--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I would rather have as my patron a host…" description: "\"I would rather have as my patron a host of anonymous citizens digging into their own pockets for the price of a book or a magazine than a small body of..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c38/john-updike-396_anonymous_i-would-rather-have-as-my-patron-a-host_1291886.jpg" --- # I would rather have as my patron a host of anonymous… ![“I would rather have as my patron a host of anonymous citizens digging into their own pockets for the price of a book or a magazine than a small body of enlightened and responsible men administering public funds. I would rather chance my personal vision of truth striking home here and there in the…” quote by John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c38/john-updike-396_anonymous_i-would-rather-have-as-my-patron-a-host_1291886.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c38/john-updike-396_anonymous_i-would-rather-have-as-my-patron-a-host_1291886.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c38/john-updike-396_anonymous_i-would-rather-have-as-my-patron-a-host_1291886.jpg) > “I would rather have as my patron a host of anonymous citizens digging into their own pockets for the price of a book or a magazine than a small body of enlightened and responsible men administering public funds. I would rather chance my personal vision of truth striking home here and there in the chaos of publication that exists than attempt to filter it through a few sets of official, honorably public-spirited scruples.” [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Independent creators should fund their work directly rather than rely on a few elite gatekeepers. **In simple terms:** Prefer grassroots funding over elite control. Key Takeaway Support direct patronage for creators. Themes independence publishing democracy creativity Mood critical optimistic Type opinion social commentary When to use this quote - self‑publishing - indie journalism - community‑supported art - educational resources Key Concepts crowdfunding media ethics public vs private funding Questions to Reflect On - How can we ensure diverse voices thrive without gatekeepers? - What are the risks of completely unfiltered publishing? A Different Perspective Not all creators have access to a supportive audience or resources. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anonymous/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Chaos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chaos/) [Enlightened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enlightened/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalism/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Personal vision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-vision/) [Scruples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scruples/) [Spirited](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirited/) [Vision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vision/) ## Related quotes > [An able, disinterested, public-spirited press, with trained intelligence to know the right and courage to do it, can preserve that public virtue without which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-pulitzer/an-able-disinterested-public-spirited-press-with-trained-intelligence/) [Joseph Pulitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-pulitzer/) > [Minnesota is a state of public-spirited and polite people, where you can get a good cappucino and eat Thai food and find any book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/minnesota-is-a-state-of-public-spirited-and-polite-people-where-you/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [If eviction has these massive consequences that we all pay for, a very smart use of public funds would be to invest in legal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/if-eviction-has-these-massive-consequences-that-we-all-pay-for-a-very/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [We don't know what proportion of public funds is regularly lost to collusion and corruption. Is it 25 per cent? 30 per cent? We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-marois/we-don-t-know-what-proportion-of-public-funds-is-regularly-lost-to/) [Pauline Marois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-marois/) > [We can only restore faith in government if the state itself becomes an efficient, effective and transparent ally of the people. Bureaucratic inefficiencies, abuses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-ponta/we-can-only-restore-faith-in-government-if-the-state-itself-becomes/) [Victor Ponta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-ponta/) > [Corruption is when a politician uses public funds to deliver pistachio ice cream to his home and transfer garden furniture to his Caesarea villa,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yair-lapid/corruption-is-when-a-politician-uses-public-funds-to-deliver/) [Yair Lapid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yair-lapid/) > [There is, in fact, only one solution: the state, the government, the laws must not in any way concern themselves with schooling or education.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/there-is-in-fact-only-one-solution-the-state-the-government-the-laws/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [Those who embezzle public funds should be ready to face the consequences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammadu-buhari/those-who-embezzle-public-funds-should-be-ready-to-face-the/) [Muhammadu Buhari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammadu-buhari/) > [If one is to use public funds he must accept a responsibility to the public.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-francis-jr/if-one-is-to-use-public-funds-he-must-accept-a-responsibility-to-the/) Thomas Francis Jr > [It's important that public funds be spent in research directions that are pushing market frontiers rather than working in existing areas. This means funding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariana-mazzucato/it-s-important-that-public-funds-be-spent-in-research-directions-that/) [Mariana Mazzucato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariana-mazzucato/) > [The public schools are supported entirely, in most communities, by public funds-funds exacted not only from parents, nor alone from those who hold particular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-brennan/the-public-schools-are-supported-entirely-in-most-communities-by/) [William J. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-brennan/) > [Voluntary public funding of elections solves the free speech 'problem' with more speech instead of more regulation: by giving qualified candidates who show broad-based…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-k-simpson/voluntary-public-funding-of-elections-solves-the-free-speech-problem/) [Alan K. Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-k-simpson/) > [Elected officials should be held to a higher standard, and we cannot enable misbehavior with a system that secretly settles with public funds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-schneider/elected-officials-should-be-held-to-a-higher-standard-and-we-cannot/) [Brad Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-schneider/) > [When we appropriate money from the public funds to pay for vaccinating a horde of negroes, we do not do it because we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-we-appropriate-money-from-the-public-funds-to-pay-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I am opposed to the use of public funds for private education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/i-am-opposed-to-the-use-of-public-funds-for-private-education/) [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) ## More by John Updike > [Life is a roller coaster, you have your ups and downs unless you fall off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/life-is-a-roller-coaster-you-have-your-ups-and-downs-unless-you-fall/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [Children are not a zoo of entertainingly exotic creatures, but an array of mirrors in which the human predicament leaps out at us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/children-are-not-a-zoo-of-entertainingly-exotic-creatures-but-an/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [I assume my stance, and take back the club, low, slowly; at the top, my eyes fog over, and my joints dip and swirl…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/i-assume-my-stance-and-take-back-the-club-low-slowly-at-the-top-my/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [The New England spirit does not seek solutions in a crowd; raw light and solitariness are less dreaded than welcomed as enhancers of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/the-new-england-spirit-does-not-seek-solutions-in-a-crowd-raw-light/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [I imagine most of that stuff on the information highway is roadkill anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/i-imagine-most-of-that-stuff-on-the-information-highway-is-roadkill/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [Families, doing everything for each other out of imagined obligation and always getting in each other's way, what a tangle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/families-doing-everything-for-each-other-out-of-imagined-obligation/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [“The fucking world is running out of gas.