--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To keep doing this job [draw political…" description: "\"To keep doing this job [draw political cartoons] week after week, I think you have to want to change the world, while understanding that you can't. You..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f1b/tom-tomorrow-48236_cartoon_to-keep-doing-this-job-draw-political-ca_1904829.jpg" --- # To keep doing this job \[draw political cartoons\] week… ![“To keep doing this job [draw political cartoons] week after week, I think you have to want to change the world, while understanding that you can't. You have to hold both of those contradictory ideas simultaneously.” quote by Tom Tomorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f1b/tom-tomorrow-48236_cartoon_to-keep-doing-this-job-draw-political-ca_1904829.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f1b/tom-tomorrow-48236_cartoon_to-keep-doing-this-job-draw-political-ca_1904829.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f1b/tom-tomorrow-48236_cartoon_to-keep-doing-this-job-draw-political-ca_1904829.jpg) > “To keep doing this job \[draw political cartoons\] week after week, I think you have to want to change the world, while understanding that you can't. You have to hold both of those contradictory ideas simultaneously.” [Tom Tomorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-tomorrow/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Balancing idealism with realism is essential for sustained creative work in political satire. **In simple terms:** You must want change but accept limits. Key Takeaway Embrace paradox, keep creating. Themes political satire creativity idealism realism Mood reflective determined Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - daily cartoon production - activism - media commentary - personal burnout Key Concepts cognitive dissonance motivation ethical responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How do you stay motivated when change seems impossible? - What strategies keep you grounded yet hopeful? A Different Perspective Idealism alone can lead to frustration; realism may stifle boldness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Cartoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cartoon/) [Change the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-the-world/) [Changing the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changing-the-world/) [Contradictory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contradictory/) [Contradictory Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contradictory-ideas-1220519/) [Draw Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/draw-political-2832125/) [Draws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/draws/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Ideas Simultaneously](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas-simultaneously-2832126/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Political cartoons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-cartoons-146320/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Week](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/week/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [The point is that profound but contradictory ideas may exist side by side, if they are constructed from different materials and methods. and have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-postman/the-point-is-that-profound-but-contradictory-ideas-may-exist-side-by/) [Neil Postman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-postman/) > [The mark of the developed intellect is that it could accommodate two contradictory ideas at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kao/the-mark-of-the-developed-intellect-is-that-it-could-accommodate-two/) [John Kao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kao/) > [In art, and maybe just in general, the idea is to be able to be really comfortable with contradictory ideas. In other words, wisdom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/in-art-and-maybe-just-in-general-the-idea-is-to-be-able-to-be-really/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [To the indefinite, uncertain mind of the American radical the most contradictory ideas and methods are possible. The result is a sad chaos in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/to-the-indefinite-uncertain-mind-of-the-american-radical-the-most/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [“Maturity is when you accept the fact that two contradictory ideas can exist together.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kessler/maturity-is-when-you-accept-the-fact-that-two-contradictory-ideas-can/) [David Kessler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kessler/) > [I also do political cartoons, but a lot of them must stay, as they say, under the coat. But they are very fun to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-lagerfeld/i-also-do-political-cartoons-but-a-lot-of-them-must-stay-as-they-say/) [Karl Lagerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-lagerfeld/) > [Political cartoons are the ass-end of the artform](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-brunetti/political-cartoons-are-the-ass-end-of-the-artform/) [Ivan Brunetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-brunetti/) > [The political cartoon, in a way, is one of the highest forms of expression about our times. I don't believe in dramatic statements when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-henrot/the-political-cartoon-in-a-way-is-one-of-the-highest-forms-of/) [Camille Henrot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-henrot/) > [In a way, the political cartoon drawings are things that are small and have humor and a childhood aesthetic and are often stronger to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-henrot/in-a-way-the-political-cartoon-drawings-are-things-that-are-small-and/) [Camille Henrot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-henrot/) > [That's the conundrum of cartoon stripping, as opposed to political cartoons. 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I read the comics as a kid, and I did cartoons for high school publications -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/i-ve-been-interested-in-cartooning-all-my-life-i-read-the-comics-as-a/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [My cartoons appear in newspapers, which are full of words, but there's something about having it in this little box that confounds people's expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-tomorrow/my-cartoons-appear-in-newspapers-which-are-full-of-words-but-there-s/) [Tom Tomorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-tomorrow/) > [The time that one gains cannot be accumulated in a storehouse; it is contradictory to want to save up existence, which, the fact is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/the-time-that-one-gains-cannot-be-accumulated-in-a-storehouse-it-is/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) ## More by Tom Tomorrow > [My biggest influence growing up was Mad magazine, which is a very text-heavy form of visual satire. I didn’t grow up wanting to draw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-tomorrow/my-biggest-influence-growing-up-was-mad-magazine-which-is-a-very-text/) [Tom Tomorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-tomorrow/) > [My cartoons appear in newspapers, which are full of words, but there's something about having it in this little box that confounds people's expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-tomorrow/my-cartoons-appear-in-newspapers-which-are-full-of-words-but-there-s/) [Tom Tomorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-tomorrow/) > [I don't think being a cynic is necessarily a negative thing. It's a matter of seeing the world with clear and open eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-tomorrow/i-don-t-think-being-a-cynic-is-necessarily-a-negative-thing-it-s-a/) [Tom Tomorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-tomorrow/) > [ I don't think that what I'm doing \[political cartooning\] is necessarily left versus right. What I'm addressing is top versus bottom. 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Maybe there's something about the conservative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-tomorrow/good-satire-is-about-attacking-the-powerful-and-that-tends-to-be-more/) [Tom Tomorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-tomorrow/) [Explore all 8 Tom Tomorrow quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-tomorrow/) ## 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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": "To keep doing this job [draw political cartoons] week after week, I think you have to want to change the world, while understanding that you can't. 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