--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We're affable guys in They Might Be…" description: "\"We're affable guys in They Might Be Giants. We're not gonna do the periscope-down thing, but it's a little bit mind-bending. The biggest struggle is tr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/832/john-flansburgh-14315_enough_we-re-affable-guys-in-they-might-be-gian_2294960.jpg" --- # We're affable guys in They Might Be Giants. We're not… ![“We're affable guys in They Might Be Giants. We're not gonna do the periscope-down thing, but it's a little bit mind-bending. The biggest struggle is trying to figure out a way to back up far enough in your answer that it can be read without the context of the question. Every declarative statement…” quote by John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/832/john-flansburgh-14315_enough_we-re-affable-guys-in-they-might-be-gian_2294960.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/832/john-flansburgh-14315_enough_we-re-affable-guys-in-they-might-be-gian_2294960.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/832/john-flansburgh-14315_enough_we-re-affable-guys-in-they-might-be-gian_2294960.jpg) > “We're affable guys in They Might Be Giants. We're not gonna do the periscope-down thing, but it's a little bit mind-bending. The biggest struggle is trying to figure out a way to back up far enough in your answer that it can be read without the context of the question. Every declarative statement you see that comes out of an interview with somebody is actually in response to a question. So it's sort of like this very real interpersonal dance where one of the people involved is invisible.” [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote highlights how spoken answers rely on unseen questions, making communication a hidden dance of context and response. **In simple terms:** Answers need context to be clear. Key Takeaway Provide context when communicating. Themes communication context interview dialogue Mood reflective analytical Type observational explanatory When to use this quote - interviews - podcast recordings - live Q&A - te meetings - written transcripts Key Concepts implicit meaning conversation dynamics information theory Questions to Reflect On - How does context shape understanding? - What happens when context is missing? A Different Perspective If the audience lacks the original question, meaning can be misinterpreted. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Affable Guys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affable-guys-5406794/) [Comes Interview](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comes-interview-2678829/) [Context Question](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/context-question-1514907/) [Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enough/) [Guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guy/) [Guys Giants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guys-giants-3590925/) [Interview](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interview/) [Interview Somebody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interview-somebody-2678828/) [Invisible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invisible/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Response](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/response/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) [Truth Seeking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-seeking/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) ## Related quotes > [Every declarative statement that comes out of an interview with somebody is actually in response to a question. It's like this very real interpersonal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/every-declarative-statement-that-comes-out-of-an-interview-with/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [“My thoughts keep vacillating between the draft that feels more like a gust in this sizes-too-big hospital gown, and Dr. Milligan's proposal that I'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-banks/my-thoughts-keep-vacillating-between-the-draft-that-feels-more-like-a/) [Anna Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-banks/) > [My God. Is there some unwritten law that you guys have to be giants? (Amanda) What can I say? Artemis likes her Dark-Hunters tall.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/my-god-is-there-some-unwritten-law-that-you-guys-have-to-be-giants/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [If I ever interview somebody, I make sure I listen to them. As a comedian, I've gone on so many shows, I've wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-green/if-i-ever-interview-somebody-i-make-sure-i-listen-to-them-as-a/) [Tom Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-green/) > [How can you interview somebody about something fairly technical if you start on the wrong foot by not even knowing his name?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-mcdonald/how-can-you-interview-somebody-about-something-fairly-technical-if/) [Trevor McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-mcdonald/) > [When I interview somebody, I look at their resume to see what they've done, who they've worked with, and how many times. If they've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-pantoliano/when-i-interview-somebody-i-look-at-their-resume-to-see-what-they-ve/) [Joe Pantoliano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-pantoliano/) > [If I could have anybody I haven't had, I'd want to interview somebody like Jay-Z or Puff Daddy, pick their minds a little bit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-alexander/if-i-could-have-anybody-i-haven-t-had-i-d-want-to-interview-somebody/) [Shaun Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-alexander/) > [I might like somebody, and have to go interview somebody that hates them, but I still have to be fair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-martinez/i-might-like-somebody-and-have-to-go-interview-somebody-that-hates/) [Angie Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-martinez/) > [If I interview somebody for an hour, I'm looking for four amazing minutes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-ronson/if-i-interview-somebody-for-an-hour-i-m-looking-for-four-amazing/) [Jon Ronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-ronson/) > [There have been times I wanted to cry on interview, but it hasn't been because that's what they're trying to conjure. No. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/there-have-been-times-i-wanted-to-cry-on-interview-but-it-hasn-t-been/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [“Imagine what I could have done in ten years. I could have learned to speak Japanese. I could have played every RPG video game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/imagine-what-i-could-have-done-in-ten-years-i-could-have-learned-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm not really a big fan of doing interviews.