--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Desire is naughty and doesn't conform to…" description: "\"“Desire is naughty and doesn't conform to our ideals, which is why we have such a need of them. Desire mocks all human endeavour and makes it worthwhil..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf2/hanif-kureishi-3233_desire_desire-is-naughty-and-doesn-t-conform-to_94273.jpg" --- # Desire is naughty and doesn't conform to our ideals, which… ![“Desire is naughty and doesn't conform to our ideals, which is why we have such a need of them. Desire mocks all human endeavour and makes it worthwhile. Desire is the original anarchist and undercover agent – no wonder people want it arrested and kept in a safe place. And just when we think we've…” quote by Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf2/hanif-kureishi-3233_desire_desire-is-naughty-and-doesn-t-conform-to_94273.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf2/hanif-kureishi-3233_desire_desire-is-naughty-and-doesn-t-conform-to_94273.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf2/hanif-kureishi-3233_desire_desire-is-naughty-and-doesn-t-conform-to_94273.jpg) > ““Desire is naughty and doesn't conform to our ideals, which is why we have such a need of them. Desire mocks all human endeavour and makes it worthwhile. Desire is the original anarchist and undercover agent – no wonder people want it arrested and kept in a safe place. And just when we think we've got desire under control it lets us down or fills us with hope. Desire makes me laugh because it makes fools of us all.”” [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Desire subverts order, fuels ambition, and ultimately reveals our folly. **In simple terms:** Desire is chaotic and essential. Key Takeaway It both drives and mocks us. Themes desire anarchy human ambition Mood playful provocative Type essay excerpt philosophical When to use this quote - creative brainstorming - risk‑taking in entrepreneurship - artistic inspiration Key Concepts motivation existential irony Practical Applications - creative writing prompts - marketing campaigns Questions to Reflect On - How does desire shape your goals? - When does desire become self‑sabotage? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Safe place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/safe-place/) ## Related quotes > [I've got no desire to be famous myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-fallon/i-ve-got-no-desire-to-be-famous-myself/) [Jane Fallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-fallon/) > [I've always got a desire to win - I believe I'm a winner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naby-keita/i-ve-always-got-a-desire-to-win-i-believe-i-m-a-winner/) [Naby Keita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naby-keita/) > [Desire makes everything blossom; possession makes everything wither and fade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/desire-makes-everything-blossom-possession-makes-everything-wither/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [A little fire fixed in good with desire. Makes my heart sing like a choir. I'm on a respirator whenever he leaves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-fiona/a-little-fire-fixed-in-good-with-desire-makes-my-heart-sing-like-a/) [Melanie Fiona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-fiona/) > [Desire makes everything blossom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/desire-makes-everything-blossom/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [“Desire makes idiots of all of us. But you already knew that part, didn't you?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-t-gibson/desire-makes-idiots-of-all-of-us-but-you-already-knew-that-part-didn/) S.T. Gibson > [Desire makes life happen. Makes it matter. Makes everything worth it. Desire is life. Hunger to see the next sunrise or sunset, to touch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/desire-makes-life-happen-makes-it-matter-makes-everything-worth-it/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [In these times - where social appearance is more important than spiritual substance - what has become our longing to change is really the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-finley/in-these-times-where-social-appearance-is-more-important-than/) [Guy Finley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-finley/) > [“Now is the only time you have. Change is happening. Give up your desire to control the world”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-martin/now-is-the-only-time-you-have-change-is-happening-give-up-your-desire/) [Kelly Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-martin/) > [There is a very Simple Secret to being happy. Just let go of your 'demand' on this moment. Any time you have a demand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adyashanti/there-is-a-very-simple-secret-to-being-happy-just-let-go-of-your/) [Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/) > [When you relinquish the desire to control your future, you can have more happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-kidman/when-you-relinquish-the-desire-to-control-your-future-you-can-have/) [Nicole Kidman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-kidman/) > [Most human beings, though in varying degrees, desire to control, not only their own lives but also the lives of others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/most-human-beings-though-in-varying-degrees-desire-to-control-not/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“By giving us control, our new technologies tend to enhance existing idols in our lives. Instead of becoming more like Christ through the forming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-challies/by-giving-us-control-our-new-technologies-tend-to-enhance-existing/) [Tim Challies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-challies/) > [It is hard to fight desire; but to control it is the sign of a reasonable man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/it-is-hard-to-fight-desire-but-to-control-it-is-the-sign-of-a/) [Democritus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/democritus/) > [If you distill the essence of everything, what life is about, every single one of us is given a short moment in time on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-newsom/if-you-distill-the-essence-of-everything-what-life-is-about-every/) [Gavin Newsom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-newsom/) ## More by Hanif Kureishi > [I'm always writing. I'm an obsessive. It's not because I'm a disciplined person. It's because I'm crazy about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/i-m-always-writing-i-m-an-obsessive-it-s-not-because-i-m-a/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [I've never had any desire to be good. I don't like goodness particularly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/i-ve-never-had-any-desire-to-be-good-i-don-t-like-goodness/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [ Harvey \[Weinstein\] didn't want to release \[MY SON THE FANATIC\]; he held it for two years because he wanted a happy ending, although I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/harvey-weinstein-didn-t-want-to-release-my-son-the-fanatic-he-held-it/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [“Starenje nije za slabice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/starenje-nije-za-slabice/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [“Ali isto tako sam i shvatio da prestupnistvo samo ucvrscuje pravila koja pokusava da prekrsi. Nista ne osnazuje normu kao odstupanje od nje.