Quotessence
Home / Quotes / Quote by Jonathan Gottschall

Quote by Jonathan Gottschall

“Whenever I was confronted in the schoolyard, I found some way to avoid the fight. I ran for it. I backed down. Psychologically and emotionally, that isn't a low-cost course of action for most boys. You avoid a physical beating, but you pay a real social and psychological cost for it. Those moments of walking away from fights, even though I knew it was the rational and civilized thing to do, cost me tremendously.”

Quote by Jonathan Gottschall

Author

Jonathan Gottschall
Jonathan Gottschall

Jonathan Gottschall, born on September 20, 1972, is an accomplished scholar, writer, and professor. His academic pursuits are centered around the study of literature and human behavior, with a particular focus on narratology. His work, notably the book 'The Storytelling Animal,' delves into the human need for storytelling and its role in culture and society. Gottschall's contributions have made him a prominent figure in the field of narratology, both in academia and among the public. He is recognized as an influential figure in understanding and appreciating the art of storytelling. more

You May Also Like

“It's never the same relationship. I see my job as filling in the blanks. Whatever it is that the artist lacks in the process of making a record, I'm supposed to fill that in. And sometimes it's a lot of stuff and I have to hector them about working on the material and that sort of thing. Sometimes you have an artist that's really fairly self-sufficient; they just need another ear to offer some objective criticism, but otherwise pretty much know what they're doing. It varies a lot.”

“Sometimes you're a psychiatrist and sometimes you're a group therapist. The dynamics in between people and the misgivings sometimes that artists have when they get into the studio because they're under a different level of scrutiny. A lot of them can be insecure about it. My job is not simply to make musical determinations but sometimes to just keep people from flipping out during the process.”

“What you do in a fight gym is learn how to be brave. You're learning how to punch and kick in a proper way, of course, but above all else, a fighter is someone who's got courage, who's dead game in a fight. Most guys don't come into the world that way. You learn to be brave through that process of getting your fear and timidity beaten out of you night after night after night.”

“I've had production offers with artists I really admire, and oftentimes that doesn't work out. Sometimes it does, but... For instance I was asked if I wanted to do a Talking Heads album back in the late '70s, early '80s, and I was already working on a different project and didn't have time, so I never got the opportunity to work with them.”