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-m-not-really-a-big-fan-of-doing-interviews/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [With every interview you feel like you lose a piece of yourself, and with every bad review you become just that little bit more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-march/with-every-interview-you-feel-like-you-lose-a-piece-of-yourself-and/) [Jane March](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-march/) > [If you're going for an interview, you will dress smartly and look the part, that is absolutely fine, but it's just the level to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-swinson/if-you-re-going-for-an-interview-you-will-dress-smartly-and-look-the/) [Jo Swinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-swinson/) > [On my podcast, I got to interview Will Ferrell, Sam Hunt, Colin Cowherd - all these different names - and it was just really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-darnold/on-my-podcast-i-got-to-interview-will-ferrell-sam-hunt-colin-cowherd/) [Sam Darnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-darnold/) ## More by John Flansburgh > [I feel like the future is unwritten. So many of the things that we write now haven't been about educating people on the environment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/i-feel-like-the-future-is-unwritten-so-many-of-the-things-that-we/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [It's hard to tell a shallow person that they should care more about the feelings of the awkward and the alienated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/it-s-hard-to-tell-a-shallow-person-that-they-should-care-more-about/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [Every declarative statement that comes out of an interview with somebody is actually in response to a question. It's like this very real interpersonal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/every-declarative-statement-that-comes-out-of-an-interview-with/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [There have been times I wanted to cry on interview, but it hasn't been because that's what they're trying to conjure. No. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/there-have-been-times-i-wanted-to-cry-on-interview-but-it-hasn-t-been/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [I feel like musicians have such a precarious place in the political discourse, because musicians are, sort of just by nature, people-pleasers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/i-feel-like-musicians-have-such-a-precarious-place-in-the-political/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [I think the biggest wrestling match-up I have is how to respond to the word "quirky." Or the alternate, "nerdy." Both are essentially benign…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/i-think-the-biggest-wrestling-match-up-i-have-is-how-to-respond-to/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [The simplest app on your smartphone requires 40 peoples' purest imagination. The challenges with people on environment, we just have to open some of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/the-simplest-app-on-your-smartphone-requires-40-peoples-purest/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [Sometimes you have to wonder if there isn't an ejector seat built into having a popular-music career. We were lucky when we started. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/sometimes-you-have-to-wonder-if-there-isn-t-an-ejector-seat-built/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [Sometimes people will ask a real "Why are you beating your wife?" question where there's some assumption built into it, and all you're trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/sometimes-people-will-ask-a-real-why-are-you-beating-your-wife/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [Bill O'Reilly knew he could just filibuster and enjoy all the airtime that a full interview would give him, and then also grab the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/bill-o-reilly-knew-he-could-just-filibuster-and-enjoy-all-the-airtime/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [I don't think bands should feel compelled to speak out unless they actually have something to say. I think that's a big mistake, where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/i-don-t-think-bands-should-feel-compelled-to-speak-out-unless-they/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [Look, up in the sky! 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I mean,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/there-is-a-fact-based-belief-system-available-to-you-if-you-want-to/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) [Explore all 47 John Flansburgh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) ## More Enough quotes > [I guess at it's very core love is connection that just makes so much sense you wonder how you used to live before you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-stone/i-guess-at-it-s-very-core-love-is-connection-that-just-makes-so-much/) [Benjamin Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-stone/) > [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/) [Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) [Adam Ant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ant/) > [I've been lucky enough to, for the most part, surround myself with a lot of people who are more talented than me and who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-franco/i-ve-been-lucky-enough-to-for-the-most-part-surround-myself-with-a/) [Dave Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-franco/) > [I love because there is not enough room in my heart to hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rena-kornreich-gelissen/i-love-because-there-is-not-enough-room-in-my-heart-to-hate/) [Rena Kornreich Gelissen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rena-kornreich-gelissen/) > [We find few historians who have been diligent enough in their search for truth; it is their common method to take on trust what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/we-find-few-historians-who-have-been-diligent-enough-in-their-search/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [Sometimes it's just enough for me to have the idea. I don't need to see it through to the end. When it actually happens,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/sometimes-it-s-just-enough-for-me-to-have-the-idea-i-don-t-need-to/) [Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/) > [The vast majority of organizations today have more than enough intelligence, experience and knowledge to be successful. What they lack is organizational health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/the-vast-majority-of-organizations-today-have-more-than-enough/) [Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/) > [I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/) [Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/) > [I've been to Manchester enough to know it's a real place. It's not Factory Records and the Smiths bicycling around. I get it. 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