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/ali-isto-tako-sam-i-shvatio-da-prestupnistvo-samo-ucvrscuje-pravila/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [One would hope, as well that intimacy would leave more of a mark, that more of it would remain. But it doesn’t. You just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/one-would-hope-as-well-that-intimacy-would-leave-more-of-a-mark-that/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [“You see people truly when they enjoy the most.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/you-see-people-truly-when-they-enjoy-the-most/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [I guess writing is a kind of therapy in the sense that there are things you need to say and you say them, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/i-guess-writing-is-a-kind-of-therapy-in-the-sense-that-there-are/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [What a quality of innocence people have when they don't expect to be harmed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/what-a-quality-of-innocence-people-have-when-they-don-t-expect-to-be/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [“People who were only ever half right about things drove me mad. I hated the flood of opinion, the certainty, the easy talk about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/people-who-were-only-ever-half-right-about-things-drove-me-mad-i/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [I began to enjoy my own generosity; I felt the pleasure of pleasing others, especially as this was accompanied by money-power. I was paying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/i-began-to-enjoy-my-own-generosity-i-felt-the-pleasure-of-pleasing/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [“Maybe you never stop feeling like an eight-year-old in front of your parents. You resolve to be your mature self, to react in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/maybe-you-never-stop-feeling-like-an-eight-year-old-in-front-of-your/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [“I don’t like being left for long struggling with my dangerous self.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/i-don-t-like-being-left-for-long-struggling-with-my-dangerous-self/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [“Who doesn’t love cock?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/who-doesn-t-love-cock/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [“Istina nas uvek iznenadi.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/istina-nas-uvek-iznenadi/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) [Explore all 129 Hanif Kureishi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) ## More Desire quotes > [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/) Ted Martinez > [Passion is what you need to be good, an unforgiving passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-easton/passion-is-what-you-need-to-be-good-an-unforgiving-passion/) [David Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-easton/) > [I want the municipality to be a helping hand to the man with a desire of sympathy, to help the fallen when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burns/i-want-the-municipality-to-be-a-helping-hand-to-the-man-with-a-desire/) [John Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burns/) > [Ye youths and virgins, when your generous blood Has drunk the warmth of fifteen summers, now The loves invite; now to new rapture wakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-armstrong/ye-youths-and-virgins-when-your-generous-blood-has-drunk-the-warmth/) [John Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-armstrong/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“THE ESSENCE OF YOUR DESIRE IS A FEELING”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-laporte/the-essence-of-your-desire-is-a-feeling/) [Danielle LaPorte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-laporte/) > [On the brink of being satiated, desire still appears infinite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/on-the-brink-of-being-satiated-desire-still-appears-infinite/) [Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [He caught her, she fell, he caught her in his arms, he held her tightly unconscious of what he was doing. He held her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/he-caught-her-she-fell-he-caught-her-in-his-arms-he-held-her-tightly/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“The deepest urge in human nature is the desire to be important.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/the-deepest-urge-in-human-nature-is-the-desire-to-be-important/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [In discovering books, you became free to explore the full range of human motives, desires, secrets, and lies. All my life, people have scolded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/in-discovering-books-you-became-free-to-explore-the-full-range-of/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) > [I have never been in, nor have I had any strong particular desire to be in, what is termed a costume drama, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-have-never-been-in-nor-have-i-had-any-strong-particular-desire-to/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [Now I am in the place I call this wide wide Heaven because it includes all my simplest desires but also the most humble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-sebold/now-i-am-in-the-place-i-call-this-wide-wide-heaven-because-it/) [Alice Sebold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-sebold/) > [“from THE DEVIL YOU KNOW : She wanted him too. He could see it in the rapid rise of her breasts. He could smell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emery-lee/from-the-devil-you-know-she-wanted-him-too-he-could-see-it-in-the/) [Emery Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emery-lee/) [Browse all 15,155 Desire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Desire is naughty and doesn't conform to our ideals, which is why we have such a need of them. Desire mocks all human endeavour and makes it worthwhile. Desire is the original anarchist and undercover agent – no wonder people want it arrested and kept in a safe place. And just when we think we've got desire under control it lets us down or fills us with hope. 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