--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's no such thing as silence…" description: "\"There's no such thing as silence. Something is always happening that makes a sound.\" — John Cage" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06b/john-cage-2094_happening_there-s-no-such-thing-as-silence-somethi_2948902.png" --- # There's no such thing as silence. Something is always… ![“There's no such thing as silence. Something is always happening that makes a sound.” quote by John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06b/john-cage-2094_happening_there-s-no-such-thing-as-silence-somethi_2948902.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06b/john-cage-2094_happening_there-s-no-such-thing-as-silence-somethi_2948902.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06b/john-cage-2094_happening_there-s-no-such-thing-as-silence-somethi_2948902.png) > “There's no such thing as silence. Something is always happening that makes a sound.” [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. Silence is never absolute; even absence carries sound and meaning. **In simple terms:** Silence still has sound. Key Takeaway Listen to hidden layers. Themes perception sound silence art Mood contemplative artistic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - concert halls - meditation - daily noise - mindfulness Key Concepts Phenomenology acoustic ecology Questions to Reflect On - What does “silence” mean to you? - How can you notice subtle sounds? A Different Perspective Silence can be a deliberate artistic choice, not just background. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Silence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silence/) [Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound/) ## Related quotes > [Sit with silence a lot - real silence, where nothing is happening - because you learn so much in those moments of quiet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-dowd/sit-with-silence-a-lot-real-silence-where-nothing-is-happening/) [Ann Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-dowd/) > [In the end, the only thing between us was silence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-fitzpatrick/in-the-end-the-only-thing-between-us-was-silence/) [Becca Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-fitzpatrick/) > [“A hush is a dangerous thing. Silence is solid and dependable, but a hush is expectant, like a pregnant pause; it invites mischief, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-hogan/a-hush-is-a-dangerous-thing-silence-is-solid-and-dependable-but-a/) [Ruth Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-hogan/) > [One nice thing about silence is that it can't be repeated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-cooper/one-nice-thing-about-silence-is-that-it-can-t-be-repeated/) [Gary Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-cooper/) > [There's a lot of people who call you by your name, but only one who makes it sound special.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christie-draper/there-s-a-lot-of-people-who-call-you-by-your-name-but-only-one-who/) Christie Draper > [If a tree falls in the woods and no one's around to hear it, it still very probably makes a sound. A baseball game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carson-cistulli/if-a-tree-falls-in-the-woods-and-no-one-s-around-to-hear-it-it-still/) [Carson Cistulli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carson-cistulli/) > [Whatever she does to my songs, she always makes them sound better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-fitzgerald/whatever-she-does-to-my-songs-she-always-makes-them-sound-better/) [Ella Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-fitzgerald/) > [“The first question is: what is a sound that makes no sound?' And by the time Captain Lambestyo has thought of an answer and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-suddain/the-first-question-is-what-is-a-sound-that-makes-no-sound-and-by-the/) [Matt Suddain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-suddain/) > [Different boards do different things to the sound that's coming through them. An old Neve desk does embellish it in a way that makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-grohl/different-boards-do-different-things-to-the-sound-that-s-coming/) [Dave Grohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-grohl/) > [“An explosion in space makes no sound at all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosamund-lupton/an-explosion-in-space-makes-no-sound-at-all/) [Rosamund Lupton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosamund-lupton/) > [Lightning makes no sound until it strikes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/lightning-makes-no-sound-until-it-strikes/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [There are a lot of people that call you by your name, but that one person makes it sound so damn special](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-jameson/there-are-a-lot-of-people-that-call-you-by-your-name-but-that-one/) [Lee Jameson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-jameson/) > [When a human being without amplification makes a sound that is high and loud, it is almost unworldly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-fleming/when-a-human-being-without-amplification-makes-a-sound-that-is-high/) [Renee Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-fleming/) > [I could stop and say, Well that was a D minor, G seven, but I really don't want to know that. I just want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-konitz/i-could-stop-and-say-well-that-was-a-d-minor-g-seven-but-i-really-don/) [Lee Konitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-konitz/) > [In a world and a life that moves so fast, photography just makes the sound go out and it makes you stop and take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-barrymore/in-a-world-and-a-life-that-moves-so-fast-photography-just-makes-the/) [Drew Barrymore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-barrymore/) ## 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 Happening quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [To see classic rock, you had to go to an arena. But punk was happening everywhere, even in little towns in the middle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-callahan/to-see-classic-rock-you-had-to-go-to-an-arena-but-punk-was-happening/) [Bill Callahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-callahan/) > [I've certainly seen a lot of my cartoonist friends embrace 'Little Lulu' in a much deeper way because their kids love it so much.