Quotes about want
page 59

Mary E. Pearson photo
Sue Monk Kidd photo
William Faulkner photo
Emma Donoghue photo
H.L. Mencken photo

“Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard.”

H.L. Mencken (1880–1956) American journalist and writer

"A Few Pages of Notes," http://books.google.com/books?id=hXVHAAAAYAAJ&q=%22Democracy+is+the+theory+that+the+common+people+know+what+they+want+and+deserve+to+get+it+good+and+hard%22&pg=PA435#v=onepage The Smart Set (January 1915); later published in A Little Book in C major http://books.google.com/books?id=EAJbAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Democracy+is+the+theory+that+the+common+people+know+what+they+want+and+deserve+to+get+it+good+and+hard%22&pg=PA19#v=onepage (1916), and A Mencken Crestomathy (1949)
1910s
Source: A Little Book in C Major

Ayn Rand photo
Jodi Picoult photo
Karen Marie Moning photo
Ilchi Lee photo
Joyce Meyer photo
John Steinbeck photo

“No one wants advice, only corroboration.”

Source: The Winter of Our Discontent (1961), Part One, Chapter VI

Zelda Fitzgerald photo

“I dont' want to live - I want to love first, and live incidentally.”

Zelda Fitzgerald (1900–1948) Novelist, wife of F. Scott Fitzgerald

Variant: I don't want to live, I want to love first and live incidentally.
Source: Dear Scott, Dearest Zelda: The Love Letters of F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald

Candace Bushnell photo
Anatole France photo

“The average man, who does not know what to do with his life, wants another one which will last forever.”

Variant: For the majority of people, though they do not know what to do with this life, long for another that shall have no end.
Source: The Revolt of the Angels (1914), Ch. XXI

Hunter S. Thompson photo
Khaled Hosseini photo

“Oh, Life, I am yours. Whatever it is you want of me, I am ready to give.”

William Steig (1907–2003) American cartoonist, children's illustrator and writer

Source: Dominic

Jasper Fforde photo
James Patterson photo
Robert McKee photo

“When we want mood experiences, we go to concerts or museums. When we want meaningful emotional experience, we go to the storyteller.”

Robert McKee (1941) American academic specialised in seminars for screenwriters

Source: Story: Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting

Cassandra Clare photo
Gerhard Richter photo
Jack McDevitt photo

“If you want data to survive, carve it in rock.”

Jack McDevitt (1935) American novelist, Short story writer

Source: Academy Series - Priscilla "Hutch" Hutchins, Cauldron (2007), Chapter 28 (p. 256)

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe photo

“Who wants to understand the poem
Must go to the land of poetry;
Who wishes to understand the poet
Must go to the poet's land.”

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German writer, artist, and politician

West-östlicher Diwan, motto (1819)

Gustav Stresemann photo
Rockwell Kent photo
Roberto Clemente photo

“The first thing the average white Latin American player does when he comes to the States is associate with other whites. He doesn't want to be seen with Latin Negroes, even from his own country, because he's afraid people might think he's colored.”

Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) Puerto Rican baseball player

As quoted in “Roberto Clementeː Pounder from Puerto Rico” by John Devaney, in Baseball Stars of 1964 (1964), edited by Ray Robinson, p. 150
Other, <big><big>1960s</big></big>, <big>1964</big>

Trent Lott photo

“I want the President to look across the country and find the best man woman or minority that he can find.”

Trent Lott (1941) United States Senator from Mississippi

On Harriet Miers as Supreme Court Justice.
2000s

Andrew Sullivan photo
Pierre Corneille photo

“The king, just and prudent, wants only those things which he can get.”

Le Roi, juste et prudent, ne veut que ce qu'il peut.
Laodice, act I, scene ii.
Nicomède (1651)

Leo Tolstoy photo
Robert G. Ingersoll photo
Robert A. Heinlein photo
Plutarch photo

“When Demaratus was asked whether he held his tongue because he was a fool or for want of words, he replied, "A fool cannot hold his tongue."”

Plutarch (46–127) ancient Greek historian and philosopher

Of Demaratus
Laconic Apophthegms

Robert Crumb photo
Salma Hayek photo
David Draiman photo
Anthony Bourdain photo

“This means you want to do sex in your house with your door open. And show to people the way you are doing sex.”

On kissing scenes in films, as quoted in " You want to do sex in your house with your door open http://www.punemirror.in/pune/cover-story/You-want-to-do-sex-in-your-house-with-your-door-open/articleshow/49875892.cms" Pune Mirror (22 November 2015)

Warren Zevon photo

“I can saw a woman in two.
But you won't want to look in the box when I do”

Warren Zevon (1947–2003) American singer-songwriter

"For My Next Trick I'll Need A Volunteer"
Life'll Kill Ya (2000)

Eliezer Yudkowsky photo
Stjepan Mesić photo
Jane Collins photo
Courtney Love photo

“It's my lie and I believe in it
It's my lie and I wanted it
It's my bed and I'll bleed in it
It's my bed, and I'll lie
And I sit on the corner
And I drink drown soda
I wanna bomb the whole state of Minnesota”

Courtney Love (1964) American punk singer-songwriter, musician, actress, and artist

"Drown Soda"
Song lyrics, B-sides and compilations

George W. Bush photo

“…they want the federal government controlling Social Security, like it's some kind of federal program.”

