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About this quote

What does it mean?
Artists often go to extreme lengths, ethical or not, to find creative spark.
In plain terms
Creators will do anything to get inspired.
What can you take from it?
Inspiration demands sacrifice, sometimes at moral cost.

Where it applies

  • artistic pursuit
  • creative block
  • personal struggle

Putting it to work

  • evaluate creative costs
  • set ethical boundaries

Questions to consider

  • What lines would you cross for art?

Another view

Not all inspiration requires extreme measures.

More from Ralph Waldo Emerson

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