--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People romanticize struggle and…" description: "\"People romanticize struggle and obscurity, and I get that, but it's a very one-dimensional argument to say that people who have money are evil, and art..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98a/shepard-fairey-7921_argument_people-romanticize-struggle-and-obscurit_369480.jpg" --- # People romanticize struggle and obscurity, and I get that… ![“People romanticize struggle and obscurity, and I get that, but it's a very one-dimensional argument to say that people who have money are evil, and artists who are poor are virtuous.” quote by Shepard Fairey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98a/shepard-fairey-7921_argument_people-romanticize-struggle-and-obscurit_369480.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98a/shepard-fairey-7921_argument_people-romanticize-struggle-and-obscurit_369480.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98a/shepard-fairey-7921_argument_people-romanticize-struggle-and-obscurit_369480.jpg) > “People romanticize struggle and obscurity, and I get that, but it's a very one-dimensional argument to say that people who have money are evil, and artists who are poor are virtuous.” [Shepard Fairey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shepard-fairey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Simplistic moral judgments ignore the complex interplay of wealth, poverty, and artistic value. **In simple terms:** Wealth and poverty are not moral absolutes. Key Takeaway Consider nuanced perspectives on art and economics. Themes art economics morality stereotypes Mood critical thoughtful Type social philosophical When to use this quote - gallery curation - public art funding - artist support programs Key Concepts wealth poverty artist identity social critique Questions to Reflect On - What responsibilities do wealthy patrons have? - How can artists navigate financial survival? A Different Perspective Idealism may overlook systemic inequities that shape outcomes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Argument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) ## Related quotes > [“Artists are never poor, they just don't get enough time to make money !”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brahmananda-patra/artists-are-never-poor-they-just-don-t-get-enough-time-to-make-money/) [Brahmananda Patra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brahmananda-patra/) > [People romanticize, I think, this notion of life. But life at all costs is not life, it's ego-extension.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-susan-rapp/people-romanticize-i-think-this-notion-of-life-but-life-at-all-costs/) [Emily Susan Rapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-susan-rapp/) > [I hate it when people romanticize Scotland.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mcqueen/i-hate-it-when-people-romanticize-scotland/) [Alexander McQueen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mcqueen/) > [I'm wary about this thing about being in the generation of social networking where people are like, 'I am my musical taste.' I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/i-m-wary-about-this-thing-about-being-in-the-generation-of-social/) [Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/) > [I always tell people I romanticize about doing something simple, like doing radio in northern California.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-kilborn/i-always-tell-people-i-romanticize-about-doing-something-simple-like/) [Craig Kilborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-kilborn/) > [“People often romanticize children or adults with special needs, as if they are innocent-yet-wise creatures who can humble us all into becoming better humans.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-schumer/people-often-romanticize-children-or-adults-with-special-needs-as-if/) [Amy Schumer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-schumer/) > [One argument goes that recessions are good for female artists because when money flies out the window, women are allowed in the house. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-saltz/one-argument-goes-that-recessions-are-good-for-female-artists-because/) [Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-saltz/) > [On the stage, the characters express themselves more through words than images. So the arguments of the characters and the tension between characters -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/on-the-stage-the-characters-express-themselves-more-through-words/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [The inner defenses are unconscious. They consist of a kind of magic aura which the mind builds around cherished belief. Arguments which penetrate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-inner-defenses-are-unconscious-they-consist-of-a-kind-of-magic/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [There could be no more powerful argument against mixing religion and government than the success of independent African American churches in placing racial segregation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/there-could-be-no-more-powerful-argument-against-mixing-religion-and/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) > [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Any comprehensive doctrine, religious or secular, can be introduced into any political argument at any time, but I argue that people who do this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/any-comprehensive-doctrine-religious-or-secular-can-be-introduced/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [Lutherans, whose arguments and mistakes will not be difficult to contest or discover, do not want to attribute any value to works, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-servetus/lutherans-whose-arguments-and-mistakes-will-not-be-difficult-to/) [Michael Servetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-servetus/) > [Preaching to the choir actually arms the choir with arguments and elevates the choir's discourse. There's a reason the right does it and does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/preaching-to-the-choir-actually-arms-the-choir-with-arguments-and/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [A flourishing, morally credible media is a vital component in the maintenance of genuinely public talk, argument about common good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/a-flourishing-morally-credible-media-is-a-vital-component-in-the/) [Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/) ## More by Shepard Fairey > [When it comes to the street-art world, there are a lot of people who realize if they go out and put up a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shepard-fairey/when-it-comes-to-the-street-art-world-there-are-a-lot-of-people-who/) [Shepard Fairey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shepard-fairey/) > [Obama has had a really tough time, but there have been a lot of things that he's compromised on that I never would have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shepard-fairey/obama-has-had-a-really-tough-time-but-there-have-been-a-lot-of-things/) [Shepard Fairey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shepard-fairey/) > [I never set out to be a groundbreaking artist in the sense of doing something that's never been done before. I set out to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shepard-fairey/i-never-set-out-to-be-a-groundbreaking-artist-in-the-sense-of-doing/) [Shepard Fairey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shepard-fairey/) > [For me, there has always been a disconnect with the sort of elitist structure of the high-art world - and my distaste for that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shepard-fairey/for-me-there-has-always-been-a-disconnect-with-the-sort-of-elitist/) [Shepard Fairey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shepard-fairey/) > [If you're creating something that has some sort of cultural currency - if the idea is getting out there - then that will probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shepard-fairey/if-you-re-creating-something-that-has-some-sort-of-cultural-currency/) [Shepard Fairey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shepard-fairey/) > [Every spoof gives more power to the original.