--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: All human activity is fruitless when…" description: "\"All human activity is fruitless when pitted against the girls and boys singing on pop television, for they have found the answer as the rest of us sear..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/051/steven-morrissey-3913_activity_all-human-activity-is-fruitless-when-pit_2496239.png" --- # All human activity is fruitless when pitted against the… ![“All human activity is fruitless when pitted against the girls and boys singing on pop television, for they have found the answer as the rest of us search for the question. I will sing, too. If not, I will have to die.” quote by Steven Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/051/steven-morrissey-3913_activity_all-human-activity-is-fruitless-when-pit_2496239.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/051/steven-morrissey-3913_activity_all-human-activity-is-fruitless-when-pit_2496239.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/051/steven-morrissey-3913_activity_all-human-activity-is-fruitless-when-pit_2496239.png) > “All human activity is fruitless when pitted against the girls and boys singing on pop television, for they have found the answer as the rest of us search for the question. I will sing, too. If not, I will have to die.” [Steven Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-morrissey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote suggests that popular music provides answers that elude deeper philosophical searching, urging personal expression before death. **In simple terms:** Pop music offers answers; we must sing before we die. Key Takeaway Express yourself before it’s too late. Themes expression music existence urgency Mood urgent reflective Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - personal crisis - creative block - public performance - media consumption Key Concepts existentialism pop culture artistic catharsis Questions to Reflect On - What answer do you seek that pop music provides? - How does singing change your perspective on mortality? A Different Perspective The claim may overstate pop music’s universal relevance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boy and girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boy-and-girl/) [Boys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys/) [Girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/girl/) [Human activity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-activity/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Memorable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memorable/) [Singing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singing/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) ## Related quotes > [Being a rock star was out of the question. I can't sing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-evangelista/being-a-rock-star-was-out-of-the-question-i-can-t-sing/) [Linda Evangelista](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-evangelista/) > [A few can touch the magic string, and noisy fame is proud to win them: Alas for those that never sing, but die with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-few-can-touch-the-magic-string-and-noisy-fame-is-proud-to-win-them/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Music is my life, if I am without music or if I can't sing any more, I die, I'm nothing... because music is everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayumi-hamasaki/music-is-my-life-if-i-am-without-music-or-if-i-can-t-sing-any-more-i/) [Ayumi Hamasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayumi-hamasaki/) > [Swans sing before they die - 'twere no bad thing should certain persons die before they sing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/swans-sing-before-they-die-twere-no-bad-thing-should-certain-persons/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [Alas for those that never sing, but die with all their music in them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes/alas-for-those-that-never-sing-but-die-with-all-their-music-in-them/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes/) > [“Swans sing before they die— 't were no bad thing Should certain persons die before they sing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/swans-sing-before-they-die-t-were-no-bad-thing-should-certain-persons/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [Singing pop music was not something I planned, but I managed to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffany-darwish/singing-pop-music-was-not-something-i-planned-but-i-managed-to-do-it/) [Tiffany Darwish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffany-darwish/) > [When I sang that song, I felt it was almost as if some force had moved into my body. Things like that have only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-coolidge/when-i-sang-that-song-i-felt-it-was-almost-as-if-some-force-had-moved/) [Rita Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-coolidge/) > [I found my voice singing pop and ballads, almost all of them Colombian artists. When I was 16, my family gave me a recording…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maluma/i-found-my-voice-singing-pop-and-ballads-almost-all-of-them-colombian/) [Maluma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maluma/) > [“Trust me Miki. Nothing cures heartache faster than a bunch of girls singing pop songs badly at the top of thier lungs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-crilley/trust-me-miki-nothing-cures-heartache-faster-than-a-bunch-of-girls/) Mark Crilley > [I love singing gospel. It's fulfilling but in a different way than singing pop music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-bailey/i-love-singing-gospel-it-s-fulfilling-but-in-a-different-way-than/) [Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) > [I am a pop girl! And I'm on a major label. I enjoy singing pop songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-perry/i-am-a-pop-girl-and-i-m-on-a-major-label-i-enjoy-singing-pop-songs/) [Katy Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-perry/) > [You convey too great a compliment when you say that I have earned the right to the presidential nomination. No man can establish such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-hoover/you-convey-too-great-a-compliment-when-you-say-that-i-have-earned-the/) [Herbert Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-hoover/) > [My heritage is something that I have always been aware of, however, some would say that there is a disproportionately low number of Asians…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-adrian/my-heritage-is-something-that-i-have-always-been-aware-of-however/) Nathan Adrian > [A lot of what happens in consensual encounters and in the way we talk to both girls and boys about sex creates a medium…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-orenstein/a-lot-of-what-happens-in-consensual-encounters-and-in-the-way-we-talk/) [Peggy Orenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-orenstein/) ## More by Steven Morrissey > [He referred to me as an 'insufferable puffed-up prat'. This is a bit rich coming from a man who actually married his own mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-morrissey/he-referred-to-me-as-an-insufferable-puffed-up-prat-this-is-a-bit/) [Steven Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-morrissey/) > [I think labels for the most part want to sign new discoveries so that that label alone is seen to be responsible for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-morrissey/i-think-labels-for-the-most-part-want-to-sign-new-discoveries-so-that/) [Steven Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-morrissey/) > [I find shoes difficult to be ethical about...