--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If I didn't find art valuable, I would…" description: "\"If I didn't find art valuable, I would stop doing my work and only work for justice.\" — Zoe Kazan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/174/zoe-kazan-3186_art_if-i-didn-t-find-art-valuable-i-would-st_2795044.jpg" --- # If I didn't find art valuable, I would stop doing my work… ![“If I didn't find art valuable, I would stop doing my work and only work for justice.” quote by Zoe Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/174/zoe-kazan-3186_art_if-i-didn-t-find-art-valuable-i-would-st_2795044.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/174/zoe-kazan-3186_art_if-i-didn-t-find-art-valuable-i-would-st_2795044.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/174/zoe-kazan-3186_art_if-i-didn-t-find-art-valuable-i-would-st_2795044.jpg) > “If I didn't find art valuable, I would stop doing my work and only work for justice.” [Zoe Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-kazan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. If art lacked value, the creator would abandon it for justice work, highlighting the tension between artistic expression and moral activism. **In simple terms:** Art must be valuable, otherwise work for justice. Key Takeaway Balance artistic pursuits with social responsibility. Themes art justice purpose integrity Mood reflective determined Type interview philosophical When to use this quote - career decisions - ethical dilemmas Key Concepts creative professions activism Questions to Reflect On - How do you prioritize art versus activism? - Can art itself be a form of justice? A Different Perspective The view may simplify the complex motivations of artists. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Art Valuable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-valuable-349588/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Find](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/find/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Stop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stop/) [Stop Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stop-doing/) [Valuable Stop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/valuable-stop-1771979/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Work Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-justice-1562430/) ## Related quotes > [Once we start collecting, the more you have, the more it gets valuable and that will stop us from responding to the present and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-elliott/once-we-start-collecting-the-more-you-have-the-more-it-gets-valuable/) [David Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-elliott/) > [To have time for what is valuable, you have to stop giving time to what isn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-holden/to-have-time-for-what-is-valuable-you-have-to-stop-giving-time-to/) [Robert Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-holden/) > [“It is perhaps, its ability to penetrate the multidimensional layers of the human condition at all, that makes poetry and art so valuable in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atalina-wright/it-is-perhaps-its-ability-to-penetrate-the-multidimensional-layers-of/) [Atalina Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atalina-wright/) > [For most people, art is only valuable if other people say it is; and artists are only worthwhile if they are either rich and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gerard-trotman/for-most-people-art-is-only-valuable-if-other-people-say-it-is-and/) [Wayne Gerard Trotman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gerard-trotman/) > [Art is so valuable that I think its misuse is really dangerous. When it's used well, when it's telling a story well or creating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asia-kate-dillon/art-is-so-valuable-that-i-think-its-misuse-is-really-dangerous-when/) [Asia Kate Dillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asia-kate-dillon/) > [I think art is much more valuable when it's honest. If it's not honest, it's just propaganda.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-simien/i-think-art-is-much-more-valuable-when-it-s-honest-if-it-s-not-honest/) [Justin Simien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-simien/) > [Art is often valuable precisely because it isn't a sensible way to make money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-davidson/art-is-often-valuable-precisely-because-it-isn-t-a-sensible-way-to/) [Adam Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-davidson/) > [“She was the kind of art that was so valuable it wasn't even for sale, and she smiled when she saw Ash. His pulse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-lerner/she-was-the-kind-of-art-that-was-so-valuable-it-wasn-t-even-for-sale/) [Rose Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-lerner/) > [May hard work, and justice, always cement our bonds of unity that we may get our country back to production.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwai-kibaki/may-hard-work-and-justice-always-cement-our-bonds-of-unity-that-we/) [Mwai Kibaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwai-kibaki/) > [“I we want peace, let's work for justice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-holm-garibay/i-we-want-peace-let-s-work-for-justice/) [Ingrid Holm-Garibay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-holm-garibay/) > [If you want peace, work for justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-paul-vi/if-you-want-peace-work-for-justice/) [Pope Paul VI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-paul-vi/) > [So, if people remember my work then I have done justice to my career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kashmira-shah/so-if-people-remember-my-work-then-i-have-done-justice-to-my-career/) [Kashmira Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kashmira-shah/) > [Let's stand together, stick together, and work together for justice of every description. Racial justice. Gender justice. Immigrant justice. Economic justice. Environmental justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-lightfoot/let-s-stand-together-stick-together-and-work-together-for-justice-of/) [Lori Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-lightfoot/) > [“The call to the work of justice is therefore not God sending his church out to a place where God cannot be found. Rather,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-call-to-the-work-of-justice-is-therefore-not-god-sending-his/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I see people whose spirits are not broken, who continue to work for justice. That makes me feel alive, when