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/the-fucking-world-is-running-out-of-gas/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [The theme of old age doesn't seem to fascinate Hollywood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/the-theme-of-old-age-doesn-t-seem-to-fascinate-hollywood/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [“The mind cannot fall asleep as long as it watches itself. Only when the mind moves unwatched and becomes absorbed in images that tug…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/the-mind-cannot-fall-asleep-as-long-as-it-watches-itself-only-when/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [“it was somehow wonderful of her to be, in every detail, herself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/it-was-somehow-wonderful-of-her-to-be-in-every-detail-herself/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [In fiction, imaginary people become realer to us than any named celebrity glimpsed in a series of rumored events, whose causes and subtler ramifications…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/in-fiction-imaginary-people-become-realer-to-us-than-any-named/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [“Her hair had been going gray as long as he could remember; she bundled it behind in a bun held with hairpins that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/her-hair-had-been-going-gray-as-long-as-he-could-remember-she-bundled/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [Possession diminishes perception of value, immediately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/possession-diminishes-perception-of-value-immediately/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [I can't bear to finish things, beyond a certain point they get heavy. There's something so dead about a finished painting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/i-can-t-bear-to-finish-things-beyond-a-certain-point-they-get-heavy/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [“Some people find fall depressing, others hate spring. I've always been a spring person myself. All that growth, you can feel Nature groaning, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/some-people-find-fall-depressing-others-hate-spring-i-ve-always-been/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) [Explore all 592 John Updike quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) ## More Anonymous quotes > [You know, its really strange now with the Internet, with everyone having an unsolicited, anonymous opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-daniels/you-know-its-really-strange-now-with-the-internet-with-everyone/) [Jeff Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-daniels/) > [There's a lot of attention on me which can be good, it can be bad. Sometimes my daughter's acting up in public and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-holzhauer/there-s-a-lot-of-attention-on-me-which-can-be-good-it-can-be-bad/) [James Holzhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-holzhauer/) > [It's no accident that most self-help groups use 'anonymous' in their names; to Americans, the first step toward redemption is a ritual wiping out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-kirn/it-s-no-accident-that-most-self-help-groups-use-anonymous-in-their/) [Walter Kirn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-kirn/) > [“Courtship is the time during which the girl decides whether or not she can do any better. Anonymous”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shmuley-boteach/courtship-is-the-time-during-which-the-girl-decides-whether-or-not/) [Shmuley Boteach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shmuley-boteach/) > [“You Can't Live a Positive Life With a Negative Mind.” ― Anonymous”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-t-live-a-positive-life-with-a-negative-mind-anonymous/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I used to follow people home. I just like being anonymous so much that I would follow people home because they didn't know who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theo-epstein/i-used-to-follow-people-home-i-just-like-being-anonymous-so-much-that/) [Theo Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theo-epstein/) > [When someone is anonymous, it opens the door to all kinds of antisocial behavior, as seen by the Ku Klux Klan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-zimbardo/when-someone-is-anonymous-it-opens-the-door-to-all-kinds-of/) [Philip Zimbardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-zimbardo/) > [My gifts to causes in which I believe have almost always been anonymous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryanne-trump-barry/my-gifts-to-causes-in-which-i-believe-have-almost-always-been/) [Maryanne Trump Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryanne-trump-barry/) > [“If my name were Isaac Newton, would I be a famous no name? I’d have worldwide and historical name recognition, yet I’d be anonymous.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/if-my-name-were-isaac-newton-would-i-be-a-famous-no-name-i-d-have/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [It is hard to violate somebody's privacy if the person is completely anonymous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-milbank/it-is-hard-to-violate-somebody-s-privacy-if-the-person-is-completely/) [Dana Milbank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-milbank/) > [Writers are generally anonymous. It just that I think I got out there because I also act as well and put myself in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-grevioux/writers-are-generally-anonymous-it-just-that-i-think-i-got-out-there/) [Kevin Grevioux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-grevioux/) > [Gay men are guardians of the masculine impulse. To have anonymous sex in a dark alleyway is to pay homage to the dream of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/gay-men-are-guardians-of-the-masculine-impulse-to-have-anonymous-sex/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [Being anonymous, I thought I'd just release the music and see what happens organically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriella-wilson/being-anonymous-i-thought-i-d-just-release-the-music-and-see-what/) [Gabriella Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriella-wilson/) > [“I am convinced that different people bring out different sides of you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-am-convinced-that-different-people-bring-out-different-sides-of-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [As anonymous as the universe is. Our identity is anonymous to concept of being anonymous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/as-anonymous-as-the-universe-is-our-identity-is-anonymous-to-concept/) [Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/) [Browse all 336 Anonymous quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anonymous/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I would rather have as my patron a host of anonymous citizens digging into their own pockets for the price of a book or a magazine than a small body of enlightened and responsible men administering public funds. 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