--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The idea that musicians/artists have a…" description: "\"The idea that musicians/artists have a responsibility to be community leaders or \"role models\" is problematic to me because I really believe that some ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/706/kathleen-hanna-1726_art_the-idea-that-musicians-artists-have-a-r_395023.png" --- # The idea that musicians/artists have a responsibility to… ![“The idea that musicians/artists have a responsibility to be community leaders or "role models" is problematic to me because I really believe that some of the most exciting art is not community-minded at least in any obvious or direct way, which is not to say that it is not ethical or…” quote by Kathleen Hanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/706/kathleen-hanna-1726_art_the-idea-that-musicians-artists-have-a-r_395023.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/706/kathleen-hanna-1726_art_the-idea-that-musicians-artists-have-a-r_395023.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/706/kathleen-hanna-1726_art_the-idea-that-musicians-artists-have-a-r_395023.png) > “The idea that musicians/artists have a responsibility to be community leaders or "role models" is problematic to me because I really believe that some of the most exciting art is not community-minded at least in any obvious or direct way, which is not to say that it is not ethical or consciousness-changing.” [Kathleen Hanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-hanna/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She questions the expectation that artists must act as community leaders, arguing that art can be ethically powerful without overt community focus. **In simple terms:** Art can be ethical without being community‑focused. Key Takeaway Recognize diverse artistic motivations. Themes artistic freedom community expectations ethical impact Mood critical thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - creative projects - social activism - personal expression Key Concepts cultural criticism artist responsibility Questions to Reflect On - Should artists be obligated to lead communities? - How can art change consciousness without direct activism? A Different Perspective Not all impactful art needs explicit community engagement. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Musician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musician/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Role models](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/role-models/) ## Related quotes > [There's something about Brooklyn that reminds me of Toronto. I think because it's so community-minded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandrine-holt/there-s-something-about-brooklyn-that-reminds-me-of-toronto-i-think/) [Sandrine Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandrine-holt/) > [What thoughts are to the individual, art is to the community as a whole. That's where you reflect on who you are, who you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-pierce/what-thoughts-are-to-the-individual-art-is-to-the-community-as-a/) [Wendell Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-pierce/) > [I think what a big part of 30 Seconds to Mars is, it's not only music, it's not only art, it's a community. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-leto/i-think-what-a-big-part-of-30-seconds-to-mars-is-it-s-not-only-music/) [Jared Leto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-leto/) > [It's not only music. It's not only art. It's a community. It's a sense of having a place to belong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-leto/it-s-not-only-music-it-s-not-only-art-it-s-a-community-it-s-a-sense/) [Jared Leto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-leto/) > [We mainly focus on putting music, art, dance, theater, all forms of art, back into the community, so the community can put it into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erykah-badu/we-mainly-focus-on-putting-music-art-dance-theater-all-forms-of-art/) [Erykah Badu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erykah-badu/) > [Our thoughts are to the individual as our art is to the community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-pierce/our-thoughts-are-to-the-individual-as-our-art-is-to-the-community/) [Wendell Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-pierce/) > [I remember the university as being very encouraging, especially to experimentation. I think you always get a lot of musicians in any art community,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-farber/i-remember-the-university-as-being-very-encouraging-especially-to/) [Neil Farber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-farber/) > [Fortunately art is a community effort - a small but select community living in a spiritualized world endeavoring to interpret the wars and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-ginsberg/fortunately-art-is-a-community-effort-a-small-but-select-community/) [Allen Ginsberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-ginsberg/) > [Art is community's medicine for that worst disease of the mind, the corruption of consciousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-g-collingwood/art-is-community-s-medicine-for-that-worst-disease-of-the-mind-the/) [Robin G. Collingwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-g-collingwood/) > [Gay people - generally speaking - have a responsibility to our own community and to future generations of gay people to come out, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/gay-people-generally-speaking-have-a-responsibility-to-our-own/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [People in business generally have a responsibility to the community. They have to put back into the community from which they take. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay-fox/people-in-business-generally-have-a-responsibility-to-the-community/) [Lindsay Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsay-fox/) > [I feel a real responsibility to my community and so right now there has been this bizarre myth in our community how our vote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jada-pinkett-smith/i-feel-a-real-responsibility-to-my-community-and-so-right-now-there/) [Jada Pinkett Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jada-pinkett-smith/) > [We've somehow allowed ourselves to think it's okay to neglect and abandon our responsibility to ourselves and to our community. Everything cannot be blamed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-i/we-ve-somehow-allowed-ourselves-to-think-it-s-okay-to-neglect-and/) T.I > [I was raised to believe that everybody has a responsibility to their community and I use the word very loosely. It's a big community.