--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was a very young student I loved…" description: "\"When I was a very young student I loved and admired the work of Sam Beckett, who is famously pessimistic, and whose writing is an extraordinary examina..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2f/michael-craig-martin-9157_admire_when-i-was-a-very-young-student-i-loved_955087.jpg" --- # When I was a very young student I loved and admired the… ![“When I was a very young student I loved and admired the work of Sam Beckett, who is famously pessimistic, and whose writing is an extraordinary examination of emptiness. I wanted to be like Beckett. I don't have the same attitude toward the world, I'm naturally optimistic, and so of course I could…” quote by Michael Craig-Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2f/michael-craig-martin-9157_admire_when-i-was-a-very-young-student-i-loved_955087.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2f/michael-craig-martin-9157_admire_when-i-was-a-very-young-student-i-loved_955087.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2f/michael-craig-martin-9157_admire_when-i-was-a-very-young-student-i-loved_955087.jpg) > “When I was a very young student I loved and admired the work of Sam Beckett, who is famously pessimistic, and whose writing is an extraordinary examination of emptiness. I wanted to be like Beckett. I don't have the same attitude toward the world, I'm naturally optimistic, and so of course I could never be like Beckett. You can't force yourself to become like someone you admire.” [Michael Craig-Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-craig-martin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Admiration for a pessimistic writer highlights personal optimism, showing you cannot become someone else by force. **In simple terms:** You can admire but not imitate a different worldview. Key Takeaway Accept your own optimism. Themes self‑identity admiration optimism Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career choices - creative writing - personal growth - self‑acceptance Key Concepts existentialism literary influence Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance admiration with personal authenticity? - Can optimism coexist with existential reflection? A Different Perspective Your optimism may limit deep exploration of emptiness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attitude/) [Emptiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emptiness/) [Optimistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/optimistic/) [Pessimistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pessimistic/) [Students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/students/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Young students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-students/) ## Related quotes > [“Boom, baby. How you like me now?” Beckett wanted to stroke her hair, but it was a knotty, bloody mess. He felt proud. She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-anastasia/boom-baby-how-you-like-me-now-beckett-wanted-to-stroke-her-hair-but/) [Debra Anastasia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-anastasia/) > [The writers we tend to universally admire, like Beckett, or Kafka, or TS Eliot, are not very prolific.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/the-writers-we-tend-to-universally-admire-like-beckett-or-kafka-or-ts/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [“Instead of sounding like a Beckett-style threat, Dr. Lavender’s observation solidified something. Livia would live for love. Today will count.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-anastasia/instead-of-sounding-like-a-beckett-style-threat-dr-lavender-s/) [Debra Anastasia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-anastasia/) > [Princeton has made an enormous difference in my life, and I am delighted to be able to express my gratitude in such a tangible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-wu/princeton-has-made-an-enormous-difference-in-my-life-and-i-am/) [Gordon Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-wu/) > [I look at my young students, and I no longer have the sense that, oh, I'm the authority and they have to meet a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-geok-lin-lim/i-look-at-my-young-students-and-i-no-longer-have-the-sense-that-oh-i/) [Shirley Geok-lin Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-geok-lin-lim/) > [Scientists are educated from a very early time and a very early age to believe that the greater scientist is the scientist who makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lewontin/scientists-are-educated-from-a-very-early-time-and-a-very-early-age/) [Richard Lewontin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lewontin/) > [It is evident that no derivative laws can teach the young student to see and apprehend colour in nature. His perception needs development as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-j-phillips/it-is-evident-that-no-derivative-laws-can-teach-the-young-student-to/) [Walter J. Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-j-phillips/) > [Not many academics do labor education. Why not? The need is great. This is where the youth are so important. If faculty were as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/not-many-academics-do-labor-education-why-not-the-need-is-great-this/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) > [You need to create a place where young students can flesh out their business plans and further develop their research projects and then have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-philippe-courtois/you-need-to-create-a-place-where-young-students-can-flesh-out-their/) [Jean-Philippe Courtois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-philippe-courtois/) > [Anyone who keeps learning stays young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/anyone-who-keeps-learning-stays-young/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [When you have strict censorship of the internet, young students cannot receive a full education. Their view of the world is imbalanced. There can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/when-you-have-strict-censorship-of-the-internet-young-students-cannot/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [I'm often asked by younger filmmakers, 'Why do I need to look at old movies?' I've made a number of pictures in the last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-scorsese/i-m-often-asked-by-younger-filmmakers-why-do-i-need-to-look-at-old/) [Martin Scorsese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-scorsese/) > [Somehow, talking to young students brings you back to reality - it should, anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-shiller/somehow-talking-to-young-students-brings-you-back-to-reality-it/) [Robert J. Shiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-shiller/) > [I did physics because of my love of nature. As a young student of science, I was taught that physics was the way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vandana-shiva/i-did-physics-because-of-my-love-of-nature-as-a-young-student-of/) [Vandana Shiva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandana-shiva/) > [It's always gratifying to hear from a passionate reader, and as a longtime educator, I'm especially pleased and heartened when that reader is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-alvarez/it-s-always-gratifying-to-hear-from-a-passionate-reader-and-as-a/) [Julia Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-alvarez/) ## More by Michael Craig-Martin > [You can't honour someone by copying them or trying to be exactly like them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-craig-martin/you-can-t-honour-someone-by-copying-them-or-trying-to-be-exactly-like/) [Michael Craig-Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-craig-martin/) > [There is a complete difference between art and the art market. Prices are high now for the simple reason that there are people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-craig-martin/there-is-a-complete-difference-between-art-and-the-art-market-prices/) [Michael Craig-Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-craig-martin/) > [I had my exhibition of paintings first in Shanghai, and then recently in Wuhan. Wuhan particularly interested me, because I am 1/8 Chinese.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-craig-martin/i-had-my-exhibition-of-paintings-first-in-shanghai-and-then-recently/) [Michael Craig-Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-craig-martin/) > [I try to make images that have the immediate presence we take for granted in objects - a chair, a shoe, a book, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-craig-martin/i-try-to-make-images-that-have-the-immediate-presence-we-take-for/) [Michael Craig-Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-craig-martin/) > [You can see in my paintings, I've taken away the context, I've taken away the shadows, I've taken away expression, I've taken away the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-craig-martin/you-can-see-in-my-paintings-i-ve-taken-away-the-context-i-ve-taken/) [Michael Craig-Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-craig-martin/) > [When I told people that I was going to paint the big room magenta, many people thought that I was crazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-craig-martin/when-i-told-people-that-i-was-going-to-paint-the-big-room-magenta/) [Michael Craig-Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-craig-martin/) > [I don't like the idea of nationalism, but on the other hand, I do see that there is a difference between British art, German…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-craig-martin/i-don-t-like-the-idea-of-nationalism-but-on-the-other-hand-i-do-see/) [Michael Craig-Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-craig-martin/) > [I was poorer than anyone I'd ever met. But it was a great time to be a young artist - I remember it as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-craig-martin/i-was-poorer-than-anyone-i-d-ever-met-but-it-was-a-great-time-to-be-a/) [Michael Craig-Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-craig-martin/) > [You can't force yourself to be something you are not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-craig-martin/you-can-t-force-yourself-to-be-something-you-are-not/) [Michael Craig-Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-craig-martin/) > [ \[I\] don't want people to see it \[paintings\] as a specific intention on my part. If somebody has that interest in these objects, of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-craig-martin/i-don-t-want-people-to-see-it-paintings-as-a-specific-intention-on-my/) [Michael Craig-Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-craig-martin/) > [I've taken away everything I could think of, and yet what remains is enough. These days many more people come to my work, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-craig-martin/i-ve-taken-away-everything-i-could-think-of-and-yet-what-remains-is/) [Michael Craig-Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-craig-martin/) > [In the period of '60s to the '90s, British art schools were small, and the number of student was small. The personal contact was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-craig-martin/in-the-period-of-60s-to-the-90s-british-art-schools-were-small-and/) [Michael