George W. Bush (1946) 43rd President of the United States

Speaking of "some [people] in Washington", and in support of his campaign plan to allow workers to invest some portion of their Social Security payroll taxes. Campaign stop, November 2, 2000. http://www.nytimes.com/2000/11/04/us/the-2000-campaign-the-vice-president-attacks-grow-sharp-as-time-dwindles.html
2000s, 2000

Steve Wozniak photo

“Soldering things together, putting the chips together, designing them, drawing them on drafting tables — it was so much a passion in my life. And to this day, I'll go stay at the bottom of the org chart being an engineer, because that's where I want to be.”

Steve Wozniak (1950) American inventor, computer engineer and programmer

Steve Wozniak Debunks One of Apple's Biggest Myths - YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJif4i9NRdI
Bloomberg Business interview (2014)

“IBM wanted CP/M prompts. It made me throw up.”

Tim Paterson (1956) American computer programmer, best known as the original author of MS-DOS

[David, Hunter, The Roots of DOS, 1983, Softalk for the IBM Personal Computer, http://www.patersontech.com/Dos/Softalk/Softalk.html, 2007-06-14]

A. R. Rahman photo
Bernard Kerik photo
Ron Paul photo
Carole King photo

“One fine day, you'll look at me
And you will know our love was, meant to be.
One fine day, you're gonna want me for your girl.”

Carole King (1942) Nasa

One Fine Day (1963), Co-written with Gerry Goffin, recorded by The Chiffons
Song lyrics, Singles

Frank Bainimarama photo

“If we don't act, this country is going to go to the dogs and no investor will want to come here.”

Frank Bainimarama (1954) Prime Minister of Fiji

(8 December 2004).
2000, 2004

Jonah Goldberg photo
Daniel Johns photo
Aristophanés photo
John B. Anderson photo

“The time has come to stop telling the American people only what they want them to hear, and start talking frankly about the sacrifices we must all make.”

John B. Anderson (1922–2017) American politician

As quoted in “Anderson Offers Barter: Ideas for Votes” by Bernard Weinraub, in The New York Times (12 March 1980)

Billy Joel photo
Marilyn Monroe photo

“The studio people want me to do "Good-bye Charlie" for the movies, but I'm not going to do it. I don't like the idea of playing a man in a woman's body — you know? It just doesn't seem feminine.”

Marilyn Monroe (1926–1962) American actress, model, and singer

On turning down a role, eventually played by Debbie Reynolds, as quoted in Ms. magazine (August 1972) p. 41

Matt Taibbi photo
Heather Brooke photo
Peter Sellers photo

“We don't want to start a nuclear war unless we really have to, now do we Jack?”

Peter Sellers (1925–1980) British film actor, comedian and singer

As "Captain Mandrake" to Colonel Jack Ripper in Dr. Strangelove (1964)
Performances

Pete Yorn photo
Sania Mirza photo
Gore Vidal photo
Alexander Maclaren photo
George W. Bush photo

“…because the 9/11 Commission wants to ask us questions, that's why we're meeting. And I look forward to meeting with them and answering their questions. […] Because it's a good chance for both of us to answer questions that the 9/11 Commission is looking forward to asking us, and I'm looking forward to answering them.”

George W. Bush (1946) 43rd President of the United States

From "President Addresses the Nation in Prime Time Press Conference" http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2004/04/20040413-20.html, Washington, D.C., on why the President and the Vice President insisted on appearing together before the 9/11 Commission, rather than separately. (April 13, 2004)
2000s, 2004

Joe Trohman photo

“There’s a lot of spaz inside of me. I know people don’t want to see it throughout the day, so I figure, why not unleash it all onstage.”

Joe Trohman (1984) American musician

My Heart Will Always Be The B-Side To My Tongue (2004), Ultimate Guitar Interview (2008)

James Wilks photo
Paul Allen photo

“I simply wanted to advance the field of artificial intelligence so that computers could do what they do best (organize and analyze information) to help people do what they do best, those inspired leaps of intuition that fuel original ideas and breakthroughs.”

Paul Allen (1953–2018) American inventor, investor and philanthropist

The Washington Post: "Thought process: Building an artificial brain" http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/national/2015/09/30/brain/ (30 September 2015)

Geert Wilders photo
Bob Dylan photo

“[Recounting a scene in The Gunfighter] Turn him loose, let him go, let him say he outdrew me fair and square — I want him to feel what it's like to every moment face his death.”