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-travers/i-was-raised-to-believe-that-everybody-has-a-responsibility-to-their/) [Mary Travers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-travers/) > [Business has a responsibility to give back to the community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-cohen/business-has-a-responsibility-to-give-back-to-the-community/) [Ben Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-cohen/) ## More by Kathleen Hanna > [There's still a lot of misogynist pop music out there, and I think that hearing something that's so explicitly feminist and so angry -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-hanna/there-s-still-a-lot-of-misogynist-pop-music-out-there-and-i-think/) [Kathleen Hanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-hanna/) > [When I get stressed out my de-stress default is - not cat videos - but I just watch his surrogates. They're so entertaining. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-hanna/when-i-get-stressed-out-my-de-stress-default-is-not-cat-videos-but-i/) [Kathleen Hanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-hanna/) > [In terms of men being feminist allies, it's just important to speak from your own place. I'd love to hear men singing about masculinity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-hanna/in-terms-of-men-being-feminist-allies-it-s-just-important-to-speak/) [Kathleen Hanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-hanna/) > [ I got hit up for a tampon commercial and so I asked \[JD and Jo\] if they had anything. Jo sent that over and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-hanna/i-got-hit-up-for-a-tampon-commercial-and-so-i-asked-jd-and-jo-if-they/) [Kathleen Hanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-hanna/) > [Clearly, gay marriage is on the top of the agenda right now. It's pretty amazing, considering where stuff was at when I was in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-hanna/clearly-gay-marriage-is-on-the-top-of-the-agenda-right-now-it-s/) [Kathleen Hanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-hanna/) > [When you're the person who's kind of in charge of everything a lot of the time, it's sometimes nice to get bossed around. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-hanna/when-you-re-the-person-who-s-kind-of-in-charge-of-everything-a-lot-of/) [Kathleen Hanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-hanna/) > [I've always talked a lot on stage - I really wanted to communicate my ideas and when you're playing at a lot of shitty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-hanna/i-ve-always-talked-a-lot-on-stage-i-really-wanted-to-communicate-my/) [Kathleen Hanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-hanna/) > [I belive power can be used for good, I don't think every form of power is absolute evil. I wish I would have stepped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-hanna/i-belive-power-can-be-used-for-good-i-don-t-think-every-form-of-power/) [Kathleen Hanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-hanna/) > [No one's female and male, we all have so many different traits. It's just a lie that these certain traits are male and these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-hanna/no-one-s-female-and-male-we-all-have-so-many-different-traits-it-s/) [Kathleen Hanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-hanna/) > [I think that the Internet is really cool because a lot of young feminists don't feel like they have to reinvent the wheel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-hanna/i-think-that-the-internet-is-really-cool-because-a-lot-of-young/) [Kathleen Hanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-hanna/) > [Every band I've been in, it's just become my total life. I feel like a child star - I've missed out on so much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-hanna/every-band-i-ve-been-in-it-s-just-become-my-total-life-i-feel-like-a/) [Kathleen Hanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-hanna/) > [If I can't sing them myself, there's nothing better than writing songs for other people and watching them be performed. It's kind of more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-hanna/if-i-can-t-sing-them-myself-there-s-nothing-better-than-writing-songs/) [Kathleen Hanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-hanna/) > [I'm really going off of watching John Waters speak one time and I remember he just kind of talked and it was totally interesting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-hanna/i-m-really-going-off-of-watching-john-waters-speak-one-time-and-i/) [Kathleen Hanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-hanna/) > [You feel like people are looking at you like, 'I wanted the old Kathleen. Where's the old Kathleen?' I felt that way in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-hanna/you-feel-like-people-are-looking-at-you-like-i-wanted-the-old/) [Kathleen Hanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-hanna/) > [I don't want to waste the precious moments I have, and I've felt that way since I was 17. I have to take risks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-hanna/i-don-t-want-to-waste-the-precious-moments-i-have-and-i-ve-felt-that/) [Kathleen Hanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-hanna/) [Explore all 213 Kathleen Hanna quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-hanna/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) Taf Teh > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The idea that musicians/artists have a responsibility to be community leaders or \"role models\" is problematic to me because I really believe that some of the most exciting art is not community-minded at least in any obvious or direct way, which is not to say that it is not ethical or consciousness-changing.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kathleen Hanna" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-hanna/the-idea-that-musicians-artists-have-a-responsibility-to-be-community/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-hanna/the-idea-that-musicians-artists-have-a-responsibility-to-be-community/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/706/kathleen-hanna-1726_art_the-idea-that-musicians-artists-have-a-r_395023.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/706/kathleen-hanna-1726_art_the-idea-that-musicians-artists-have-a-r_395023.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/706/kathleen-hanna-1726_art_the-idea-that-musicians-artists-have-a-r_395023.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The idea that musicians/artists have a responsibility to be community leaders or \"role models\" is…” — Kathleen Hanna", "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": "Kathleen Hanna", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-hanna/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The idea that musicians/artists have a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-hanna/the-idea-that-musicians-artists-have-a-responsibility-to-be-community/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-hanna/the-idea-that-musicians-artists-have-a-responsibility-to-be-community/#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 } } ] } ```