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shepard-fairey/every-spoof-gives-more-power-to-the-original/) [Shepard Fairey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shepard-fairey/) > [There's good and bad in every arena. It's funny, some people, the reason they're in the underground is because they're lazy and don't make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shepard-fairey/there-s-good-and-bad-in-every-arena-it-s-funny-some-people-the-reason/) [Shepard Fairey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shepard-fairey/) > [I consider myself a multi-platform artist - not just a street artist - but the audience I found through street art has created many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shepard-fairey/i-consider-myself-a-multi-platform-artist-not-just-a-street-artist/) [Shepard Fairey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shepard-fairey/) > [There are too many bad policy choices to go into that are being pushed by the Trump Administration, but the relaxation of environmental regulations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shepard-fairey/there-are-too-many-bad-policy-choices-to-go-into-that-are-being/) [Shepard Fairey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shepard-fairey/) > [Creating is about sharing ideas, sharing aesthetics, sharing what you believe in with other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shepard-fairey/creating-is-about-sharing-ideas-sharing-aesthetics-sharing-what-you/) [Shepard Fairey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shepard-fairey/) > [Street art, of course, is political, because it's illegal, so the very act of doing it is an act of defiance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shepard-fairey/street-art-of-course-is-political-because-it-s-illegal-so-the-very/) [Shepard Fairey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shepard-fairey/) > [If any group wants to not be disenfranchised, then understanding that there's going to be a learning curve for people who have disenfranchised them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shepard-fairey/if-any-group-wants-to-not-be-disenfranchised-then-understanding-that/) [Shepard Fairey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shepard-fairey/) > [Why is non-commercial public expression considered criminal?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shepard-fairey/why-is-non-commercial-public-expression-considered-criminal/) [Shepard Fairey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shepard-fairey/) > [I think the Internet has definitely made it easier for people to have stuff seen, but it's also encouraged a level of ADD, where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shepard-fairey/i-think-the-internet-has-definitely-made-it-easier-for-people-to-have/) [Shepard Fairey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shepard-fairey/) > [I've met Obama a few times, and I think Obama's a quality human being, but I think that he finds himself in a position…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shepard-fairey/i-ve-met-obama-a-few-times-and-i-think-obama-s-a-quality-human-being/) [Shepard Fairey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shepard-fairey/) [Explore all 86 Shepard Fairey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shepard-fairey/) ## More Argument quotes > [A flourishing, morally credible media is a vital component in the maintenance of genuinely public talk, argument about common good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/a-flourishing-morally-credible-media-is-a-vital-component-in-the/) [Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/) > [Preaching to the choir actually arms the choir with arguments and elevates the choir's discourse. There's a reason the right does it and does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/preaching-to-the-choir-actually-arms-the-choir-with-arguments-and/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [Lutherans, whose arguments and mistakes will not be difficult to contest or discover, do not want to attribute any value to works, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-servetus/lutherans-whose-arguments-and-mistakes-will-not-be-difficult-to/) [Michael Servetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-servetus/) > [Any comprehensive doctrine, religious or secular, can be introduced into any political argument at any time, but I argue that people who do this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/any-comprehensive-doctrine-religious-or-secular-can-be-introduced/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [There could be no more powerful argument against mixing religion and government than the success of independent African American churches in placing racial segregation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/there-could-be-no-more-powerful-argument-against-mixing-religion-and/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) > [The inner defenses are unconscious. They consist of a kind of magic aura which the mind builds around cherished belief. Arguments which penetrate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-inner-defenses-are-unconscious-they-consist-of-a-kind-of-magic/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [On the stage, the characters express themselves more through words than images. So the arguments of the characters and the tension between characters -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/on-the-stage-the-characters-express-themselves-more-through-words/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [One argument goes that recessions are good for female artists because when money flies out the window, women are allowed in the house. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-saltz/one-argument-goes-that-recessions-are-good-for-female-artists-because/) [Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-saltz/) > [All of the barriers to innovation in the energy sector are arguments for a big commitment to public investment. Only the public sector can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nordhaus/all-of-the-barriers-to-innovation-in-the-energy-sector-are-arguments/) [Ted Nordhaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nordhaus/) > [“Arguments led by subjectivity are a waste of time. And, if they take place online, add to that, a waste of one’s keyboard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/arguments-led-by-subjectivity-are-a-waste-of-time-and-if-they-take/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [If in the middle of an argument I suddenly fall silent it does not mean you have won... 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