--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The fact that we were encouraged to…" description: "\"The fact that we were encouraged to follow our conscience and not to follow the crowds - that's something I really miss. On the other hand, there were ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca0/robert-picardo-11968_artist_the-fact-that-we-were-encouraged-to-foll_300370.jpg" --- # The fact that we were encouraged to follow our conscience… ![“The fact that we were encouraged to follow our conscience and not to follow the crowds - that's something I really miss. On the other hand, there were things that drove me nuts in the '60s. There was an aspect of the hippie movement that everyone is an artist, which is lethal.” quote by Robert Picardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca0/robert-picardo-11968_artist_the-fact-that-we-were-encouraged-to-foll_300370.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca0/robert-picardo-11968_artist_the-fact-that-we-were-encouraged-to-foll_300370.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca0/robert-picardo-11968_artist_the-fact-that-we-were-encouraged-to-foll_300370.jpg) > “The fact that we were encouraged to follow our conscience and not to follow the crowds - that's something I really miss. On the other hand, there were things that drove me nuts in the '60s. There was an aspect of the hippie movement that everyone is an artist, which is lethal.” [Robert Picardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-picardo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The idealistic “everyone is an artist” ethos of the hippie era proved harmful, stifling genuine creativity. **In simple terms:** Hippie idealism hindered true art. Key Takeaway Balance openness with critical standards. Themes art counterculture authenticity critique Mood thoughtful analytical Type cultural reflective When to use this quote - artistic collaborations - educational settings - community projects - personal expression Key Concepts creative freedom social movements cultural backlash Questions to Reflect On - How can we encourage creativity without diluting standards? - What lessons does the 60s teach about artistic freedom? A Different Perspective Idealism can become oppressive when unexamined. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Conscience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscience/) [Hippie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hippie/) [Sixties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sixties/) ## Related quotes > [The hippie movement politicized my generation. When it ended, we all started looking back at our own history, looking, in my case, for motives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivienne-westwood/the-hippie-movement-politicized-my-generation-when-it-ended-we-all/) [Vivienne Westwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivienne-westwood/) > [I think that in the past, in the '50s and '60s, after the existentialists and beatniks and hippie movements, the big deal was, Don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillermo-del-toro/i-think-that-in-the-past-in-the-50s-and-60s-after-the-existentialists/) [Guillermo del Toro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillermo-del-toro/) > [I was influenced by the hippie movement in San Francisco and by the feminist movement, which had arrived in Paris.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-rykiel/i-was-influenced-by-the-hippie-movement-in-san-francisco-and-by-the/) [Sonia Rykiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-rykiel/) > [1968 was the beginning of the hippie movement in fashion. That movement made fashion change completely. It was not necessary to be always dressed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-rykiel/1968-was-the-beginning-of-the-hippie-movement-in-fashion-that/) [Sonia Rykiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-rykiel/) > [Looking back, there is nothing wrong with that peace, love and equality that the hippies espoused. In many ways, we have regressed because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imelda-staunton/looking-back-there-is-nothing-wrong-with-that-peace-love-and-equality/) [Imelda Staunton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imelda-staunton/) > [To me, the counterculture was always what I grew up with the hippies in the late '60s. But, however you define it, it's really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-ridgers/to-me-the-counterculture-was-always-what-i-grew-up-with-the-hippies/) [Derek Ridgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-ridgers/) > [Certainly there's a huge appeal to the '60s, because it was such a big turning point to everyone. It was the era of change,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-robbie/certainly-there-s-a-huge-appeal-to-the-60s-because-it-was-such-a-big/) [Margot Robbie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-robbie/) > [The people who invented the twenty-first century were pot-smoking, sandal-wearing hippies from the West Coast like Steve, because they saw differently,” he said. "The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/the-people-who-invented-the-twenty-first-century-were-pot-smoking/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [Nineteen eighty is almost here, thank God. the hippies are getting old, they blew their brains on acid and now they're begging on street…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-egan/nineteen-eighty-is-almost-here-thank-god-the-hippies-are-getting-old/) [Jennifer Egan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-egan/) > [You have the establishment and then you have the hippies revolting against the establishment, and what you end up getting are like accountants with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-russell/you-have-the-establishment-and-then-you-have-the-hippies-revolting/) [Mark Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-russell/) > [In the Sixties, it was mods and rockers, and hippies and casuals, whereas in the early Eighties, there was Goths, punks, mods, skinheads, New…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-meadows/in-the-sixties-it-was-mods-and-rockers-and-hippies-and-casuals/) [Shane Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-meadows/) > [I was initially recruited while I was in business school back in the late sixties by the National Security Agency, the nation's largest and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perkins/i-was-initially-recruited-while-i-was-in-business-school-back-in-the/) [John Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perkins/) > [In the 60s there were a lot of things which were anarchistic. May-June '68 was riddled by anarchistic sentiments, dreams and ideals, but insofar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/in-the-60s-there-were-a-lot-of-things-which-were-anarchistic-may-june/) [Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/) > [I feel that if your soul was branded by the sixties, you never lost the brand. It's like going into a nightclub and having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-feel-that-if-your-soul-was-branded-by-the-sixties-you-never-lost/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [There was a cultural war going on, the '60s was going on. All the film critics were square.