I witness their work,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-saliers/i-see-people-whose-spirits-are-not-broken-who-continue-to-work-for/) [Emily Saliers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-saliers/) ## More by Zoe Kazan > [Maybe this is a way of gaslighting myself, but I think of it this way: In certain circles, my grandpa was considered to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-kazan/maybe-this-is-a-way-of-gaslighting-myself-but-i-think-of-it-this-way/) [Zoe Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-kazan/) > [There aren't a lot of movies being made about women, period. Most of the time, the roles that are available are the sidekick, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-kazan/there-aren-t-a-lot-of-movies-being-made-about-women-period-most-of/) [Zoe Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-kazan/) > [Every role requires its own set of tools, and I think, because of that, it is very hard to ever feel totally prepared or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-kazan/every-role-requires-its-own-set-of-tools-and-i-think-because-of-that/) [Zoe Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-kazan/) > [I love bad movies, whereas going to the theater for me is a painful experience. I think it's really hard to sit and watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-kazan/i-love-bad-movies-whereas-going-to-the-theater-for-me-is-a-painful/) [Zoe Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-kazan/) > [I think the written word is my first love. I was just a very imagination - centered child and a big part of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-kazan/i-think-the-written-word-is-my-first-love-i-was-just-a-very/) [Zoe Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-kazan/) > [If I'm not working, I don't feel complete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-kazan/if-i-m-not-working-i-don-t-feel-complete/) [Zoe Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-kazan/) > [I think, a lot of times, directors assume that whatever they get from you the first time, whether it be at an audition or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-kazan/i-think-a-lot-of-times-directors-assume-that-whatever-they-get-from/) [Zoe Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-kazan/) > [I think from my earliest childhood, I liked to tell stories, put on plays and write things. It's funny to think of it as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-kazan/i-think-from-my-earliest-childhood-i-liked-to-tell-stories-put-on/) [Zoe Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-kazan/) > [I'm a very serious person. Unfortunately, sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-kazan/i-m-a-very-serious-person-unfortunately-sometimes/) [Zoe Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-kazan/) > [When I would get close on a part but wouldn't get it, I would be like, "They made a mistake," which is not how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-kazan/when-i-would-get-close-on-a-part-but-wouldn-t-get-it-i-would-be-like/) [Zoe Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-kazan/) > [If I ever feel that acting is just soul-sucking and I don't want to do it anymore, I could stop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-kazan/if-i-ever-feel-that-acting-is-just-soul-sucking-and-i-don-t-want-to/) [Zoe Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-kazan/) > [I'm definitely feeling whatever's going on pretty hard. It's like playing Barbies. You're holding the Barbies, but all of the action is happening inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-kazan/i-m-definitely-feeling-whatever-s-going-on-pretty-hard-it-s-like/) [Zoe Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-kazan/) > [My hero is Michelle Williams, who I grew close to when we did 'Meek's Cutoff.' She's an extraordinary actor and mom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-kazan/my-hero-is-michelle-williams-who-i-grew-close-to-when-we-did-meek-s/) [Zoe Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-kazan/) > [Writing-wise, I like to have a lot of things on the burners at once, because when I hit a wall, I like to move…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-kazan/writing-wise-i-like-to-have-a-lot-of-things-on-the-burners-at-once/) [Zoe Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-kazan/) > [I love to act and that's sort of my first love. That's what I started out doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-kazan/i-love-to-act-and-that-s-sort-of-my-first-love-that-s-what-i-started/) [Zoe Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-kazan/) [Explore all 137 Zoe Kazan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-kazan/) ## More Art quotes > [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/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [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/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“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/) > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [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 only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [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/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If I didn't find art valuable, I would stop doing my work and only work for justice.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Zoe Kazan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-kazan/if-i-didn-t-find-art-valuable-i-would-stop-doing-my-work-and-only/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-kazan/if-i-didn-t-find-art-valuable-i-would-stop-doing-my-work-and-only/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/174/zoe-kazan-3186_art_if-i-didn-t-find-art-valuable-i-would-st_2795044.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/174/zoe-kazan-3186_art_if-i-didn-t-find-art-valuable-i-would-st_2795044.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/174/zoe-kazan-3186_art_if-i-didn-t-find-art-valuable-i-would-st_2795044.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If I didn't find art valuable, I would stop doing my work and only work for justice.” — Zoe Kazan", "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": "Zoe Kazan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-kazan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If I didn't find art valuable,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-kazan/if-i-didn-t-find-art-valuable-i-would-stop-doing-my-work-and-only/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-kazan/if-i-didn-t-find-art-valuable-i-would-stop-doing-my-work-and-only/#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 } } ] } ```