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/i-ve-certainly-seen-a-lot-of-my-cartoonist-friends-embrace-little/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [New York is so serious about the creation of work. Everything is happening so fast, it feels like there's another studio, another session on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diplo/new-york-is-so-serious-about-the-creation-of-work-everything-is/) [Diplo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diplo/) > [“Everything changes, sweetheart. The universe loves to happen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-olsen/everything-changes-sweetheart-the-universe-loves-to-happen/) [Lance Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-olsen/) > [the truth about forever is that it is happening right now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/the-truth-about-forever-is-that-it-is-happening-right-now/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“I can recognize shame when it’s happening.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/i-can-recognize-shame-when-it-s-happening/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [I love to fish. You can go hours without anything happening, and all of a sudden a big blue marlin comes into the spread…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-strait/i-love-to-fish-you-can-go-hours-without-anything-happening-and-all-of/) [George Strait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-strait/) > [Cause I swear that I'm dying, slowly but its happening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/cause-i-swear-that-i-m-dying-slowly-but-its-happening/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [A good story will keep you wondering about what's happening, what's going on, where does this go? Now it's going to go that way,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fede-alvarez/a-good-story-will-keep-you-wondering-about-what-s-happening-what-s/) [Fede Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fede-alvarez/) > [It's all happening too fast. I've got to put the brakes on or I'll smack into something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-gibson/it-s-all-happening-too-fast-i-ve-got-to-put-the-brakes-on-or-i-ll/) [Mel Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-gibson/) > [Today, something is happening to the whole structure of human consciousness. A fresh kind of life is starting. Driven by the forces of love,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/today-something-is-happening-to-the-whole-structure-of-human/) [Pierre Teilhard de Chardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/) > [“They happen only when you are distant,aloof. They happen, they cannot be brought. They happen you cannot force them to happen. They are spontaneous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osho/they-happen-only-when-you-are-distant-aloof-they-happen-they-cannot/) [Osho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osho/) > [I think one of the saddest things that's happening to literature is that it's getting over-simplified by this diet of simple political ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/i-think-one-of-the-saddest-things-that-s-happening-to-literature-is/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [It's interesting how sleepwalking in a certain way becomes an accumulation of your outside stimuli that's actually there and what's happening in your brain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/it-s-interesting-how-sleepwalking-in-a-certain-way-becomes-an/) [Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) Browse all 827 Happening quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There's no such thing as silence. Something is always happening that makes a sound.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Cage" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/there-s-no-such-thing-as-silence-something-is-always-happening-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Happening" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/there-s-no-such-thing-as-silence-something-is-always-happening-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06b/john-cage-2094_happening_there-s-no-such-thing-as-silence-somethi_2948902.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06b/john-cage-2094_happening_there-s-no-such-thing-as-silence-somethi_2948902.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06b/john-cage-2094_happening_there-s-no-such-thing-as-silence-somethi_2948902.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There's no such thing as silence. Something is always happening that makes a sound.” — 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": "There's no such thing as silence....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/there-s-no-such-thing-as-silence-something-is-always-happening-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/there-s-no-such-thing-as-silence-something-is-always-happening-that/#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 } } ] } ```