--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Let me formulate the artistic disposition…" description: "\"Let me formulate the artistic disposition as follows: it is reacting with one's ideal to the flaw in oneself and in the world, and somehow making that ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b32/paul-goodman-7755_art_let-me-formulate-the-artistic-dispositio_2378059.jpg" --- # Let me formulate the artistic disposition as follows: it… ![“Let me formulate the artistic disposition as follows: it is reacting with one's ideal to the flaw in oneself and in the world, and somehow making that reaction formation solid enough in the medium so that it indeed becomes an improved bit of real world for others.” quote by Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b32/paul-goodman-7755_art_let-me-formulate-the-artistic-dispositio_2378059.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b32/paul-goodman-7755_art_let-me-formulate-the-artistic-dispositio_2378059.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b32/paul-goodman-7755_art_let-me-formulate-the-artistic-dispositio_2378059.jpg) > “Let me formulate the artistic disposition as follows: it is reacting with one's ideal to the flaw in oneself and in the world, and somehow making that reaction formation solid enough in the medium so that it indeed becomes an improved bit of real world for others.” [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Art is a response to personal and societal flaws, shaping that response into a tangible work that benefits others. **In simple terms:** Art reacts to flaws, creating useful works. Key Takeaway Channel personal imperfections into creative expression. Themes art selfreflexion improvement Mood reflective inspired Type philosophical creative When to use this quote - personal growth - social commentary - community building Key Concepts aesthetic philosophy creative process Questions to Reflect On - How can you turn a personal flaw into a creative project? - What societal flaw could your art address? A Different Perspective Art may not always translate personal insight into universal benefit. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Artistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artistic/) [Flaws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flaws/) [Ideals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideals/) [Real world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-world/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“The artistic disposition is little more than an extreme form of sulking.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-simpson/the-artistic-disposition-is-little-more-than-an-extreme-form-of/) [Mark Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-simpson/) > [The important thing about travel in foreign lands is that it breaks the speech habits and makes you blab less, and breaks the habitual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/the-important-thing-about-travel-in-foreign-lands-is-that-it-breaks/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [“have a history of reacting poorly when shouted at,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mackenzi-lee/have-a-history-of-reacting-poorly-when-shouted-at/) [Mackenzi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mackenzi-lee/) > [I don't control life, but I can control how i react to it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/macklemore/i-don-t-control-life-but-i-can-control-how-i-react-to-it/) [Macklemore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/macklemore/) > [That's the thing about acting is that it's reacting to what's going on around you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-g/that-s-the-thing-about-acting-is-that-it-s-reacting-to-what-s-going/) [Becky G](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-g/) > [We can't feel the rotation of the planet, but in some ways we can because our bodily systems are reacting to it and have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessa-gamble/we-can-t-feel-the-rotation-of-the-planet-but-in-some-ways-we-can/) [Jessa Gamble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessa-gamble/) > [Our training pushes us to develop a new set of instincts: instead of reacting to danger with a fight-or-flight adrenaline rush, we're trained to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hadfield/our-training-pushes-us-to-develop-a-new-set-of-instincts-instead-of/) [Chris Hadfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hadfield/) > [If life were fair, we would never have suffered what we suffered at all; having suffered it and survived, we're still reacting to things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-sagara/if-life-were-fair-we-would-never-have-suffered-what-we-suffered-at/) [Michelle Sagara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-sagara/) > [There is a magnificent intensity in life that comes when we are not in control but are only reacting, living, surviving. I am not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-callahan/there-is-a-magnificent-intensity-in-life-that-comes-when-we-are-not/) [Steven Callahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-callahan/) > [And I told you: I think of a photograph you took of me, up in Montreal. You told me to jump in the air,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/and-i-told-you-i-think-of-a-photograph-you-took-of-me-up-in-montreal/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [When you're playing a fictional character reacting to the real world, it's incredibly difficult and confusing and kind of messes with your values a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-helms/when-you-re-playing-a-fictional-character-reacting-to-the-real-world/) [Ed Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-helms/) > [Law is downstream from culture. By the time you make a law about something, you're reacting, not acting. I'd rather shape the culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/law-is-downstream-from-culture-by-the-time-you-make-a-law-about/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [I can feel how an audience is reacting when I'm on a stage, but when you are on stage, your perception is distorted. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/i-can-feel-how-an-audience-is-reacting-when-i-m-on-a-stage-but-when/) [Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/) > [We did have one work where it looked like the fibreglass was discolouring, but it turned out it was reacting to the foam it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-piccinini/we-did-have-one-work-where-it-looked-like-the-fibreglass-was/) [Patricia Piccinini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-piccinini/) > [The Constitution is very clear on the - on the declaration of war or reacting to international crimes - crimes against nations. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-pitts/the-constitution-is-very-clear-on-the-on-the-declaration-of-war-or/) Joe Pitts ## More by Paul Goodman > [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/) > [When there is official censorship it is a sign that speech is serious. Where there is none, it is pretty certain that the official…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/when-there-is-official-censorship-it-is-a-sign-that-speech-is-serious/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [Freud pointed out, in his Problem of Lay Analysis, that it is extremely unlikely that a young man who would throw the best years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/freud-pointed-out-in-his-problem-of-lay-analysis-that-it-is-extremely/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [It is by losing himself in the objective, in inquiry, creation, and craft, that a man becomes something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/it-is-by-losing-himself-in-the-objective-in-inquiry-creation-and/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [ “The Sexual plight of these children \[those adolescents experimenting sexually\] is officially not mentioned. 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It is hard for a social animal to grow when there is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/as-our-organized-system-perfects-itself-there-is-less-open/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [The ancient dream of man to fly among the stars and go through the could and look down on the lands and seas has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/the-ancient-dream-of-man-to-fly-among-the-stars-and-go-through-the/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [When the sciences are supreme, average people lose their feeling of causality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/when-the-sciences-are-supreme-average-people-lose-their-feeling-of/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [We define boredom as the pain a person feels when he's doing nothing or something irrelevant, instead of something he wants to do but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/we-define-boredom-as-the-pain-a-person-feels-when-he-s-doing-nothing/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) [Explore all 88 Paul Goodman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) ## 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. 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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. 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