Bob Dylan (1941) American singer-songwriter, musician, author, and artist

Song lyrics, Knocked Out Loaded (1986), Brownsville Girl (with Sam Shepard)

William Saroyan photo
Johnny Depp photo
Thomas Fuller (writer) photo

“5499. What is the Use of Patience, if we cannot find it when we want it?”

Thomas Fuller (writer) (1654–1734) British physician, preacher, and intellectual

Compare Poor Richard's Almanack (1747) : What signifies your Patience, if you can't find it when you want it.
Introductio ad prudentiam: Part II (1727), Gnomologia (1732)

Donald J. Trump photo
Marcus Aurelius photo

“Live a good life. If there are gods and they are just, then they will not care how devout you have been, but will welcome you based on the virtues you have lived by. If there are gods, but unjust, then you should not want to worship them. If there are no gods, then you will be gone, but will have lived a noble life that will live on in the memories of your loved ones.”

Marcus Aurelius (121–180) Emperor of Ancient Rome

No printed sources exist for this prior to 2009, and this seems to have been an attribution which arose on the internet, as indicated by web searches and rationales provided at "Marcus Aurelius and source checking" at Three Shouts on a Hilltop (14 June 2011) http://threeshoutsonahilltop.blogspot.com/2011/06/marcus-aurelius-and-source-checking.html
This quote may be a paraphrase of Meditations, Book II:
Since it is possible that thou mayest depart from life this very moment, regulate every act and thought accordingly.
But to go away from among men, if there are gods, is not a thing to be afraid of, for the gods will not involve thee in evil;
but if indeed they do not exist, or if they have no concern about human affairs, what is it to me to live in a universe devoid of gods or devoid of Providence?
But Gods there are, undoubtedly, and they regard human affairs; and have put it wholly in our power, that we should not fall into what is truly evil
Misattributed

African Spir photo
Caroline Dhavernas photo

“Most reporters I've spoken with want very badly to understand what is happening to her, but the "why" is really very unimportant. That is just not the point of the show. The journey is how she will deal with this situation, and how it will change her life.”

Caroline Dhavernas (1978) Canadian actress

About her character on Wonderfalls, in "'Wonderfalls' Spills Torrent of Wit" by John Crooks at Zap2it.com (2004) http://entertainment.msn.com/news/article.aspx?news=151951&wa=wsignin1.0

Edmund Burke photo

“Tyrants seldom want pretexts.”

Edmund Burke (1729–1797) Anglo-Irish statesman

Letter to a Member of the National Assembly (1791)
A Letter to a Member of the National Assembly (1791)

David Shuster photo

“Everybody involved in this story - from Prejean to Terrell to pageant officials to Trump, - everybody involved makes me want to vomit.”

David Shuster (1967) American television journalist

5:17 PM - 12 May 09 http://twitter.com/DavidShuster/status/1774179448
On Twitter

Sun Myung Moon photo
Eldon Hoke photo
Donald J. Trump photo
Don Cherry photo
Salma Hayek photo

“I'd hear, "Because they paid the man, there's no money for the woman." How many times do you think I heard this? Over and over. Then I became a sex symbol. Now, how the hell did that happen? I don't exactly know the moment when it happened, but all of a sudden I'm a bombshell. The way I discovered this was I did Desperado. I had a very hard time with the love scene. I cried throughout the love scene. That's why you never see long pieces of the love scene — it's little pieces cut together. I'm crying most of the time so they have to take little pieces. It took eight hours instead of an hour. I nearly got fired. … Because I didn't want to be naked in front of a camera. The whole time, I'm thinking of my father and my brother… And then when the movie comes out, I read the first review. What do they say about me. "Salma Hayek is a bombshell." I had heard that when a movie does badly here, they say it bombs. So I'm crying. Thinking they're saying, "That terrible actress! It's a bomb! Salma Hayek is the worst part of the movie!" I called my friend and said, "The critics are destroying me!" She says, "No, they're saying you're very sexy." And then I look at all the reviews, and everybody said I was very sexy. So I'm very confused. I said, "I wonder if that's good or bad." I hear, "Yes, that's good." Then I do Fools Rush In, and I'm a pregnant woman. And they say I'm sexy again! I go, "But I'm pregnant!"”

Salma Hayek (1966) Mexican-American actress and producer

I'm not even naked in this movie, and they still say I'm sexy. And then it became very depressing — I thought, I guess I'm reduced to that now. That's all I am in the perception of these people.
O interview (2003)

Bert McCracken photo

“I just kind of thought about doing this my whole life. I never doubted myself once. I've always been singing, and I've always wanted to be on tour with a rock band.”

Bert McCracken (1982) American musician

Eric R. Danton (September 1, 2005) "McCracken Had No Rock Doubts", The Hartford Courant, The Hartford Courant Co., p. 5.

Anthony Burgess photo

“Everything off. I want to see you in your horrific potbellied hairy filthy nakedness.”

Anthony Burgess (1917–1993) English writer

Fiction, The Clockwork Testament, or Enderby's End (1974)