---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I really kind of liked the fluidity and…"
description: "\"I really kind of liked the fluidity and not really being tied down. I saw the kind of people that were tenured and what happened to them there and I th..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aff/robert-barry-3413_death_i-really-kind-of-liked-the-fluidity-and_1398198.jpg"
---

#  I really kind of liked the fluidity and not really being…

![“I really kind of liked the fluidity and not really being tied down. I saw the kind of people that were tenured and what happened to them there and I thought it was kind of death, really.” quote by Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aff/robert-barry-3413_death_i-really-kind-of-liked-the-fluidity-and_1398198.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aff/robert-barry-3413_death_i-really-kind-of-liked-the-fluidity-and_1398198.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aff/robert-barry-3413_death_i-really-kind-of-liked-the-fluidity-and_1398198.jpg)

> “I really kind of liked the fluidity and not really being tied down. I saw the kind of people that were tenured and what happened to them there and I thought it was kind of death, really.”

[Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He sees rigid, long‑term positions as stifling, equating them with a kind of metaphorical death.

**In simple terms:** Fixed careers feel lifeless.

Key Takeaway

Seek flexibility and continual learning.

Themes

career freedom mortality

Mood

critical reflective

Type

philosophical advisory

When to use this quote

- job transitions
- freelance work
- skill development
- creative pursuits

Key Concepts

sociology existentialism

Questions to Reflect On

- What aspects of your work feel restrictive?
- How might you introduce fluidity without losing stability?

A Different Perspective

Stability can also provide security and purpose.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/)

## Related quotes

> [Gender fluidity is not really feeling like you're at one end of the spectrum or the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruby-rose/gender-fluidity-is-not-really-feeling-like-you-re-at-one-end-of-the/)

[Ruby Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruby-rose/)

> [In playwriting, you've got to be able to write dialogue. And if you write enough of it and let it flow enough, you'll probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mamet/in-playwriting-you-ve-got-to-be-able-to-write-dialogue-and-if-you/)

[David Mamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mamet/)

> [The poems in Katherine Soniat's new collection, The Swing Girl, weave emotion's 'spray going farther than thought' with the 'bedrock things' of the trod-upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-stripling-byer/the-poems-in-katherine-soniat-s-new-collection-the-swing-girl-weave/)

Kathryn Stripling Byer

> [The fluidity of thought is based on the flexibility of beliefs and the emotional boundaries surrounding them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arndt/the-fluidity-of-thought-is-based-on-the-flexibility-of-beliefs-and/)

[Michael Arndt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arndt/)

> [Could it be that toxic mimics are toxic because they ignore responsibility, they ignore relationship, they ignore presence, they substitute control for fluidity and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ward-churchill/could-it-be-that-toxic-mimics-are-toxic-because-they-ignore/)

[Ward Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ward-churchill/)

> [It must be obvious...that there is a contradiction in wanting to be perfectly secure in a universe whose very nature is momentariness and fluidity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shunryu-suzuki/it-must-be-obvious-that-there-is-a-contradiction-in-wanting-to-be/)

[Shunryu Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shunryu-suzuki/)

> [Ko Un's poems evoke the open creativity and fluidity of nature, and funny turns and twists of Mind. Mind is sometimes registered in Buddhist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-snyder/ko-un-s-poems-evoke-the-open-creativity-and-fluidity-of-nature-and/)

[Gary Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-snyder/)

> [“Whatever you become in life, always return to the shape of water.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/whatever-you-become-in-life-always-return-to-the-shape-of-water/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [What you have as a result of past policies is that German entrepreneurs go outside of Germany for many of their activities. They are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/what-you-have-as-a-result-of-past-policies-is-that-german/)

[Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/)

> [...the only continuity possible in life, as in love, is in growth, in fluidity - in freedom. The only real security is... living in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/the-only-continuity-possible-in-life-as-in-love-is-in-growth-in/)

[Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/)

> [Fluidity means that our black identities are constantly changing as we respond to circumstances in our families and communities of origin, and as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/fluidity-means-that-our-black-identities-are-constantly-changing-as/)

[Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/)

> [It's my experience that the fluidity of sexuality with younger people is more accepted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-schwartz/it-s-my-experience-that-the-fluidity-of-sexuality-with-younger-people/)

[Josh Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-schwartz/)

> [I think how strict my mother's home could be with my mom and my stepfather, there was a fluidity and freedom in my dad's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-think-how-strict-my-mother-s-home-could-be-with-my-mom-and-my/)

[Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/)

> [“Literature is the haven of fluidity, of slippage from one character to another, of movement. Women tend to read far more novels than men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-phillips/literature-is-the-haven-of-fluidity-of-slippage-from-one-character-to/)

Anita Phillips

> [It's interesting. I've known quite a few good athletes that can't begin to play a beat on the drum set. Most team sport is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/it-s-interesting-i-ve-known-quite-a-few-good-athletes-that-can-t/)

[Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/)

## More by Robert Barry

> [I shoot in black and white, sometimes color, sometimes if it looks good I shoot out the window of the airplanes or whatever, anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/i-shoot-in-black-and-white-sometimes-color-sometimes-if-it-looks-good/)

[Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/)

> [Any artwork is part of something larger, grander and, you know, the situation that it's in is very important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/any-artwork-is-part-of-something-larger-grander-and-you-know-the/)

[Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/)

> [A word refers to something in the real world and so, in a way, does a photo. It's not the thing itself, but it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/a-word-refers-to-something-in-the-real-world-and-so-in-a-way-does-a/)

[Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/)

