--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Keep your libraries, your penal…" description: "\"Keep your libraries, your penal institutions, your insaneasylums... give me beer.You think man needs rule, he needs beer. The world does not need moral..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b01/henry-miller-179_beer_keep-your-libraries-your-penal-instituti_361324.jpg" --- # Keep your libraries, your penal institutions, your… ![“Keep your libraries, your penal institutions, your insaneasylums... give me beer.You think man needs rule, he needs beer. The world does not need morals, it needs beer... The souls of men have been fed with indigestibles, but the soul could make use of beer.” quote by Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b01/henry-miller-179_beer_keep-your-libraries-your-penal-instituti_361324.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b01/henry-miller-179_beer_keep-your-libraries-your-penal-instituti_361324.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b01/henry-miller-179_beer_keep-your-libraries-your-penal-instituti_361324.jpg) > “Keep your libraries, your penal institutions, your insaneasylums... give me beer.You think man needs rule, he needs beer. The world does not need morals, it needs beer... The souls of men have been fed with indigestibles, but the soul could make use of beer.” [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Miller argues that societal rules and moral constraints are less essential than simple, primal pleasures like beer, suggesting humanity thrives on basic indulgence. **In simple terms:** People need simple pleasures more than strict rules. Key Takeaway Embrace simple joys over rigid morality. Themes pleasure rebellion human nature Mood defiant humorous cynical Type satirical philosophical When to use this quote - social gatherings - stress relief - celebrations - coping with oppression Key Concepts existentialism hedonism social critique Questions to Reflect On - What simple pleasure sustains you? - How do rules shape your freedom? A Different Perspective Excessive indulgence can lead to neglect of responsibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beer/) [Beer Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beer-think-1191340/) [Brewing beer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brewing-beer/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Feds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feds/) [Give me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/give-me/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Institutions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/institutions/) [Library](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/library/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Morals Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morals-needs-3316224/) [Need Morals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/need-morals-3316223/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Needs Beer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs-beer-3316221/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) [Use Beer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use-beer-3316222/) [Wine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wine/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“I suppose all societies adapt their morals to their needs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-zimmer-bradley/i-suppose-all-societies-adapt-their-morals-to-their-needs/) [Marion Zimmer Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-zimmer-bradley/) > [I don’t intend to use beer as a crutch and drink until I pass out. So advice, keep an eye on that so you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/i-don-t-intend-to-use-beer-as-a-crutch-and-drink-until-i-pass-out-so/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) > [“Most of the wine in the world sells for two dollars a bottle. Quite a bit sells for four dollars to five dollars a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fritz-maytag/most-of-the-wine-in-the-world-sells-for-two-dollars-a-bottle-quite-a/) [Fritz Maytag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fritz-maytag/) > [I used to go to the pub every day and drink five pints of beer and then think, 'What is it that's making me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregg-wallace/i-used-to-go-to-the-pub-every-day-and-drink-five-pints-of-beer-and/) [Gregg Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregg-wallace/) > [They who drink beer will think beer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-irving/they-who-drink-beer-will-think-beer/) [Washington Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-irving/) > [Good peo­ple drink good beer. Just look around any pub­lic bar­room and you will see: Bad peo­ple drink bad beer. Think about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/good-peo-ple-drink-good-beer-just-look-around-any-pub-lic-bar-room/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [There is an ancient Celtic axiom that says 'Good people drink good beer.' Which is true, then as now. Just look around you in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/there-is-an-ancient-celtic-axiom-that-says-good-people-drink-good/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [“All right," said Ford. "How would you react if I said that I'm not from Guildford at all, but from a small planet somewhere…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/all-right-said-ford-how-would-you-react-if-i-said-that-i-m-not-from/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [I like to sit in front of the fire at night, sip a beer and think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-berry/i-like-to-sit-in-front-of-the-fire-at-night-sip-a-beer-and-think/) [Ken Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-berry/) > [Let us drink for the replenishment of our strength, not for our sorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/let-us-drink-for-the-replenishment-of-our-strength-not-for-our-sorrow/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Let no man thirst for good beer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/let-no-man-thirst-for-good-beer/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [You can only drink 30 or 40 glasses of beer a day, no matter how rich you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolphus-busch/you-can-only-drink-30-or-40-glasses-of-beer-a-day-no-matter-how-rich/) [Adolphus Busch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolphus-busch/) > [Beer: Helping ugly people have sex since 3000 B. C.