William S. Burroughs Quotes

Silence is only frightening to people who are compulsively verbalizing.

William S. Burroughs

Language is a virus from outer space.

William S. Burroughs

No one owns life, but anyone who can pick up a frying pan owns death.

William S. Burroughs

The way to kill a man or a nation is to cut off his dreams, the way the whites are taking care of the Indians: killing their dreams, their magic, their familiar spirits.

William S. Burroughs

Happiness is a byproduct of function, purpose, and conflict; those who seek happiness for itself seek victory without war.

William S. Burroughs

Desperation is the raw material of drastic change. Only those who can leave behind everything they have ever believed in can hope to escape.

William S. Burroughs

Your mind will answer most questions if you learn to relax and wait for the answer.

William S. Burroughs

You must learn to exist with no religion, no country, no allies. You must learn to live alone in silence.

William S. Burroughs

In deep sadness there is no place for sentimentality.

William S. Burroughs

The purpose of technology is not to confuse the brain but to serve the body.

William S. Burroughs

The cat does not offer services. The cat offers itself. Of course he wants care and shelter. You don't buy love for nothing.

William S. Burroughs

Like all pure creatures, cats are practical.

William S. Burroughs

After one look at this planet any visitor from outer space would say 'I want to see the manager.'

William S. Burroughs

Man is an artifact designed for space travel. He is not designed to remain in his present biologic state any more than a tadpole is designed to remain a tadpole.

William S. Burroughs