--- title: "15 Firsts Quotes By William S. Burroughs" description: "15 Firsts quotes by William S. Burroughs. Plus more from William S. Burroughs and more Firsts sayings from other authors." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58c/william-s-burroughs-528_ass_home-is-where-your-ass-is-and-if-you-wan_1851887.png" --- > [Home is where your ass is and if you want to move you move your ass the first step is learning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/home-is-where-your-ass-is-and-if-you-want-to-move-you-move-your-ass/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58c/william-s-burroughs-528_ass_home-is-where-your-ass-is-and-if-you-wan_1851887.png) > [Many of my characters first came through to me as voices. That's why I use a tape recorder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/many-of-my-characters-first-came-through-to-me-as-voices-that-s-why-i/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef3/william-s-burroughs-528_character_many-of-my-characters-first-came-through_758616.png) > [There are no innocent bystanders ... what are they doing there in the first place?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/there-are-no-innocent-bystanders-what-are-they-doing-there-in-the/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/347/william-s-burroughs-528_bystanders_there-are-no-innocent-bystanders-what-ar_2085845.png) > [First there was a young guy sitting in front of television in a T-shirt drinking beer with his mother, then there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/first-there-was-a-young-guy-sitting-in-front-of-television-in-a-t/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e56/william-s-burroughs-528_beer_first-there-was-a-young-guy-sitting-in-f_1437978.png) > [Now Christianity sounded good at first to the naive convert. Love, peace and charity - what's wrong with that? I'll tell you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/now-christianity-sounded-good-at-first-to-the-naive-convert-love/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e4/william-s-burroughs-528_american-indian_now-christianity-sounded-good-at-first-t_207437.jpg) > [The first and most important thing an individual can do is to become an individual again, decontrol himself, train himself as to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/the-first-and-most-important-thing-an-individual-can-do-is-to-become/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d55/william-s-burroughs-528_art_the-first-and-most-important-thing-an-in_2853169.jpg) > [I took a shot of morphine, liked it, and eventually became addicted. It takes quite a while. It took me three months…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/i-took-a-shot-of-morphine-liked-it-and-eventually-became-addicted-it/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/340/william-s-burroughs-528_becoming_i-took-a-shot-of-morphine-liked-it-and-e_1667693.png) > [I feel that any form of so called psychotherapy is strongly contraindicated for addicts. The question Why did you start using narcotics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/i-feel-that-any-form-of-so-called-psychotherapy-is-strongly/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/48a/william-s-burroughs-528_addict_i-feel-that-any-form-of-so-called-psycho_308829.jpg) > [The idea was that we would decide the order when we looked at the proofs. I remember Brion Gysin saying "Well, why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/the-idea-was-that-we-would-decide-the-order-when-we-looked-at-the/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/919/william-s-burroughs-528_chapters_the-idea-was-that-we-would-decide-the-or_173238.png) > [I wasn't exposed to art as I was growing up, and can't recall the first time I saw a work of art.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/i-wasn-t-exposed-to-art-as-i-was-growing-up-and-can-t-recall-the/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f7/william-s-burroughs-528_art_i-wasn-t-exposed-to-art-as-i-was-growing_1161901.png) > [One very important aspect of art is that it makes people aware of what they know and don’t know they know. .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/one-very-important-aspect-of-art-is-that-it-makes-people-aware-of/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d67/william-s-burroughs-528_art_one-very-important-aspect-of-art-is-that_420583.png) > [To be an outlaw you must first have a base in law to reject and get out of, I never had such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/to-be-an-outlaw-you-must-first-have-a-base-in-law-to-reject-and-get/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e1/william-s-burroughs-528_alien_to-be-an-outlaw-you-must-first-have-a-ba_1669433.png) > [Evidence indicates that cats were first tamed in Egypt. The Egyptians stored grain, which attracted rodents, which attracted cats. (No evidence that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/evidence-indicates-that-cats-were-first-tamed-in-egypt-the-egyptians/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f7/william-s-burroughs-528_accurate_evidence-indicates-that-cats-were-first_1214670.png) > [According to the legend an evil old doctor, who called himself God and us dogs, created the first boy in his adolescent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/according-to-the-legend-an-evil-old-doctor-who-called-himself-god-and/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abf/william-s-burroughs-528_adam_according-to-the-legend-an-evil-old-doct_521397.jpg) > [I don't go into hysterics or anything, but I look around for something to smash it with. I used to live out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/i-don-t-go-into-hysterics-or-anything-but-i-look-around-for-something/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb2/william-s-burroughs-528_centipedes_i-don-t-go-into-hysterics-or-anything-bu_776253.png) ## Other authors on Firsts ## More by William S. Burroughs > [“Control never be a means to any practical end. It can never be a means to anything but more control… Like punk.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/control-never-be-a-means-to-any-practical-end-it-can-never-be-a-means/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [“Well as, one judge said to the other, 'Be just and if you can't be just be arbitrary.' Regret cannot observe customary obscenities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/well-as-one-judge-said-to-the-other-be-just-and-if-you-can-t-be-just/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [After one look at this planet any visitor from outer space would say 'I want to see the manager.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/after-one-look-at-this-planet-any-visitor-from-outer-space-would-say/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [For seven days she lay in bed looking sullenly at the ceiling as though resenting the death she had cultivated for so many years.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/for-seven-days-she-lay-in-bed-looking-sullenly-at-the-ceiling-as/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [When you stop growing you start dying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/when-you-stop-growing-you-start-dying/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [Life is a cutup. And to pretend that you write or paint in a timeless vacuum is just simply . . . not .