--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I had the naive, simplistic idea that…" description: "\"I had the naive, simplistic idea that producers and writers and artists of the time helped in a minuscule way to change the mind-set of America.\" — M. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da8/m-ward-11792_america_i-had-the-naive-simplistic-idea-that-pro_1457049.png" --- # I had the naive, simplistic idea that producers and… ![“I had the naive, simplistic idea that producers and writers and artists of the time helped in a minuscule way to change the mind-set of America.” quote by M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da8/m-ward-11792_america_i-had-the-naive-simplistic-idea-that-pro_1457049.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da8/m-ward-11792_america_i-had-the-naive-simplistic-idea-that-pro_1457049.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da8/m-ward-11792_america_i-had-the-naive-simplistic-idea-that-pro_1457049.png) > “I had the naive, simplistic idea that producers and writers and artists of the time helped in a minuscule way to change the mind-set of America.” [M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-ward/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The belief that artists subtly shift national mindset is naive; their impact is limited and often indirect. **In simple terms:** Artists have modest influence on society’s views. Key Takeaway Recognize the modest scope of creative influence. Themes culture influence artistic impact Mood thoughtful analytical Type critical observational When to use this quote - marketing campaigns - public art installations - educational curricula - media criticism Key Concepts media theory social change Questions to Reflect On - How do you measure an artist’s societal impact? - What other forces drive cultural change? A Different Perspective Artists can inspire but rarely reshape collective consciousness alone. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Mind set](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind-set/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [If you must make a difference in life, then change your mind set.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-ashimolowo/if-you-must-make-a-difference-in-life-then-change-your-mind-set/) [Matthew Ashimolowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-ashimolowo/) > [“Happiness comes from within. You have the power to change your own mind-set so that all the negative, horrible thoughts that try to invade…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/happiness-comes-from-within-you-have-the-power-to-change-your-own/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [You change your mind-set, and as long as you've got a good mind-set, you'll know everything is good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-joseph/you-change-your-mind-set-and-as-long-as-you-ve-got-a-good-mind-set/) [Curtis Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-joseph/) > [The world, the way we look at women and sexuality, is what needs to change - not our behavior, not who we are, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priyanka-chopra/the-world-the-way-we-look-at-women-and-sexuality-is-what-needs-to/) [Priyanka Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priyanka-chopra/) > [Writers and journalists tend to be simplistic about politics when, like all other areas of life, it's more complicated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/writers-and-journalists-tend-to-be-simplistic-about-politics-when/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [Very often, people confuse simple with simplistic. The nuance is lost on most.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clement-mok/very-often-people-confuse-simple-with-simplistic-the-nuance-is-lost/) [Clement Mok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clement-mok/) > [I am oblique; I think that has to do with my own nature. I like trying to do things which work on many levels,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-j-pakula/i-am-oblique-i-think-that-has-to-do-with-my-own-nature-i-like-trying/) [Alan J. Pakula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-j-pakula/) > [Evil is such a simplistic way to describe any character, be it Iago or Caliban, or any character from history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/evil-is-such-a-simplistic-way-to-describe-any-character-be-it-iago-or/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I am a fan of Pakistani TV shows and the simplistic way in which they are made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-khan/i-am-a-fan-of-pakistani-tv-shows-and-the-simplistic-way-in-which-they/) [Sara Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-khan/) > [I'm obviously not an advocate of Christian America or a simplistic view of America as 'a city on a hill.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/os-guinness/i-m-obviously-not-an-advocate-of-christian-america-or-a-simplistic/) [Os Guinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/os-guinness/) > [I think it's overly simplistic to say that any one single strategy is going to really change the focus and change the trajectory of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-botticelli/i-think-it-s-overly-simplistic-to-say-that-any-one-single-strategy-is/) [Michael Botticelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-botticelli/) > [Very often some of the religious miracle plays you see on television can be very corny, I find. And so simplistic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-duvall/very-often-some-of-the-religious-miracle-plays-you-see-on-television/) [Robert Duvall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-duvall/) > [I think it's a little simplistic to explain a work through the psychology of its author. In other words, that Haneke has emotional problems,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-haneke/i-think-it-s-a-little-simplistic-to-explain-a-work-through-the/) [Michael Haneke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-haneke/) > [The problem with most love stories in my opinion is that they're too simplistic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-shainberg/the-problem-with-most-love-stories-in-my-opinion-is-that-they-re-too/) [Steven Shainberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-shainberg/) > [Frequent prayer has great value. On its surface, this sounds simplistic. But if we're to keep prayer at the forefront of our ministry, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hamilton/frequent-prayer-has-great-value-on-its-surface-this-sounds-simplistic/) [Adam Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hamilton/) ## More by M. Ward > [When I first started making music, it was learning other people's songs and putting them onto four-track. Like Beatles songs and stuff. When I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-ward/when-i-first-started-making-music-it-was-learning-other-people-s/) [M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-ward/) > [I don't really watch TV series because I don't want to get hooked on them and have them suck up all my time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-ward/i-don-t-really-watch-tv-series-because-i-don-t-want-to-get-hooked-on/) [M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-ward/) > [I'm somebody who doesn't feel the need to be in the driver's seat all the time. I appreciate the perspective of being in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-ward/i-m-somebody-who-doesn-t-feel-the-need-to-be-in-the-driver-s-seat-all/) [M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-ward/) > [I get most of my inspiration from older records and older production styles, and that ends up rearing its head in the records that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-ward/i-get-most-of-my-inspiration-from-older-records-and-older-production/) [M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-ward/) > [The best live recordings capture elements of surprise onstage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-ward/the-best-live-recordings-capture-elements-of-surprise-onstage/) [M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-ward/) > [It's no fun for me to cover a song and produce it the exact same way as it already exists. When I hear that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-ward/it-s-no-fun-for-me-to-cover-a-song-and-produce-it-the-exact-same-way/) [M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-ward/) > [Try to take your vision and ego as far away from the song as possible. Give as much respect as you can to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-ward/try-to-take-your-vision-and-ego-as-far-away-from-the-song-as-possible/) [M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-ward/) > [I love the sound of Elmore James, the sound early guitarists like him got just by using minimal means.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-ward/i-love-the-sound-of-elmore-james-the-sound-early-guitarists-like-him/) [M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-ward/) > [Certain things you have to stumble on to. They can't be preprogrammed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-ward/certain-things-you-have-to-stumble-on-to-they-can-t-be-preprogrammed/) [M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-ward/) > [The way that I'm working now is basically the way I've been working since I was a kid: Find the greatest artist in whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-ward/the-way-that-i-m-working-now-is-basically-the-way-i-ve-been-working/) [M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-ward/) > [I don't like the way recording to digital sounds. Most of the time, when I'm recording to two-inch tape, I still have a romantic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-ward/i-don-t-like-the-way-recording-to-digital-sounds-most-of-the-time/) [M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-ward/) > [I got this Christmas gift with the entire Beatles catalog. I had fun trying to duplicate what I was hearing on these records, only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-ward/i-got-this-christmas-gift-with-the-entire-beatles-catalog-i-had-fun/) [M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-ward/) > [Every record turns into whatever the listener gets out of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-ward/every-record-turns-into-whatever-the-listener-gets-out-of-it/) [M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-ward/) > [It's a luxury to not have to just be performing with other people to have my music heard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-ward/it-s-a-luxury-to-not-have-to-just-be-performing-with-other-people-to/) [M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-ward/) > [I'm somebody who gets a lot of inspiration from dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-ward/i-m-somebody-who-gets-a-lot-of-inspiration-from-dreams/) [M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-ward/) [Explore all 58 M. Ward quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-ward/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. 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