--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I would tell anyone who wants something…" description: "\"I would tell anyone who wants something from someone else to feign not wanting it. People are perverse. If you show great affection to them, they'll ru..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/551/hedy-lamarr-8401_affection_i-would-tell-anyone-who-wants-something_1538066.jpg" --- # I would tell anyone who wants something from someone else… ![“I would tell anyone who wants something from someone else to feign not wanting it. People are perverse. If you show great affection to them, they'll run the other way.” quote by Hedy Lamarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/551/hedy-lamarr-8401_affection_i-would-tell-anyone-who-wants-something_1538066.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/551/hedy-lamarr-8401_affection_i-would-tell-anyone-who-wants-something_1538066.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/551/hedy-lamarr-8401_affection_i-would-tell-anyone-who-wants-something_1538066.jpg) > “I would tell anyone who wants something from someone else to feign not wanting it. People are perverse. If you show great affection to them, they'll run the other way.” [Hedy Lamarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hedy-lamarr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She advises feigning disinterest to avoid manipulation, noting human nature’s tendency to pursue what seems unattainable. **In simple terms:** Pretend you don’t want something to keep people from exploiting you. Key Takeaway Use strategic distance to protect yourself. Themes psychology relationships power dynamics Mood cautious analytical Type advice psychological When to use this quote - dating - business negotiations - friendships - collaborations Key Concepts strategic disengagement human behavior Questions to Reflect On - When is honesty more effective than feigning? - How do you balance authenticity with self‑protection? A Different Perspective Feigning disinterest may damage trust or appear insincere. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Affection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affection/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [Some people have a perverse talent; they're capable of shooting themselves in the foot and stabbing themselves in the back at the exact same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mardy-grothe/some-people-have-a-perverse-talent-they-re-capable-of-shooting/) [Mardy Grothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mardy-grothe/) > [“Wanting is why people get up in the morning. It gives them something to dream of at night. The more I wanted, the more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/wanting-is-why-people-get-up-in-the-morning-it-gives-them-something/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [If he misses you, he would tell you. If he wants you, he will say it. And if he actually cares he will show…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-he-misses-you-he-would-tell-you-if-he-wants-you-he-will-say-it-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“He wants to tell her that he is not hopeless, that he is not filled with hatred or violence, that he is not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-humes/he-wants-to-tell-her-that-he-is-not-hopeless-that-he-is-not-filled/) [Edward Humes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-humes/) > [You think it's a blessing to know what God wants? I'll tell you what he wants. He wants to push me over! Can't he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-schrader/you-think-it-s-a-blessing-to-know-what-god-wants-i-ll-tell-you-what/) [Paul Schrader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-schrader/) > [The news isn't there to tell you what happened. It's there to tell you what it wants you to hear or what it thinks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/the-news-isn-t-there-to-tell-you-what-happened-it-s-there-to-tell-you/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [You have to - you have to allow something to tell you what it wants to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gord-downie/you-have-to-you-have-to-allow-something-to-tell-you-what-it-wants-to/) [Gord Downie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gord-downie/) > [“This is why he hates business. He wants to tell everyone everything. He wants to make friends with people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/this-is-why-he-hates-business-he-wants-to-tell-everyone-everything-he/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [The worst thing you can do to a man is to tell him he can have what he wants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/the-worst-thing-you-can-do-to-a-man-is-to-tell-him-he-can-have-what/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [When you are working, I must tell you, if someone wants to talk to me, to 99.9% I say no.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-carvalhal/when-you-are-working-i-must-tell-you-if-someone-wants-to-talk-to-me/) [Carlos Carvalhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-carvalhal/) > [If I could just get over my issues of wanting people to like me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keegan-michael-key/if-i-could-just-get-over-my-issues-of-wanting-people-to-like-me/) [Keegan-Michael Key](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keegan-michael-key/) > [It's better to leave them wanting more than to be the show where people are like, "Oh, that's still on the air?"](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robbie-amell/it-s-better-to-leave-them-wanting-more-than-to-be-the-show-where/) [Robbie Amell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robbie-amell/) > [Going back and forth between wanting to be respected artistically and wanting to move people is its own challenge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danger-mouse/going-back-and-forth-between-wanting-to-be-respected-artistically-and/) [Danger Mouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danger-mouse/) > [She said the reason that love is so painful is that it always amounts to two people wanting more than two people can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-o-brien/she-said-the-reason-that-love-is-so-painful-is-that-it-always-amounts/) [Edna O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-o-brien/) > [You know, if you're going to be honest with yourself, you have to admit that you go into show business wanting people to talk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/you-know-if-you-re-going-to-be-honest-with-yourself-you-have-to-admit/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) ## More by Hedy Lamarr > [It's funny about men and women. Men pay in cash to get them and pay in cash to get rid of them. Women pay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hedy-lamarr/it-s-funny-about-men-and-women-men-pay-in-cash-to-get-them-and-pay-in/) [Hedy Lamarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hedy-lamarr/) > [If I had my way everyone would have a psychiatrist. When the brain is sick and you must throw up, you do it by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hedy-lamarr/if-i-had-my-way-everyone-would-have-a-psychiatrist-when-the-brain-is/) [Hedy Lamarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hedy-lamarr/) > [My mother always called me an ugly weed, so I never was aware of anything until I was older. Plain girls should have someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hedy-lamarr/my-mother-always-called-me-an-ugly-weed-so-i-never-was-aware-of/) [Hedy Lamarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hedy-lamarr/) > [Men are fine, love is fine, it's marriage I'm a little disappointed in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hedy-lamarr/men-are-fine-love-is-fine-it-s-marriage-i-m-a-little-disappointed-in/) [Hedy Lamarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hedy-lamarr/) > [I win because I learned years ago that scared money always loses. I