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-morrissey/i-find-shoes-difficult-to-be-ethical-about/) [Steven Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-morrissey/) > [Eating meat is the most disgusting thing I can think of. It's like biting into your grandmother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-morrissey/eating-meat-is-the-most-disgusting-thing-i-can-think-of-it-s-like/) [Steven Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-morrissey/) > [Sometimes I wish I was just a simple drunkard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-morrissey/sometimes-i-wish-i-was-just-a-simple-drunkard/) [Steven Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-morrissey/) > [Even with the recent story about the nurse killing herself in King Edward Hospital, there's no blame placed on Kate Middleton, who was in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-morrissey/even-with-the-recent-story-about-the-nurse-killing-herself-in-king/) [Steven Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-morrissey/) > [In England, pop music seems now to be exclusively for children. If an artist is no good, why is it necessary to have that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-morrissey/in-england-pop-music-seems-now-to-be-exclusively-for-children-if-an/) [Steven Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-morrissey/) > [I have so much pride and love for the songs of The Smiths. However, I must ask you, if you come across any Smiths…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-morrissey/i-have-so-much-pride-and-love-for-the-songs-of-the-smiths-however-i/) [Steven Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-morrissey/) > [Bob Geldof is a nauseating character. Band Aid was the most self-righteous platform ever in the history of popular music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-morrissey/bob-geldof-is-a-nauseating-character-band-aid-was-the-most-self/) [Steven Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-morrissey/) > [But sometimes I'd feel more fulfilled making Christmas cards with the mentally ill. I want to live and I want to love. I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-morrissey/but-sometimes-i-d-feel-more-fulfilled-making-christmas-cards-with-the/) [Steven Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-morrissey/) > [Shyness is nice, but shyness can stop you from doing all the things in life that you'd like to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-morrissey/shyness-is-nice-but-shyness-can-stop-you-from-doing-all-the-things-in/) [Steven Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-morrissey/) > [I think I must be, absolutely, a total sex object. In every sense of the word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-morrissey/i-think-i-must-be-absolutely-a-total-sex-object-in-every-sense-of-the/) [Steven Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-morrissey/) > [I have an unswayable obsession with death. If there was a magical pill that one could take that would retire you from the world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-morrissey/i-have-an-unswayable-obsession-with-death-if-there-was-a-magical-pill/) [Steven Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-morrissey/) > [I can smell burning flesh... and I hope to God it's human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-morrissey/i-can-smell-burning-flesh-and-i-hope-to-god-it-s-human/) [Steven Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-morrissey/) > [Everyday is like Sunday Everyday is silent and grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-morrissey/everyday-is-like-sunday-everyday-is-silent-and-grey/) [Steven Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-morrissey/) [Explore all 119 Steven Morrissey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-morrissey/) ## More Activity quotes > [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [It must be assumed and established as a principle, that the right of private property must be regarded as sacred. Wherefore, the law ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-xiii/it-must-be-assumed-and-established-as-a-principle-that-the-right-of/) [Pope Leo XIII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-xiii/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [And also I think the rise of other, you could say, destinations for international jihadis mean that Pakistan isn't necessarily the place where people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/and-also-i-think-the-rise-of-other-you-could-say-destinations-for/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) > [To evoke in oneself a feeling one has once experienced, and having evoked it in oneself, then by means of movements, lines, colors, sounds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-evoke-in-oneself-a-feeling-one-has-once-experienced-and-having/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Fighting's fun, man. It's a great activity, it's a great sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-mitrione/fighting-s-fun-man-it-s-a-great-activity-it-s-a-great-sport/) [Matt Mitrione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-mitrione/) > [There were books everywhere in my house. Books were very present. I just loved books. I never understood reading as anything but a pleasurable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-lucas/there-were-books-everywhere-in-my-house-books-were-very-present-i/) [Lisa Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-lucas/) > [For war to man, like childbirth to women, is simplifying in its emotions and activities. All the real problems of life can be put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/for-war-to-man-like-childbirth-to-women-is-simplifying-in-its/) [Pearl S. Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-s-buck/) > [The only activity a cynic will find contagious is yawning, that is, with other people, at other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/the-only-activity-a-cynic-will-find-contagious-is-yawning-that-is/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [For the longest time, neuroscientists were forced to be passive observers of brain activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gero-miesenbock/for-the-longest-time-neuroscientists-were-forced-to-be-passive/) Gero Miesenbock > [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/) > [Once an activity has been socialized, it is impossible to point out, by concrete example, how men in a free market could better conduct…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-read/once-an-activity-has-been-socialized-it-is-impossible-to-point-out-by/) [Leonard Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-read/) > [“Fun is not an activity, it is a state of mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/fun-is-not-an-activity-it-is-a-state-of-mind/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [I have to consider everything I eat; I consider every activity I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-kimball/i-have-to-consider-everything-i-eat-i-consider-every-activity-i-do/) [Charlie Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-kimball/) > [Almost all good businesses engage in 'pain today, gain tomorrow' activities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/almost-all-good-businesses-engage-in-pain-today-gain-tomorrow/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) Browse all 3,263 Activity quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "All human activity is fruitless when pitted against the girls and boys singing on pop television, for they have found the answer as the rest of us search for the question. 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