--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That's the first thing you learn when you…" description: "\"That's the first thing you learn when you busk in the New York City subways: you immediately join the ranks of the marginalized, the unhinged prophets,..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd9/tom-junod-5058_city_that-s-the-first-thing-you-learn-when-yo_2177133.jpg" --- # That's the first thing you learn when you busk in the New… ![“That's the first thing you learn when you busk in the New York City subways: you immediately join the ranks of the marginalized, the unhinged prophets, the Christian shouters, the Hare Krishnas, the Jehovah's witnesses, the father-and-daughter kitaro team, the violinists playing for their sickly…” quote by Tom Junod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd9/tom-junod-5058_city_that-s-the-first-thing-you-learn-when-yo_2177133.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd9/tom-junod-5058_city_that-s-the-first-thing-you-learn-when-yo_2177133.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd9/tom-junod-5058_city_that-s-the-first-thing-you-learn-when-yo_2177133.jpg) > “That's the first thing you learn when you busk in the New York City subways: you immediately join the ranks of the marginalized, the unhinged prophets, the Christian shouters, the Hare Krishnas, the Jehovah's witnesses, the father-and-daughter kitaro team, the violinists playing for their sickly wives.” [Tom Junod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-junod/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Busking in NYC exposes one to diverse, marginalized performers, highlighting society’s overlooked voices. **In simple terms:** Street performance reveals hidden communities. Key Takeaway Listen to and uplift marginalized voices. Themes marginalization art diversity Mood observational empathetic Type cultural journalistic When to use this quote - urban festivals - street art - community outreach - media coverage Key Concepts Sociology of performance cultural studies Questions to Reflect On - How does public art change perception? - What responsibilities do audiences have? A Different Perspective Not all marginalized groups seek attention. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Busk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/busk-510073/) [City](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/city/) [Learn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learn/) [Learn Busk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learn-busk-4686683/) [New](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new/) [New york](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-york/) [New york city](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-york-city/) [Subways](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subways/) [Subways Immediately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subways-immediately-4686685/) [Team](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/team/) [Unhinged Prophets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unhinged-prophets-4686684/) [York City](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/york-city/) ## Related quotes > [I've definitely run from the cops in the New York City subways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-jacobs/i-ve-definitely-run-from-the-cops-in-the-new-york-city-subways/) [Gillian Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-jacobs/) > [“There is nothing Tourettic about the New York City subways.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-lethem/there-is-nothing-tourettic-about-the-new-york-city-subways/) [Jonathan Lethem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-lethem/) > [The fact that the infrastructure is falling apart is not necessarily because it's built poorly. The New York City subways were built in 1903.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-weisman/the-fact-that-the-infrastructure-is-falling-apart-is-not-necessarily/) [Alan Weisman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-weisman/) > [I grew up in a really rural town, Stratford, Ontario, with 30,000 people. There's a big festival thrown in the town. A lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-bieber/i-grew-up-in-a-really-rural-town-stratford-ontario-with-30-000-people/) [Justin Bieber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-bieber/) > [I'm constantly warning people that are involved in my life that I can go busk and make a living. I can make my rent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-earle/i-m-constantly-warning-people-that-are-involved-in-my-life-that-i-can/) [Steve Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-earle/) > [I don't busk any more because it's gotten too dangerous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tash-sultana/i-don-t-busk-any-more-because-it-s-gotten-too-dangerous/) [Tash Sultana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tash-sultana/) > [“But if pressed, I’d have to say that what I love most about the subways of New York is what they do not do.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hayes/but-if-pressed-i-d-have-to-say-that-what-i-love-most-about-the/) [Bill Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hayes/) > [I spent my childhood in New York, riding on subways and buses. And you know what you learn if you're a New Yorker? The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-bacall/i-spent-my-childhood-in-new-york-riding-on-subways-and-buses-and-you/) [Lauren Bacall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-bacall/) > [We used to walk to school, or take the subway. Nobody thought the worst of taking the subways. In fact, you could fall asleep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-uggams/we-used-to-walk-to-school-or-take-the-subway-nobody-thought-the-worst/) [Leslie Uggams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-uggams/) > [An interesting thing about New York City is that the subways run through the sewers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/an-interesting-thing-about-new-york-city-is-that-the-subways-run/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [You could walk the streets, no matter how hungry people were, not matter how long theyd been out of jobs, you could walk the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-walston/you-could-walk-the-streets-no-matter-how-hungry-people-were-not/) [Ray Walston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-walston/) > [I'd like a $5 dollar footlong?