never care, so I win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hedy-lamarr/i-win-because-i-learned-years-ago-that-scared-money-always-loses-i/) [Hedy Lamarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hedy-lamarr/) > [Experts always know everything but the fine points. When I took my citizenship exams, no one there knew how the White House came to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hedy-lamarr/experts-always-know-everything-but-the-fine-points-when-i-took-my/) [Hedy Lamarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hedy-lamarr/) > [I often talked to Bing Crosby, and while I liked him, I never understood why he was so popular. To me his voice was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hedy-lamarr/i-often-talked-to-bing-crosby-and-while-i-liked-him-i-never/) [Hedy Lamarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hedy-lamarr/) > [I have never liked bargains when it came to sex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hedy-lamarr/i-have-never-liked-bargains-when-it-came-to-sex/) [Hedy Lamarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hedy-lamarr/) > [I'm fifty-one years old, but I'm not through yet. I have lived a full life, and intend packing in quite a lot more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hedy-lamarr/i-m-fifty-one-years-old-but-i-m-not-through-yet-i-have-lived-a-full/) [Hedy Lamarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hedy-lamarr/) > [I'm a sworn enemy of convention. I despise the conventional in anything, even the arts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hedy-lamarr/i-m-a-sworn-enemy-of-convention-i-despise-the-conventional-in/) [Hedy Lamarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hedy-lamarr/) > [I appreciate subtlety. I have never enjoyed a kiss in front of the camera. There's nothing to it except not getting your lipstick smeared.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hedy-lamarr/i-appreciate-subtlety-i-have-never-enjoyed-a-kiss-in-front-of-the/) [Hedy Lamarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hedy-lamarr/) > [All my six husbands married me for different reasons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hedy-lamarr/all-my-six-husbands-married-me-for-different-reasons/) [Hedy Lamarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hedy-lamarr/) > [I know when I'm working I seldom get into trouble. My educated guess is that boredom has caused most of the problems with Hollywood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hedy-lamarr/i-know-when-i-m-working-i-seldom-get-into-trouble-my-educated-guess/) [Hedy Lamarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hedy-lamarr/) > [I advise everybody not to save: spend your money. Most people save all their lives and leave it to somebody else. Money is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hedy-lamarr/i-advise-everybody-not-to-save-spend-your-money-most-people-save-all/) [Hedy Lamarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hedy-lamarr/) > [Hope & curiosity about the future seemed better than guarantees. The unknown was always so attractive to me...and still is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hedy-lamarr/hope-curiosity-about-the-future-seemed-better-than-guarantees-the/) [Hedy Lamarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hedy-lamarr/) [Explore all 81 Hedy Lamarr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hedy-lamarr/) ## More Affection quotes > [My team and I have reunited two elements that coexist with diffiulty: respect and affection, because when they love you they don't respect you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakira/my-team-and-i-have-reunited-two-elements-that-coexist-with-diffiulty/) [Shakira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakira/) > [Needs cause motivation. Deep-rooted desires for esteem, affection, belonging, achievement, self-actualization, power, and control motivate us to push for what we want and need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorii-myers/needs-cause-motivation-deep-rooted-desires-for-esteem-affection/) [Lorii Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorii-myers/) > [“It is to build a house with affection, even as if your beloved were to dwell in that house.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/it-is-to-build-a-house-with-affection-even-as-if-your-beloved-were-to/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [I, measuring his affections by my own, Which then most sought where most might not be found, Being one too many by my weary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-measuring-his-affections-by-my-own-which-then-most-sought-where/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [There are a number of qualities which are important for mental peace, but from the little experience I have, I believe that one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/there-are-a-number-of-qualities-which-are-important-for-mental-peace/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [A lost love. Deny it who will, ridicule it, treat it as mere imagination and sentiment, the thing is and will be; and women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinah-maria-murlock-craik/a-lost-love-deny-it-who-will-ridicule-it-treat-it-as-mere-imagination/) [Dinah Maria Murlock Craik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinah-maria-murlock-craik/) > [Affection! Affection is false.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-i/affection-affection-is-false/) [Elizabeth I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-i/) > [We are a spectacular, splendid manifestation of life. We have language. . . . We have affection. We have genes for usefulness, and usefulness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/we-are-a-spectacular-splendid-manifestation-of-life-we-have-language/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [Listen, I have a great affection and respect for Joe Biden. I think he's been a great vice president. He's taken on a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-axelrod/listen-i-have-a-great-affection-and-respect-for-joe-biden-i-think-he/) [David Axelrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-axelrod/) > [The still affection of the heart Became an outward breathing type, That into stillness past again, And left a want unknown before; Although the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/the-still-affection-of-the-heart-became-an-outward-breathing-type/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [I am persuaded that there is no affection of the human heart more exquisitely pure, than that which is felt by a grateful son…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-more/i-am-persuaded-that-there-is-no-affection-of-the-human-heart-more/) [Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/) > [If you live in a material universe where acquiring things is very important to you, then family is an absolute deterrent to maintaining that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taylor-gatto/if-you-live-in-a-material-universe-where-acquiring-things-is-very/) [John Taylor Gatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taylor-gatto/) > [Our sweetest experiences of affection are meant to be suggestions of that realm which is the home of the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/our-sweetest-experiences-of-affection-are-meant-to-be-suggestions-of/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [“Georgia O’Keeffe moved to rural New Mexico, from which she would sign her letters to the people she loved, “from the faraway nearby.” It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/georgia-o-keeffe-moved-to-rural-new-mexico-from-which-she-would-sign/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) [Browse all 2,465 Affection quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affection/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I would tell anyone who wants something from someone else to feign not wanting it. 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