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/there-was-a-cultural-war-going-on-the-60s-was-going-on-all-the-film/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) ## More by Robert Picardo > [For two consecutive Broadway seasons, I had probably the best juvenile roles there were for an actor. Then I moved to California to recreate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-picardo/for-two-consecutive-broadway-seasons-i-had-probably-the-best-juvenile/) [Robert Picardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-picardo/) > [If you're looking at my other major science fiction roles - the Doctor on 'Star Trek' and certainly Woolsey on 'Stargate' - I often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-picardo/if-you-re-looking-at-my-other-major-science-fiction-roles-the-doctor/) [Robert Picardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-picardo/) > [It was hard to make a living as an actor in New York if you did not do soap operas or commercials.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-picardo/it-was-hard-to-make-a-living-as-an-actor-in-new-york-if-you-did-not/) [Robert Picardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-picardo/) > [Even though my face has gotten more familiar with doing 'China Beach' and 'The Wonder Years,' I'm the kind of actor that people thought,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-picardo/even-though-my-face-has-gotten-more-familiar-with-doing-china-beach/) [Robert Picardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-picardo/) > [Nobody wants to play - I've talked to Brent Spiner about this. You don't want to play a character indefinitely who's not supposed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-picardo/nobody-wants-to-play-i-ve-talked-to-brent-spiner-about-this-you-don-t/) [Robert Picardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-picardo/) > [We were second-generation immigrants, and it was luxury enough to go to college. The luxury of the arts was still a generation away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-picardo/we-were-second-generation-immigrants-and-it-was-luxury-enough-to-go/) [Robert Picardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-picardo/) > [The best way to tell an actor he's going to be working more and much harder is to appeal to his ego.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-picardo/the-best-way-to-tell-an-actor-he-s-going-to-be-working-more-and-much/) [Robert Picardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-picardo/) > [People admire a screen actor if they have theatre skills, but it's looked down upon by the industry as being not a 'real job,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-picardo/people-admire-a-screen-actor-if-they-have-theatre-skills-but-it-s/) [Robert Picardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-picardo/) > [My agent loves me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-picardo/my-agent-loves-me/) [Robert Picardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-picardo/) > [You play a hologram on 'Star Trek,' and you have to spew line after line. I spoke in paragraphs on 'Star Trek.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-picardo/you-play-a-hologram-on-star-trek-and-you-have-to-spew-line-after-line/) [Robert Picardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-picardo/) > [What's wonderful about 'Star Trek' having been rebooted so successfully by the J. J. Abrams movie franchise is that - the corollary effect is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-picardo/what-s-wonderful-about-star-trek-having-been-rebooted-so-successfully/) [Robert Picardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-picardo/) > [For me, the ideal job as an actor would be something that is intrinsically a drama but to which I could bring in as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-picardo/for-me-the-ideal-job-as-an-actor-would-be-something-that-is/) [Robert Picardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-picardo/) > [Why wouldn't I like to walk into a room full of people who are dying to hear everything I say?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-picardo/why-wouldn-t-i-like-to-walk-into-a-room-full-of-people-who-are-dying/) [Robert Picardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-picardo/) > [I'm not a futurist, and my taste in science fiction was sort of in the gothic horror vein, not space movies and futuristic stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-picardo/i-m-not-a-futurist-and-my-taste-in-science-fiction-was-sort-of-in-the/) [Robert Picardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-picardo/) > [No one likes to think of themselves as a one-trick pony as an actor, but on the other hand, it's nice to be part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-picardo/no-one-likes-to-think-of-themselves-as-a-one-trick-pony-as-an-actor/) [Robert Picardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-picardo/) [Explore all 57 Robert Picardo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-picardo/) ## More Artist quotes > [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [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/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [“People in coats and ties were milling around the Talley gallery, and on the wall were the minimally rendered still lifes by Giorgio Morandi,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/people-in-coats-and-ties-were-milling-around-the-talley-gallery-and/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [“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 > [From as long as I can remember, I was always fond of drawing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-lucia/from-as-long-as-i-can-remember-i-was-always-fond-of-drawing/) [St. Lucia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-lucia/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [Designers shouldn’t design for museums any more than mummies should die for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-caplan/designers-shouldn-t-design-for-museums-any-more-than-mummies-should/) [Ralph Caplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-caplan/) > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [I am not the avant-garde. I am the artist who comes after the advancing guard. I am more concerned with continuity of ideas and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-oliveira/i-am-not-the-avant-garde-i-am-the-artist-who-comes-after-the/) [Nathan Oliveira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-oliveira/) > [I am a horrible visual artist. I can't fix a car, sew, knit, cook, etc. Statistically, there is more I don't do than do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-brownstein/i-am-a-horrible-visual-artist-i-can-t-fix-a-car-sew-knit-cook-etc/) [Carrie Brownstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-brownstein/) [Browse all 32,600 Artist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The fact that we were encouraged to follow our conscience and not to follow the crowds - that's something I really miss. On the other hand, there were things that drove me nuts in the '60s. 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