…? Thatll be 7.55?…Bitch what?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-d-like-a-5-dollar-footlong-thatll-be-7-55-bitch-what/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“if it's the best of anything, i have to have one. (when passing a food stand claiming to serve the world's best subways)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wavy-gravy/if-it-s-the-best-of-anything-i-have-to-have-one-when-passing-a-food/) [Wavy Gravy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wavy-gravy/) > [I've done my share of busking, and it's fun until it isn't. There are musicians in the subways that will make you cry, they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bird/i-ve-done-my-share-of-busking-and-it-s-fun-until-it-isn-t-there-are/) [Andrew Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bird/) > [ I don't like to go into subways, because I always see them \[ mice\]. They are like my naguales \[kindred animal spirits\]. They follow… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/i-don-t-like-to-go-into-subways-because-i-always-see-them-mice-they/) [Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) ## More by Tom Junod > [Every artist can make art only from the materials at hand, and many of the child stars who try to mature into artists can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-junod/every-artist-can-make-art-only-from-the-materials-at-hand-and-many-of/) [Tom Junod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-junod/) > [I wasn't learning to sing because I thought I could; I was learning to sing because I knew I couldn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-junod/i-wasn-t-learning-to-sing-because-i-thought-i-could-i-was-learning-to/) [Tom Junod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-junod/) > [We might accept pit bulls personally, but America still doesn't accept them institutionally, where it counts; indeed, apartment complexes and insurance companies are arrayed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-junod/we-might-accept-pit-bulls-personally-but-america-still-doesn-t-accept/) [Tom Junod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-junod/) > [I collect songs because I want to control what I - what everybody within earshot - listens to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-junod/i-collect-songs-because-i-want-to-control-what-i-what-everybody/) [Tom Junod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-junod/) > [Any child can tell you what Google does - Google gives you the answers. But Google doesn't, not really.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-junod/any-child-can-tell-you-what-google-does-google-gives-you-the-answers/) [Tom Junod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-junod/) > [My mother was not a country girl. She was a Brooklyn girl, born and raised in Flatbush, and then a Long Island girl, who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-junod/my-mother-was-not-a-country-girl-she-was-a-brooklyn-girl-born-and/) [Tom Junod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-junod/) > [That there is as yet no drug for immortality - or, for that matter, for muscle growth in the infirm - does not mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-junod/that-there-is-as-yet-no-drug-for-immortality-or-for-that-matter-for/) [Tom Junod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-junod/) > [I am not running for president, but I've always known if I ever did run for president - or local dogcatcher, for that matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-junod/i-am-not-running-for-president-but-i-ve-always-known-if-i-ever-did/) [Tom Junod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-junod/) > [Josh Ozersky was a meat man. He knew meat, revered it, studied it, sang it, evangelized it, wrote about it, and, of course, ate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-junod/josh-ozersky-was-a-meat-man-he-knew-meat-revered-it-studied-it-sang/) [Tom Junod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-junod/) > [I was a bully in fifth and sixth grade. I wasn't one of the bullies - I wasn't strong or dominant enough to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-junod/i-was-a-bully-in-fifth-and-sixth-grade-i-wasn-t-one-of-the-bullies-i/) [Tom Junod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-junod/) > [I have about 25,000 songs on my computer and play them mostly on shuffle, which means that the songs I've played the most are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-junod/i-have-about-25-000-songs-on-my-computer-and-play-them-mostly-on/) [Tom Junod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-junod/) > [Before the Beatles could give us 'The White Album', they had to achieve disorienting success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-junod/before-the-beatles-could-give-us-the-white-album-they-had-to-achieve/) [Tom Junod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-junod/) > [Ask people who know him for a description of Bob Dylan outside the prerogatives of fame and the obligations of art, and they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-junod/ask-people-who-know-him-for-a-description-of-bob-dylan-outside-the/) [Tom Junod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-junod/) > [I had heard a lot of stories about my father and celebrities, most of them from his own mouth. In his stories, famous women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-junod/i-had-heard-a-lot-of-stories-about-my-father-and-celebrities-most-of/) [Tom Junod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-junod/) > [You learn a lot about America when you own a pit bull. You learn not just who likes your dog; you learn what kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-junod/you-learn-a-lot-about-america-when-you-own-a-pit-bull-you-learn-not/) [Tom Junod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-junod/) [Explore all 103 Tom Junod quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-junod/) ## More City quotes > [I've seen a lot of people come out of Carol City, but I had this distinct vision for Carol City, just me coming out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-curry/i-ve-seen-a-lot-of-people-come-out-of-carol-city-but-i-had-this/) [Denzel Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-curry/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [I've been to Manchester enough to know it's a real place. It's not Factory Records and the Smiths bicycling around. I get it. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-murphy/i-ve-been-to-manchester-enough-to-know-it-s-a-real-place-it-s-not/) [James Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-murphy/) > [Though 'Fat City' was written long before cellphones or the Internet, its human apparatus is state of the art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-dunn/though-fat-city-was-written-long-before-cellphones-or-the-internet/) [Katherine Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunn/) > [I get paid to play, to win, to give the city pride, so maybe everybody can forget for a little while how hard life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-cunningham/i-get-paid-to-play-to-win-to-give-the-city-pride-so-maybe-everybody/) [Randall Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-cunningham/) > [In my first 100 days as Ontario's Minister of Transportation, I found a willing municipal partner in the City of Toronto that shares our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-mulroney/in-my-first-100-days-as-ontario-s-minister-of-transportation-i-found/) [Caroline Mulroney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-mulroney/) > [Even after my family moved West, I would come back to Long Island as a teenager, stay with aunts and go to the city…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/everlast/even-after-my-family-moved-west-i-would-come-back-to-long-island-as-a/) [Everlast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/everlast/) > [We all got driven out of Manhattan. It was a very conducive place for artists when I was growing up, and now it's definitely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaby-hoffmann/we-all-got-driven-out-of-manhattan-it-was-a-very-conducive-place-for/) [Gaby Hoffmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaby-hoffmann/) > [I was always attracted most to joining City, and I am pleased to be at such a good club with such a big ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edin-dzeko/i-was-always-attracted-most-to-joining-city-and-i-am-pleased-to-be-at/) [Edin Dzeko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edin-dzeko/) > [“Poor people do not go on holiday; they go home.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/poor-people-do-not-go-on-holiday-they-go-home/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [I know of not one Republican candidate that would not appear publicly with Mitt Romney and I know many Democrats that don't even want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-sessions/i-know-of-not-one-republican-candidate-that-would-not-appear-publicly/) [Pete Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-sessions/) > [We have an obligation at the local level to do everything we can with the resources we have. And we do those things. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-wheeler/we-have-an-obligation-at-the-local-level-to-do-everything-we-can-with/) [Ted Wheeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-wheeler/) > [I didn't know the city at all, but I was so happy to be in New York I cried. I was so excited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/i-didn-t-know-the-city-at-all-but-i-was-so-happy-to-be-in-new-york-i/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [I loved 'Chicago Code;' I watched that a lot. It was great because it really captured the city - I'm from Chicago, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessy-schram/i-loved-chicago-code-i-watched-that-a-lot-it-was-great-because-it/) [Jessy Schram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessy-schram/) > [Vienna is a handsome, lively city, and pleases me exceedingly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-chopin/vienna-is-a-handsome-lively-city-and-pleases-me-exceedingly/) [Frederic Chopin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-chopin/) [Browse all 5,394 City quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/city/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "That's the first thing you learn when you busk in the New York City subways: you immediately join the ranks of the marginalized, the unhinged prophets, the Christian shouters, the Hare Krishnas, the Jehovah's witnesses, the father-and-daughter kitaro team, the violinists playing for their sickly wives.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tom Junod" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-junod/that-s-the-first-thing-you-learn-when-you-busk-in-the-new-york-city/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "City" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-junod/that-s-the-first-thing-you-learn-when-you-busk-in-the-new-york-city/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd9/tom-junod-5058_city_that-s-the-first-thing-you-learn-when-yo_2177133.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd9/tom-junod-5058_city_that-s-the-first-thing-you-learn-when-yo_2177133.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd9/tom-junod-5058_city_that-s-the-first-thing-you-learn-when-yo_2177133.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“That's the first thing you learn when you busk in the New York City subways: you immediately join the ranks…” — Tom Junod", "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": "Tom Junod", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-junod/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "That's the first thing you learn...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-junod/that-s-the-first-thing-you-learn-when-you-busk-in-the-new-york-city/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-junod/that-s-the-first-thing-you-learn-when-you-busk-in-the-new-york-city/#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 } } ] } ```