/one-thing-is-certain-whatever-choices-we-make-we-will-not-miss-out-on/) [Tim Farrington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-farrington/) > [A swift carriage, of a dark night, rattling with four horses over roads that one can’t see--that’s my idea of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/a-swift-carriage-of-a-dark-night-rattling-with-four-horses-over-roads/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [“The dark night of fascism is always descending in the United States and yet lands only in Europe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-wolfe/the-dark-night-of-fascism-is-always-descending-in-the-united-states/) [Tom Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-wolfe/) > [Though it's cold and lonely in the deep dark night I can see paradise by the dashboard light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/though-it-s-cold-and-lonely-in-the-deep-dark-night-i-can-see-paradise/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Oh, it is sad for a poor Christian to stand at the door of the promise, in the dark night of affliction, afraid to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gurnall/oh-it-is-sad-for-a-poor-christian-to-stand-at-the-door-of-the-promise/) [William Gurnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gurnall/) > [“Korsakov turned away, sighing heavily as he made his way toward his SUV. It had been the early winter of 1997, a dark night…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-england/korsakov-turned-away-sighing-heavily-as-he-made-his-way-toward-his/) [Stephen England](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-england/) > [“Perhaps, if I use my reason in good faith, I may suceed in discovering some ray of probability to lighten me in the dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/perhaps-if-i-use-my-reason-in-good-faith-i-may-suceed-in-discovering/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [I was broken in body, soul, and spirit. My natural elasticity was crushed, my intellect languished, the disposition to read departed, the cheerful spark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-was-broken-in-body-soul-and-spirit-my-natural-elasticity-was/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) [Browse all 380 Dark night quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark-night/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“...the important questions are answered by not liking only but disliking and accepting equally what one likes and dislikes. 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