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-c-fields/beer-helping-ugly-people-have-sex-since-3000-b-c/) [W. C. Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-c-fields/) > [To some it's a six-pack, to me it's a "support group". Salvation in a can!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-durocher/to-some-it-s-a-six-pack-to-me-it-s-a-support-group-salvation-in-a-can/) [Leo Durocher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-durocher/) > [I'm Catholic and I can't commit suicide, but I plan to drink myself to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-m-catholic-and-i-can-t-commit-suicide-but-i-plan-to-drink-myself-to/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) ## More by Henry Miller > [“I reached out for something to attach myself to—and I found nothing. But in reaching out, in the effort to grasp, to attach myself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/i-reached-out-for-something-to-attach-myself-to-and-i-found-nothing/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“I saw the errors I had made and assumed full responsibility for everything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/i-saw-the-errors-i-had-made-and-assumed-full-responsibility-for/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [The monstrous thing is not that men have created roses out of this dung heap, but that, for some reason or other, they should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/the-monstrous-thing-is-not-that-men-have-created-roses-out-of-this/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [They never opened the door which leads to the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/they-never-opened-the-door-which-leads-to-the-soul/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“(...)I decided to let myself drift with the tide, to make not the least resistance to fate, no matter in what form it presented…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/i-decided-to-let-myself-drift-with-the-tide-to-make-not-the-least/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“If it be knowledge or wisdom one is seeking, then one had better go direct to the source. And the source is not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/if-it-be-knowledge-or-wisdom-one-is-seeking-then-one-had-better-go/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“In the egocentric prism the helpless victim is walled in by the very light which he refracts. The ego dies in its own glass…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/in-the-egocentric-prism-the-helpless-victim-is-walled-in-by-the-very/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“When one spends what he has on himself, when one has a thoroughly good time with his own money, people are apt to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/when-one-spends-what-he-has-on-himself-when-one-has-a-thoroughly-good/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [Paint what you like and die happy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/paint-what-you-like-and-die-happy/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [She may be lying in bed reading a book, she may be making love with a prize fighter, or she may be running like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/she-may-be-lying-in-bed-reading-a-book-she-may-be-making-love-with-a/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“And no one sets about saving the world unless he has first experienced the miracle of personal salvation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/and-no-one-sets-about-saving-the-world-unless-he-has-first/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“He looks about the room at the few sticks of furniture, at the dirty bed sheets and the wash basin with the dirty water…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/he-looks-about-the-room-at-the-few-sticks-of-furniture-at-the-dirty/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“Since then, of course, I have discovered what every madman in Paris discovers sooner of later; that there are no ready made infernos for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/since-then-of-course-i-have-discovered-what-every-madman-in-paris/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“Looking back upon my career, I see myself as a person capable of undertaking almost any task, any vocation. It was the monotony and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/looking-back-upon-my-career-i-see-myself-as-a-person-capable-of/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“The word in your mouth is anarchy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/the-word-in-your-mouth-is-anarchy/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) [Explore all 894 Henry Miller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) ## More Beer quotes > [On Sundays, that's my pig out day and I do the pizza and the beer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-silvstedt/on-sundays-that-s-my-pig-out-day-and-i-do-the-pizza-and-the-beer/) [Victoria Silvstedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-silvstedt/) > [“Nevertheless, four years later, at the end of August 2004, a Zogby poll discovered the critical fact that 57 percent of the undecided voters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-p-pierce/nevertheless-four-years-later-at-the-end-of-august-2004-a-zogby-poll/) [Charles P. Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-p-pierce/) > [You're getting into some kind of shape, cop." Aw, come on, now." Butch grinned. "Don't let that shower we took go to your head."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/you-re-getting-into-some-kind-of-shape-cop-aw-come-on-now-butch/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [When I get a chance to play golf or go on a boat with good people, take the boat out and put some lobsters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-mac/when-i-get-a-chance-to-play-golf-or-go-on-a-boat-with-good-people/) [Bernie Mac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-mac/) > [I'm Catholic and I can't commit suicide, but I plan to drink myself to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-m-catholic-and-i-can-t-commit-suicide-but-i-plan-to-drink-myself-to/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [I never was a crazy liquor drinker, and I don't like beer that much - though I keep the brews at home because my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-brown/i-never-was-a-crazy-liquor-drinker-and-i-don-t-like-beer-that-much/) [Danny Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-brown/) > [I'm 12 years sober, so I don't have beer! When I used to drink I really liked Bass Ale!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-davis/i-m-12-years-sober-so-i-don-t-have-beer-when-i-used-to-drink-i-really/) [Kristin Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-davis/) > [I can get along great with the Hispanics. In fact, I sure would like to meet them, even the politicians, maybe in the back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-arpaio/i-can-get-along-great-with-the-hispanics-in-fact-i-sure-would-like-to/) [Joe Arpaio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-arpaio/) > [I was never able to have three of four beers. One's too many, and ten just ain't enough. Basically it's the way I've been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-daly/i-was-never-able-to-have-three-of-four-beers-one-s-too-many-and-ten/) [John Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-daly/) > [This ball was so crowded that it took me - a trained professional journalist with vast experience in this area - forty five minutes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/this-ball-was-so-crowded-that-it-took-me-a-trained-professional/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [There's nothing better than having a bottle of beer in your hand in the waves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-grohl/there-s-nothing-better-than-having-a-bottle-of-beer-in-your-hand-in/) [Dave Grohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-grohl/) > [Good films are not made by accident, nor is good photography. You can have good things happen, on occasion, by accident that can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-willis/good-films-are-not-made-by-accident-nor-is-good-photography-you-can/) [Gordon Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-willis/) > [Everybody thinks I drink beer but I actually like cider!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince-william/everybody-thinks-i-drink-beer-but-i-actually-like-cider/) [Prince William](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince-william/) > [Design is all about relationships. Unfortunately, many designers don’t fully appreciate this. Some of the best design work I’ve ever done was drinking coffee…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-burka/design-is-all-about-relationships-unfortunately-many-designers-don-t/) [Daniel Burka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-burka/) > [“I drink beer not to get drunk or because i have stress, i drink beer just because i want to share good ideas with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ntambara-sylvestre-owen-berbason/i-drink-beer-not-to-get-drunk-or-because-i-have-stress-i-drink-beer/) [Ntambara Sylvestre Owen Berbason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ntambara-sylvestre-owen-berbason/) [Browse all 1,632 Beer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beer/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Keep your libraries, your penal institutions, your insaneasylums... give me beer.You think man needs rule, he needs beer. The world does not need morals, it needs beer... The souls of men have been fed with indigestibles, but the soul could make use of beer.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry Miller" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/keep-your-libraries-your-penal-institutions-your-insaneasylums-give/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Beer" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/keep-your-libraries-your-penal-institutions-your-insaneasylums-give/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b01/henry-miller-179_beer_keep-your-libraries-your-penal-instituti_361324.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b01/henry-miller-179_beer_keep-your-libraries-your-penal-instituti_361324.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b01/henry-miller-179_beer_keep-your-libraries-your-penal-instituti_361324.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Keep your libraries, your penal institutions, your insaneasylums... give me beer.You think man needs rule…” — Henry Miller", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Henry Miller", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Keep your libraries, your penal institutions,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/keep-your-libraries-your-penal-institutions-your-insaneasylums-give/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/keep-your-libraries-your-penal-institutions-your-insaneasylums-give/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```