--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are living in a period in which many…" description: "\"We are living in a period in which many people have changed their mind about what the use of music is or could be for them. Something that doesn't spea..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f8/john-cage-2094_activity_we-are-living-in-a-period-in-which-many_1059989.jpg" --- # We are living in a period in which many people have… ![“We are living in a period in which many people have changed their mind about what the use of music is or could be for them. Something that doesn't speak or talk like a human being, that doesn't know its definition in the dictionary or its theory in the schools, that expresses itself simply by the…” quote by John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f8/john-cage-2094_activity_we-are-living-in-a-period-in-which-many_1059989.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f8/john-cage-2094_activity_we-are-living-in-a-period-in-which-many_1059989.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f8/john-cage-2094_activity_we-are-living-in-a-period-in-which-many_1059989.jpg) > “We are living in a period in which many people have changed their mind about what the use of music is or could be for them. Something that doesn't speak or talk like a human being, that doesn't know its definition in the dictionary or its theory in the schools, that expresses itself simply by the fact of its vibrations. People paying attention to vibratory activity, not in reaction to a fixed ideal performance, but each time attentively to how it happens to be this time, not necessarily two times the same. A music that transports the listener to the moment where he is.” [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. Music can be experienced as pure vibration, free from language or theory, inviting listeners to attend to each unique moment. **In simple terms:** Music is vibration, not words, inviting present‑moment listening. Key Takeaway Listen to sound as it is, without preconceptions. Themes presence sound mindfulness Mood contemplative open‑minded Type artistic philosophical When to use this quote - concerts - personal listening - creative practice Key Concepts experimental music aesthetic theory sensory perception Questions to Reflect On - How does focusing on vibration change your emotional response? - Can you appreciate music without lyrics? A Different Perspective Some may find this approach too abstract or inaccessible. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Activity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activity/) [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Attention Vibratory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention-vibratory-1040137/) [Changed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changed/) [Definitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/definitions/) [Dictionary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dictionary/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Fixed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fixed/) [Happens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happens/) [Human beings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-beings/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Ideals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideals/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Listeners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/listeners/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Music is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-is/) [Pay attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pay-attention/) [Paying Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paying-attention/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Performances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/performances/) [Periods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/periods/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Reactions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reactions/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Speak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speak/) [Theory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theory/) [Transport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transport/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Two Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two-time/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) [Use Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use-music/) [Vibrations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vibrations/) [Vibrations People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vibrations-people-2583242/) [Vibratory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vibratory-922465/) [Vibratory Activity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vibratory-activity-1040136/) ## Related quotes > [People paying attention to vibratory activity, not in reaction to a fixed ideal performance, but each time attentively to how it happens to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/people-paying-attention-to-vibratory-activity-not-in-reaction-to-a/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) > [You did something noble. This will cause a release of energy. It causes a vibratory shift. It means you are moving into a different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/you-did-something-noble-this-will-cause-a-release-of-energy-it-causes/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [It is best to think of karma, not so much in terms of physical action, but as waveforms of vibratory energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/it-is-best-to-think-of-karma-not-so-much-in-terms-of-physical-action/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I think sound and vision are all vibratory emanations... it's the way the soul flowers: art and music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-grey/i-think-sound-and-vision-are-all-vibratory-emanations-it-s-the-way/) [Alex Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-grey/) > [It is silly to drain others; for when you drain others, you also pick up their vibratory force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/it-is-silly-to-drain-others-for-when-you-drain-others-you-also-pick/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [When we use power to cause someone else not to succeed so that we can succeed, it slows our vibratory frequency. It slows us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/when-we-use-power-to-cause-someone-else-not-to-succeed-so-that-we-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [We could be unhappy and discouraged for ourselves, but we're trying to be in a high