Craig-Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-craig-martin/) > [It is very important to develop the thing that you are naturally good at, that you are truly interested in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-craig-martin/it-is-very-important-to-develop-the-thing-that-you-are-naturally-good/) [Michael Craig-Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-craig-martin/) > [The person you admire was true to himself. You can only truly honour him by being true to yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-craig-martin/the-person-you-admire-was-true-to-himself-you-can-only-truly-honour/) [Michael Craig-Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-craig-martin/) > [The art world, of all worlds, has room for everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-craig-martin/the-art-world-of-all-worlds-has-room-for-everyone/) [Michael Craig-Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-craig-martin/) [Explore all 75 Michael Craig-Martin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-craig-martin/) ## More Admire quotes > [Everyone will admire you when you do well. What a horrible thing to do to someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/everyone-will-admire-you-when-you-do-well-what-a-horrible-thing-to-do/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I admire Serena Williams, because, I mean, who doesn't admire Serena Williams?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-konta/i-admire-serena-williams-because-i-mean-who-doesn-t-admire-serena/) [Johanna Konta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-konta/) > [How proud I am to be compared to Oprah. I really admire her. She's a minority woman and she's done all this by herself...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-saralegui/how-proud-i-am-to-be-compared-to-oprah-i-really-admire-her-she-s-a/) [Cristina Saralegui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-saralegui/) > [I admire President Obama's ability to trust strangers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-gutfeld/i-admire-president-obama-s-ability-to-trust-strangers/) [Greg Gutfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-gutfeld/) > [I really admire people's interactions with technology that aren't tech-centric but use it as a tool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-polachek/i-really-admire-people-s-interactions-with-technology-that-aren-t/) [Caroline Polachek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-polachek/) > [During my first years in the Sierra, I was ever calling on everybody within reach to admire them, but I found no one half…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-muir/during-my-first-years-in-the-sierra-i-was-ever-calling-on-everybody/) [John Muir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-muir/) > [Shaw's works make me admire the magnificent tolerance and broadmindedness of the english.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/shaw-s-works-make-me-admire-the-magnificent-tolerance-and/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [It could be my British need for discipline that makes me admire the American appetite for freedom and passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-winwood/it-could-be-my-british-need-for-discipline-that-makes-me-admire-the/) [Steve Winwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-winwood/) > [I believe in a world where there are no heroes, and I've read and know humanity a lot. There are moments that I admire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orhan-pamuk/i-believe-in-a-world-where-there-are-no-heroes-and-i-ve-read-and-know/) [Orhan Pamuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orhan-pamuk/) > [I admire machinery as much is any man, and am as thankful to it as any man can be for what it does for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-admire-machinery-as-much-is-any-man-and-am-as-thankful-to-it-as-any/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [I think it's really good and helpful to have the people you most admire in some other discipline than what you work in. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whit-stillman/i-think-it-s-really-good-and-helpful-to-have-the-people-you-most/) [Whit Stillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whit-stillman/) > [Part of what we admire about a painting or a piece of music is the order which the artist has imposed upon what would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-storr/part-of-what-we-admire-about-a-painting-or-a-piece-of-music-is-the/) [Anthony Storr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-storr/) > [I respect and admire the Premier League.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-koeman/i-respect-and-admire-the-premier-league/) [Ronald Koeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-koeman/) > [“Admire and appreciate your man and he will be happy on your side”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-alfiori/admire-and-appreciate-your-man-and-he-will-be-happy-on-your-side/) [Linda Alfiori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-alfiori/) > [“The thing I admire most about you is no matter how hard, or how much the world has tried to beat you, break you,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikita-gill/the-thing-i-admire-most-about-you-is-no-matter-how-hard-or-how-much/) [Nikita Gill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikita-gill/) Browse all 2,369 Admire quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I was a very young student I loved and admired the work of Sam Beckett, who is famously pessimistic, and whose writing is an extraordinary examination of emptiness. 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