William S. Burroughs: Quotes about people

William S. Burroughs was American novelist, short story writer, essayist, painter, and spoken word performer. Explore interesting quotes on people.
William S. Burroughs: 220 quotes24 likes

“The face of "evil" is always the face of total need. A dope fiend is a man in total need of dope. Beyond a certain frequency need knows absolutely no limit or control. In the words of total need: "Wouldn't you?" Yes you would. You would lie, cheat, inform on your friends, steal, do anything to satisfy total need. Because you would be in a state of total sickness, total possession, and not in a position to act in any other way. Dope fiends are sick people who cannot act other than they do. A rabid dog cannot choose but bite.”

William S. Burroughs book Naked Lunch

Introduction
Naked Lunch (1959)

“He felt a killing hate for the stupid, ordinary, disapproving people who kept him from doing what he wanted to do.”

William S. Burroughs book Queer

Source: Queer: A Novel (1985), Chapter Nine

“Like many people who have nothing to do, he was very resentful of any claims on his time.”

William S. Burroughs

Source: Queer: A Novel (1985), Chapter Five
Context: He forced himself to look at the facts. Allerton was not queer enough to make a reciprocal relation possible. Lee's affection irritated him. Like many people who have nothing to do, he was very resentful of any claims on his time. He had no close friends. He disliked definite appointments. He did not like to feel that anybody expected anything from him. He wanted, so far as possible, to live without external pressure.

“After a shooting spree, they always want to take the guns away from the people who didn't do it.”

William S. Burroughs

I sure as hell wouldn't want to live in a society where the only people allowed guns are the police and the military.
Grand Street, no. 37 & The War Universe (1992)

“When people start talking about their bowel movements, they are inexorable as the processes of which they speak.”

William S. Burroughs book Junkie

Junkie (1953)

“Youth rebellion is a world wide phenomenon that has not been seen before in history. I don't believe they will calm down and be ad execs at thirty as the establishment would like to believe. Millions of young people all over the world are fed up with shallow unworthy authority running on a platform of bullshit.”

William S. Burroughs

"The Coming of the Purple Better One"
Exterminator! A Novel (1971)

“Stupid people can learn a language quiet and easy because there is nothing going on in there to keep it out.”

William S. Burroughs

Two Years Later: Mexico City Return
Queer: A Novel (1985)

“Lola's was not exactly a bar. It was a small beer-and-soda joint. There was a Coca-Cola box full of beer and soda and ice at the left of the door as you came in. A counter with tube-metal stools covered in yellow glazed leather ran down one side of the room as far as the jukebox. Tables were lined along the wall opposite the counter. The stools had long since lost the rubber caps for the legs and made horrible screeching noises when the maid pushed them around to sweep. There was a kitchen in back, where a slovenly cook fried everything in rancid fat. There was neither a past nor future in Lola's. The place was a waiting room, where certain people checked in a certain times.”

William S. Burroughs

Source: Queer: A Novel (1985), Chapter Two

“Peoples of the earth, you have all been poisoned.' Convert all available stocks of morphine to apomorphine. Chemists, work round the clock on variation and synthesis of the apomorphine formulae.”

William S. Burroughs book Nova Express

Nova Express (1968)

“The rudeness of many Americans depressed him, a rudeness based on a solid ignorance of the whole concept of manners, and on the proposition that for social purposes, all people are more or less equal and interchangeable.”

William S. Burroughs

Source: Queer: A Novel (1985), Chapter One

“Peoples of the earth, you have all been poisoned.”

William S. Burroughs book Nova Express

Convert all available stocks of morphine to apomorphine. Chemists, work round the clock on variation and synthesis of the apomorphine formulae.
Nova Express (1968)