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/life-is-a-cutup-and-to-pretend-that-you-write-or-paint-in-a-timeless/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [When all lies, deceit, pretense is stripped away, what remains? The truth of a painting, or a book or a man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/when-all-lies-deceit-pretense-is-stripped-away-what-remains-the-truth/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [“There is no final enough of wisdom, experience - any fucking thing. No Holy Grail, No Final Satori, no solution. Just conflict. Only thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/there-is-no-final-enough-of-wisdom-experience-any-fucking-thing-no/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [“For John Dillinger In hope he is still alive Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 1986 In hope he is still alive Thanks for the wild…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/for-john-dillinger-in-hope-he-is-still-alive-thanksgiving-day/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [“Did I ever tell you about the man who taught his asshole to talk? His whole abdomen would move up and down, you dig,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/did-i-ever-tell-you-about-the-man-who-taught-his-asshole-to-talk-his/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [You need a good bedside manner with doctors or you will get nowhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/you-need-a-good-bedside-manner-with-doctors-or-you-will-get-nowhere/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [There couldn't be a society of people who didn't dream. They'd be dead in two weeks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/there-couldn-t-be-a-society-of-people-who-didn-t-dream-they-d-be-dead/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [I prefer cats to people, for the most part. Most people aren't cute at all, and if they are cute they very rapidly outgrow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/i-prefer-cats-to-people-for-the-most-part-most-people-aren-t-cute-at/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [ \[Arab peoples\] are stuck back thousands of years and they think they're going to get out with a TV set. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/arab-peoples-are-stuck-back-thousands-of-years-and-they-think-they-re/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [“It is not the intensity but the duration of pain that breaks the will to resist.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/it-is-not-the-intensity-but-the-duration-of-pain-that-breaks-the-will/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/william-s-burroughs/#itemlist", "name": "15 Firsts Quotes By William S. 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Love, peace and charity - what's wrong with that? I'll tell you what's wrong - a series of unprecedented horrors perpetrated by so-called Christians: The Inquisition, the Conquistadores, the American Indian wars, slavery, Hiroshima and the present-day Bible Belt.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William S. 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It takes quite a while. It took me three months the first time. This nonsense of people becoming addicted with one shot is medically unsound.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William S. Burroughs" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/i-took-a-shot-of-morphine-liked-it-and-eventually-became-addicted-it/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/340/william-s-burroughs-528_becoming_i-took-a-shot-of-morphine-liked-it-and-e_1667693.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/340/william-s-burroughs-528_becoming_i-took-a-shot-of-morphine-liked-it-and-e_1667693.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/340/william-s-burroughs-528_becoming_i-took-a-shot-of-morphine-liked-it-and-e_1667693.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I took a shot of morphine, liked it, and eventually became addicted. It takes quite a while. It took me…” — William S. Burroughs", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 8, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I feel that any form of so called psychotherapy is strongly contraindicated for addicts. The question Why did you start using narcotics in the first place? should never be asked. It is quite as irrelevant to treatment as it would be to ask a malarial patient why he went to a malarial area.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William S. Burroughs" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/i-feel-that-any-form-of-so-called-psychotherapy-is-strongly/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/48a/william-s-burroughs-528_addict_i-feel-that-any-form-of-so-called-psycho_308829.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/48a/william-s-burroughs-528_addict_i-feel-that-any-form-of-so-called-psycho_308829.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/48a/william-s-burroughs-528_addict_i-feel-that-any-form-of-so-called-psycho_308829.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I feel that any form of so called psychotherapy is strongly contraindicated for addicts. The question Why…” — William S. Burroughs", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 9, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The idea was that we would decide the order when we looked at the proofs. I remember Brion Gysin saying \"Well, why change it? It's perfect the way it is, the way it came from the printer.\" Made one major change, that is, the first chapter that came from the printers, which would be the beginning, we moved to the end. The first chapter became the last chapter. There's no actual cutups in Naked Lunch.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William S. 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Burroughs", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 12, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To be an outlaw you must first have a base in law to reject and get out of, I never had such a base. I never had a place I could call home that meant any more than a key to a house, apartment or hotel room. … Am I alien? Alien from what exactly? Perhaps my home is my dream city, more real than my waking life precisely because it has no relation to waking life…", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William S. 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The Egyptians stored grain, which attracted rodents, which attracted cats. (No evidence that such a thing happened with the Mayans, though a number of wild cats are native to the area.) I don't think this is accurate. It is certainly not the whole story. Cats didn't start as mousers. Weasels and snakes and dogs are more efficient as rodent-control agents. I postulate that cats started as psychic companions, as Familiars, and have never deviated from this function.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William S. 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