--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: An old thing becomes new if you detach it…" description: "\"An old thing becomes new if you detach it from what usually surrounds it.\" — Robert Bresson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0f/robert-bresson-13006_novelty_an-old-thing-becomes-new-if-you-detach-i_1973529.jpg" --- # An old thing becomes new if you detach it from what… ![“An old thing becomes new if you detach it from what usually surrounds it.” quote by Robert Bresson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0f/robert-bresson-13006_novelty_an-old-thing-becomes-new-if-you-detach-i_1973529.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0f/robert-bresson-13006_novelty_an-old-thing-becomes-new-if-you-detach-i_1973529.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0f/robert-bresson-13006_novelty_an-old-thing-becomes-new-if-you-detach-i_1973529.jpg) > “An old thing becomes new if you detach it from what usually surrounds it.” [Robert Bresson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bresson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Recontextualizing objects changes perception, making the familiar seem novel. **In simple terms:** Changing context makes old things feel new. Key Takeaway Shift perspective to see fresh possibilities. Themes creativity perception context Mood reflective inquisitive Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - design - art - marketing - education - personal growth Key Concepts Aesthetics novelty recontextualization Questions to Reflect On - How does context shape your view of everyday items? - What can you reframe to spark innovation? A Different Perspective May overlook intrinsic value of the object itself. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Detach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/detach/) [Novelty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novelty/) [Old thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-thing/) [Old things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-things/) ## Related quotes > [library is a beautiful old thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/library-is-a-beautiful-old-thing/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [Be Prepared." "Be prepared for what?" "Why, for any old thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-baden-powell/be-prepared-be-prepared-for-what-why-for-any-old-thing/) [Robert Baden-Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-baden-powell/) > [I don't want to always be doing the same old thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-plaskett/i-don-t-want-to-always-be-doing-the-same-old-thing/) [Joseph Plaskett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-plaskett/) > [That first bass I had was an Eko, a very old thing with a thin neck, I had that for quite a while.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-deacon/that-first-bass-i-had-was-an-eko-a-very-old-thing-with-a-thin-neck-i/) [John Deacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-deacon/) > [The same old thing--even if it's champagne--is still the same old thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/the-same-old-thing-even-if-it-s-champagne-is-still-the-same-old-thing/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [I don't like the same old thing all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cobi-jones/i-don-t-like-the-same-old-thing-all-the-time/) [Cobi Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cobi-jones/) > [What Muddy Waters did for us is what we should do for others. It's the old thing, what you want written on your tombstone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-richards/what-muddy-waters-did-for-us-is-what-we-should-do-for-others-it-s-the/) [Keith Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-richards/) > [Everybody is doing the same old thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everybody-is-doing-the-same-old-thing/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Obsolescence is a factor which says that the new thing I bring you is worth more than the unused value of the old thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kettering/obsolescence-is-a-factor-which-says-that-the-new-thing-i-bring-you-is/) [Charles Kettering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kettering/) > [I'm getting old, that's the thing! What's in me now won't be there anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-m-getting-old-that-s-the-thing-what-s-in-me-now-won-t-be-there/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [I am getting tired of the same old thing..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/massie/i-am-getting-tired-of-the-same-old-thing/) [Massie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/massie/) > [For a believer, Christian faith is true to the human heart, not in the sense that any old thing we fancy believing in will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-spufford/for-a-believer-christian-faith-is-true-to-the-human-heart-not-in-the/) [Francis Spufford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-spufford/) > [Sometimes when you're with the same old people, you get the same old thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-davies/sometimes-when-you-re-with-the-same-old-people-you-get-the-same-old/) [Dave Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-davies/) > [“The horror of the Same Old Thing is one of the most valuable passions we have produced in the human heart—an endless source of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/the-horror-of-the-same-old-thing-is-one-of-the-most-valuable-passions/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [I think the idea of crazy goalkeepers is an old thing, really.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lukasz-fabianski/i-think-the-idea-of-crazy-goalkeepers-is-an-old-thing-really/) [Lukasz Fabianski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lukasz-fabianski/) ## More by Robert Bresson > [Let nothing be changed and all be different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bresson/let-nothing-be-changed-and-all-be-different/) [Robert Bresson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bresson/) > [Unbalance so as to re-balance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bresson/unbalance-so-as-to-re-balance/) [Robert Bresson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bresson/) > [“One recognizes the true by its efficacy, by its power.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bresson/one-recognizes-the-true-by-its-efficacy-by-its-power/) [Robert Bresson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bresson/) > [Provoke the unexpected. Expect it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bresson/provoke-the-unexpected-expect-it/) [Robert Bresson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bresson/) > [A too-expected image (cliché) will never seem right, even if it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bresson/a-too-expected-image-clich-will-never-seem-right-even-if-it-is/) [Robert Bresson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bresson/) > [Empty the pond to get the fish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bresson/empty-the-pond-to-get-the-fish/) [Robert Bresson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bresson/) > [Nothing more inelegant and ineffective than an art conceived in another art's form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bresson/nothing-more-inelegant-and-ineffective-than-an-art-conceived-in/) [Robert Bresson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bresson/) > [“Create expectations to fulfil them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bresson/create-expectations-to-fulfil-them/) [Robert Bresson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bresson/) > [Ideally, nothing should be shown, but that’s impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bresson/ideally-nothing-should-be-shown-but-that-s-impossible/) [Robert