> [Whatever came out came out. That was it. That's what you live with. If you don't like it, that's your problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/whatever-came-out-came-out-that-was-it-that-s-what-you-live-with-if/)

[Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/)

> [I'm fortunate in one respect; that I don't have a lot of work in my studio. Most of it's out, gone; either sold or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/i-m-fortunate-in-one-respect-that-i-don-t-have-a-lot-of-work-in-my/)

[Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/)

> [I was at one point thinking about being an art historian, when I was in school. And not being an artist, but I decided…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/i-was-at-one-point-thinking-about-being-an-art-historian-when-i-was/)

[Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/)

> [I have a lot of ideas for art. And it is really - I don't really have time to do them all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/i-have-a-lot-of-ideas-for-art-and-it-is-really-i-don-t-really-have/)

[Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/)

> [But artistically, my art I kept very separate from my political beliefs, deliberately and very, very rarely would I allow that kind of thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/but-artistically-my-art-i-kept-very-separate-from-my-political/)

[Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/)

> [I am always producing work, but there is always a sort of deadline where you have to finish work. I don't do it for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/i-am-always-producing-work-but-there-is-always-a-sort-of-deadline/)

[Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/)

> [If you want to know about what's good in art, you should talk to an artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/if-you-want-to-know-about-what-s-good-in-art-you-should-talk-to-an/)

[Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/)

> [Developing your own style became something very interesting, very important to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/developing-your-own-style-became-something-very-interesting-very/)

[Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/)

> [I'm getting more and more into Chinese art and Japanese, some of those scroll paintings are amazing. You follow the change of the seasons.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/i-m-getting-more-and-more-into-chinese-art-and-japanese-some-of-those/)

[Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/)

> [How does any idea come to your mind? I don't know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/how-does-any-idea-come-to-your-mind-i-don-t-know/)

[Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/)

> [Heidegger wrote a book called Was Ist Das Ding - What Is a Thing? which was kind of interesting and influential to me, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/heidegger-wrote-a-book-called-was-ist-das-ding-what-is-a-thing-which/)

[Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/)

> [I had always taken photos - always, always taken photos, made movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/i-had-always-taken-photos-always-always-taken-photos-made-movies/)

[Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/)

[Explore all 131 Robert Barry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/)

## More Death quotes

> [“He wondered how it was fair that your dying should depend so much on when you were born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-wondered-how-it-was-fair-that-your-dying-should-depend-so-much-on/)

[Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/)

> [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/)

[Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/)

> [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/)

[Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/)

> [I do not want to live at the cost of the life even of a snake. I should let him bite me to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-to-live-at-the-cost-of-the-life-even-of-a-snake-i/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [“It was beautiful. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life; that, having seen it, he could die content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/it-was-beautiful-he-thought-he-had-never-seen-anything-so-beautiful/)

[Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/)

> [Retirement? You're talking about death, right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/retirement-you-re-talking-about-death-right/)

[Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/)

> [With multiplayer, permanent death, and an ever-changing world to explore and conquer, 'A Valley Without Wind' might be the place you're looking for if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-manuel/with-multiplayer-permanent-death-and-an-ever-changing-world-to/)

[Rob Manuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-manuel/)

> [“What did you see?” she asked gently. His brow furrowed, as if he could not understand the question. Then his eyes turned to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-anthony-torino/what-did-you-see-she-asked-gently-his-brow-furrowed-as-if-he-could/)

J. Anthony Torino

> [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/)

[Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/)

> [“I practice Dying--every night-- But have not learned to, still-- Though Talented--by Mortal bones-- For such a common Skill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-powers/i-practice-dying-every-night-but-have-not-learned-to-still-though/)

Alan W. Powers

> [“You must understand the pain and grief of losing someone is nothing more than a function of survival.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-cooper/you-must-understand-the-pain-and-grief-of-losing-someone-is-nothing/)

[Steven Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-cooper/)

> [I am not a depressive person at all, but I reflect a lot on my life, and life in general, from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-am-not-a-depressive-person-at-all-but-i-reflect-a-lot-on-my-life/)

[Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/)

> [“Death is a reality that calls the rest of life and all of our assorted strivings into sharp relief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/death-is-a-reality-that-calls-the-rest-of-life-and-all-of-our/)

[Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/)

> [I love life. I love life to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-riva/i-love-life-i-love-life-to-death/)

[Emmanuelle Riva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-riva/)

> [I think when you’re dying you start looking for important things in the corners. You can’t let anything that seems even semi-important pass, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-crutcher/i-think-when-you-re-dying-you-start-looking-for-important-things-in/)

[Chris Crutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-crutcher/)

[Browse all 39,127 Death quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I really kind of liked the fluidity and not really being tied down. I saw the kind of people that were tenured and what happened to them there and I thought it was kind of death, really.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Robert Barry"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/i-really-kind-of-liked-the-fluidity-and-not-really-being-tied-down-i/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Death"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/i-really-kind-of-liked-the-fluidity-and-not-really-being-tied-down-i/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aff/robert-barry-3413_death_i-really-kind-of-liked-the-fluidity-and_1398198.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aff/robert-barry-3413_death_i-really-kind-of-liked-the-fluidity-and_1398198.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aff/robert-barry-3413_death_i-really-kind-of-liked-the-fluidity-and_1398198.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I really kind of liked the fluidity and not really being tied down. I saw the kind of people that were…” — Robert Barry",
                "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": "Robert Barry",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I really kind of liked the...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/i-really-kind-of-liked-the-fluidity-and-not-really-being-tied-down-i/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/i-really-kind-of-liked-the-fluidity-and-not-really-being-tied-down-i/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