vibratory state so we can be of service…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/we-could-be-unhappy-and-discouraged-for-ourselves-but-we-re-trying-to/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [The song becomes the meaning itself through the vibratory qualities. When we begin to catch the vibratory qualities...the song begins to sing us...I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerzy-grotowski/the-song-becomes-the-meaning-itself-through-the-vibratory-qualities/) [Jerzy Grotowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerzy-grotowski/) > [Each time we bring to routine activities an awareness of 'now,' we raise our vibratory frequency and cause the freshness of the moment to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-beckwith/each-time-we-bring-to-routine-activities-an-awareness-of-now-we-raise/) [Michael Beckwith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-beckwith/) > [Words and thoughts are a tremendous vibratory force, ever moulding man's body and affairs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-scovel-shinn/words-and-thoughts-are-a-tremendous-vibratory-force-ever-moulding-man/) [Florence Scovel Shinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-scovel-shinn/) > [Men use music and football to fill up holes in their lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/men-use-music-and-football-to-fill-up-holes-in-their-lives/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [I use music as a medium to talk to people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-ra/i-use-music-as-a-medium-to-talk-to-people/) [Sun Ra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-ra/) > [I use music as a tool for my own personal sanity, one might say. After a long day or something, I can always come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-graziadei/i-use-music-as-a-tool-for-my-own-personal-sanity-one-might-say-after/) [Michael Graziadei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-graziadei/) > [I've always written songs to use music as a form of therapy or as a way to look at my obstacles or my memories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-ragan/i-ve-always-written-songs-to-use-music-as-a-form-of-therapy-or-as-a/) [Chuck Ragan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-ragan/) > [I sometimes use music as way of getting back to a certain time, dredging up stuff from the past and putting it down on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-fox/i-sometimes-use-music-as-way-of-getting-back-to-a-certain-time/) [Danny Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-fox/) ## 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 Activity quotes > [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [It must be assumed and established as a principle, that the right of private property must be regarded as sacred. Wherefore, the law ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-xiii/it-must-be-assumed-and-established-as-a-principle-that-the-right-of/) [Pope Leo XIII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-xiii/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [And also I think the rise of other, you could say, destinations for international jihadis mean that Pakistan isn't necessarily the place where people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/and-also-i-think-the-rise-of-other-you-could-say-destinations-for/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) > [To evoke in oneself a feeling one has once experienced, and having evoked it in oneself, then by means of movements, lines, colors, sounds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-evoke-in-oneself-a-feeling-one-has-once-experienced-and-having/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Fighting's fun, man. It's a great activity, it's a great sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-mitrione/fighting-s-fun-man-it-s-a-great-activity-it-s-a-great-sport/) [Matt Mitrione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-mitrione/) > [There were books everywhere in my house. Books were very present. I just loved books. I never understood reading as anything but a pleasurable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-lucas/there-were-books-everywhere-in-my-house-books-were-very-present-i/) [Lisa Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-lucas/) > [For war to man, like childbirth to women, is simplifying in its emotions and activities. All the real problems of life can be put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/for-war-to-man-like-childbirth-to-women-is-simplifying-in-its/) [Pearl S. Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-s-buck/) > [The only activity a cynic will find contagious is yawning, that is, with other people, at other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/the-only-activity-a-cynic-will-find-contagious-is-yawning-that-is/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [For the longest time, neuroscientists were forced to be passive observers of brain activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gero-miesenbock/for-the-longest-time-neuroscientists-were-forced-to-be-passive/) [Gero Miesenbock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gero-miesenbock/) > [Enjoyment is not a goal, it is a feeling that accompanies important ongoing activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/enjoyment-is-not-a-goal-it-is-a-feeling-that-accompanies-important/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [Once an activity has been socialized, it is impossible to point out, by concrete example, how men in a free market could better conduct…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-read/once-an-activity-has-been-socialized-it-is-impossible-to-point-out-by/) [Leonard Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-read/) > [“Fun is not an activity, it is a state of mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/fun-is-not-an-activity-it-is-a-state-of-mind/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [I have to consider everything I eat; I consider every activity I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-kimball/i-have-to-consider-everything-i-eat-i-consider-every-activity-i-do/) [Charlie Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-kimball/) > [Almost all good businesses engage in 'pain today, gain tomorrow' activities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/almost-all-good-businesses-engage-in-pain-today-gain-tomorrow/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) [Browse all 3,263 Activity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We are living in a period in which many people have changed their mind about what the use of music is or could be for them. 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