Bresson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bresson/) > [My movie is born first in my head, dies on paper; is resuscitated by the living persons and real objects I use, which are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bresson/my-movie-is-born-first-in-my-head-dies-on-paper-is-resuscitated-by/) [Robert Bresson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bresson/) > [Model. Two mobile eyes in a mobile head, itself on a mobile body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bresson/model-two-mobile-eyes-in-a-mobile-head-itself-on-a-mobile-body/) [Robert Bresson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bresson/) > [“The thing that matters is not what they show me but what they hide from me and, above all, what they do not suspect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bresson/the-thing-that-matters-is-not-what-they-show-me-but-what-they-hide/) [Robert Bresson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bresson/) > [Bring together things that have not yet been brought together and did not seem predisposed to be so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bresson/bring-together-things-that-have-not-yet-been-brought-together-and-did/) [Robert Bresson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bresson/) > [To create is not to deform or invent persons and things. It is to tie new relationships between persons and things which are, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bresson/to-create-is-not-to-deform-or-invent-persons-and-things-it-is-to-tie/) [Robert Bresson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bresson/) > [Master Precision. Be a precision instrument myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bresson/master-precision-be-a-precision-instrument-myself/) [Robert Bresson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bresson/) [Explore all 51 Robert Bresson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bresson/) ## More Detach quotes > [Relation is like a Stapler, Its easy to attach but hard to detach. & Worst is wen u r able to detach it, It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/relation-is-like-a-stapler-its-easy-to-attach-but-hard-to-detach/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [“To Graduate from the "School of Life" you need to have met the following criteria: Found your life purpose, know how the egoic mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-g-roussou/to-graduate-from-the-school-of-life-you-need-to-have-met-the/) [Marina G. Roussou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-g-roussou/) > [RElaTi0NsHiPs are like stappling papers together… Easy t0 ''ATTACH'' But Difficult to ''DETACH](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meemo/relati0nships-are-like-stappling-papers-together-easy-t0-attach-but/) MeeMo > [Even when I detach, I care. You can be separate from a thing and still care about it. If I wanted to detach completely,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/even-when-i-detach-i-care-you-can-be-separate-from-a-thing-and-still/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [When I go into the studio, I completely detach. I let my emotions come out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sade-adu/when-i-go-into-the-studio-i-completely-detach-i-let-my-emotions-come/) [Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/) > [“Not only can we lovingly detach from other people and take care of ourselves, it is our primary responsibility in life to do that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-beattie/not-only-can-we-lovingly-detach-from-other-people-and-take-care-of/) [Melody Beattie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-beattie/) > [“In order to hand me over she had to detach herself from herself, and afterward she never managed to get back inside herself and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emuna-elon/in-order-to-hand-me-over-she-had-to-detach-herself-from-herself-and/) emuna elon > [I can detach my waist from the rest of my body during sex. It allows me a free range of motion, and I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-ochocinco/i-can-detach-my-waist-from-the-rest-of-my-body-during-sex-it-allows/) [Chad Ochocinco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-ochocinco/) > [Man must do his part and detach himself from created things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johannes-tauler/man-must-do-his-part-and-detach-himself-from-created-things/) [Johannes Tauler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johannes-tauler/) > [DETACH YOURSELF FROM YOUR STUFF You're not what you have and you're not what you do; you're an infinite, divine being disguised as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/detach-yourself-from-your-stuff-you-re-not-what-you-have-and-you-re/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Detach yourself just when you realize you are closer to a heart break.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/detach-yourself-just-when-you-realize-you-are-closer-to-a-heart-break/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I never wanted to be alone, but I always opted for loneliness. I am an emotional, sensitive and expressive creature. I cannot detach my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/i-never-wanted-to-be-alone-but-i-always-opted-for-loneliness-i-am-an/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [I don't want to get so lost in thinking about me and talking about me all the time in interviews. It's so nice to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/river-phoenix/i-don-t-want-to-get-so-lost-in-thinking-about-me-and-talking-about-me/) [River Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/river-phoenix/) > [“You must detach yourself from the stereotypical life to live an effective one”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/you-must-detach-yourself-from-the-stereotypical-life-to-live-an/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [Detach from emotions and desires; get rid of any fixations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuge-liang/detach-from-emotions-and-desires-get-rid-of-any-fixations/) [Zhuge Liang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuge-liang/) [Browse all 36 Detach quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/detach/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "An old thing becomes new if you detach it from what usually surrounds it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert Bresson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bresson/an-old-thing-becomes-new-if-you-detach-it-from-what-usually-surrounds/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Detach" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bresson/an-old-thing-becomes-new-if-you-detach-it-from-what-usually-surrounds/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0f/robert-bresson-13006_novelty_an-old-thing-becomes-new-if-you-detach-i_1973529.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0f/robert-bresson-13006_novelty_an-old-thing-becomes-new-if-you-detach-i_1973529.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0f/robert-bresson-13006_novelty_an-old-thing-becomes-new-if-you-detach-i_1973529.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“An old thing becomes new if you detach it from what usually surrounds it.” — Robert Bresson", "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 Bresson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bresson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "An old thing becomes new if...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bresson/an-old-thing-becomes-new-if-you-detach-it-from-what-usually-surrounds/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bresson/an-old-thing-becomes-new-if-you-detach-it-from-what-usually-surrounds/#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 } } ] } ```