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“Why Great Artists Steal” | How to Be a Better Human, a TED Podcast

Austin Kleon is the artist and author of multiple NYT bestselling books like Steal Like An Artist. We talk to him about how to tap into your creativity, how to get inspired, and how to keep going when it feels like the creative work you’re making is bad and not improving. This is an episode…

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Austin Kleon is the artist and author of multiple NYT bestselling books like Steal Like An Artist. We talk to him about how to tap into your creativity, how to get inspired, and how to keep going when it feels like the creative work you’re making is bad and not improving.

This is an episode of TED’s How to Be a Better Human podcast. Listen on your favorite podcast app:

For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

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26 Comments

  1. @Crazy_Wow11

    July 2, 2025 at 11:02 am

    1 min ago🤯

  2. @Meme_Master_Official11

    July 2, 2025 at 11:02 am

    1 min ago🤯

  3. @maje9448

    July 2, 2025 at 11:20 am

    Infant

    • @Pajarocaro

      July 2, 2025 at 11:34 am

      Child

  4. @RoelCandaele

    July 2, 2025 at 11:48 am

    The better artists are those who not copy 😘💓🫶🤩

    • @Mediaright

      July 2, 2025 at 3:07 pm

      “Good artists take inspiration from other artists. Great artists steal outright.”

    • @RoelCandaele

      July 2, 2025 at 4:24 pm

      ​@@Mediaright there are many things, nature, …. Where you can get inspiration 😉 does not always need to come from a human

    • @RoelCandaele

      July 2, 2025 at 4:27 pm

      ​@@Mediarightart has different forms it shapes our universe

  5. @brendabeamerford4555

    July 2, 2025 at 12:01 pm

    Prince of Thieves I am Steeler of Mind Cosmos Fisher king’s quest what is love love is light ringing in Eternal third eye sight I am prince of Thieves of Mind or light through Love’s infinite power I dig it dig it dig it

    • @BonnieShadow33

      July 4, 2025 at 5:05 pm

      Steeler? Or did you mean “stealer”?

    • @brendabeamerford4555

      July 4, 2025 at 5:33 pm

      Wheeler Dealer DNA Prince of thiefs football’s toe ​@@BonnieShadow33

    • @brendabeamerford4555

      July 4, 2025 at 8:52 pm

      I like them both ​@@BonnieShadow33

  6. @Pro-kesh

    July 2, 2025 at 12:01 pm

    This is why I’m an AI Artist, I want to be great

  7. @sardonicsophisticate3974

    July 2, 2025 at 12:04 pm

    My artwork is all about human imperfection. The biggest compliment I ever received from someone who bought three large paintings from me was ‘your paintings make me want paint.’

    • @BonnieShadow33

      July 4, 2025 at 5:02 pm

      That is a massively huge compliment! My niece actually came to visit, and the whole purpose of the visit was so that I could demonstrate to her and teach her the basics of the kind of painting I do. What a compliment!

  8. @Samantha-zw5od

    July 2, 2025 at 12:05 pm

    I bet this guy has amazinggggggg book recommendations

  9. @AdamWeatherall

    July 2, 2025 at 12:44 pm

    Emmet Lee Dickinson is one of the first known examples of “Blackout poetry” 1929 New York Times… it’s famous” there is nothing more confining than the prison we are in “. This man copied something nearly 100 years old and became “known” . How are you different from A.I? Great artist do not need to copy , they need to create and hardly a force in this verse can stop them.

  10. @WatchCreativeGenius

    July 2, 2025 at 1:34 pm

    Wow! There’s just so many ideas I learned out of this video.

  11. @austinfreyrikrw6651

    July 2, 2025 at 3:38 pm

    Hmm, it sounds kind of like how science work too. Most of the time science progress by building upon what’s already been discovered (or by using techniques already been developed) rather than by sudden inspirations.

  12. @ExistentialWolf

    July 2, 2025 at 8:51 pm

    When you steel art you just sell paint

  13. @doubleante

    July 2, 2025 at 9:56 pm

    Wonderful insight. Have enjoyed my copy of Steal Like an Artist

  14. @leekenneth-walsh3545

    July 3, 2025 at 7:09 am

    Very insightful discussion!

  15. @andycordy5190

    July 3, 2025 at 9:59 am

    The fraudulent history of the survival of the fittest ethos, ultimately the narrative of the current cave man revival, is laid bare here.

  16. @mockingloris

    July 3, 2025 at 11:48 pm

    TLDR; It is standing on shoulders of giants.

  17. @RichardSkipperCelebrates

    July 4, 2025 at 12:09 pm

    Great Podcast! How can I submit a show suggestion to you? Google Me!

  18. @valj1042

    July 5, 2025 at 6:30 am

    Your Ying and yang mind makes your whole.

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