--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I needed so much To have nothing to touch…" description: "\"“I needed so much To have nothing to touch I've always been greedy that way”\" — Leonard Cohen" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/639/leonard-cohen-448_selfishness_i-needed-so-much-to-have-nothing-to-touc_1970818.jpg" --- # I needed so much To have nothing to touch I've always been… ![“I needed so much To have nothing to touch I've always been greedy that way” quote by Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/639/leonard-cohen-448_selfishness_i-needed-so-much-to-have-nothing-to-touc_1970818.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/639/leonard-cohen-448_selfishness_i-needed-so-much-to-have-nothing-to-touc_1970818.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/639/leonard-cohen-448_selfishness_i-needed-so-much-to-have-nothing-to-touc_1970818.jpg) > ““I needed so much To have nothing to touch I've always been greedy that way”” [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Desire for emptiness reflects a greed that seeks to fill a void, yet remains unsatisfied. **In simple terms:** Wanting nothing shows hidden greed. Key Takeaway Recognize true needs versus false cravings. Themes desire emptiness greed Mood reflective melancholic Type poetic philosophical When to use this quote - personal relationships - spiritual seeking - creative work Key Concepts psychology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What does “nothing to touch” symbolize for you? - Can you identify where greed masks as a need? A Different Perspective The paradox can trap one in perpetual dissatisfaction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Greedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greedy/) [Greedy Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greedy-way-887353/) [Needed Touch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needed-touch-1833261/) [Selfishness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selfishness/) [Spiritual life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual-life/) [Touch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/touch/) [Ve Greedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ve-greedy-3308710/) ## Related quotes > [I've always been greedy. I think every actor is greedy for good parts and stories, and it should be that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-shah/i-ve-always-been-greedy-i-think-every-actor-is-greedy-for-good-parts/) [Shefali Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-shah/) > [It seems very clear to me that we, in the West, cannot afford to continue assuming propriety over the world's resources in a careless,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-fuller/it-seems-very-clear-to-me-that-we-in-the-west-cannot-afford-to/) [Alexandra Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-fuller/) > [I want to do everything and be greedy in that way - film, TV, radio, theatre. If it's juicy work, I want it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-glynn-carney/i-want-to-do-everything-and-be-greedy-in-that-way-film-tv-radio/) [Tom Glynn-Carney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-glynn-carney/) > [“I was too busy transitioning from someone who could take or leave physical contact, to a person who needed to touch the person I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santino-hassell/i-was-too-busy-transitioning-from-someone-who-could-take-or-leave/) [Santino Hassell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santino-hassell/) > [“And … I couldn’t bear to be alone and I couldn’t bear for him to be alone and I more or less flung myself at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/and-i-couldn-t-bear-to-be-alone-and-i-couldn-t-bear-for-him-to-be/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [I needed to touch her, like I needed to breathe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kami-garcia/i-needed-to-touch-her-like-i-needed-to-breathe/) [Kami Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kami-garcia/) > [We didn't come here to set any fashions in music. We merely came to bring a much-needed touch of home to some lads who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-miller/we-didn-t-come-here-to-set-any-fashions-in-music-we-merely-came-to/) [Glenn Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-miller/) > [“Do you know doctors say that the lack of positive physical human contact will cause severe depression? Colin needed a touch, a hug, something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-warner/do-you-know-doctors-say-that-the-lack-of-positive-physical-human-2/) [Colin Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-warner/) > [“No, Chantel. I met you and decided that I didn't need to touch the world. I just needed to touch you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-frank/no-chantel-i-met-you-and-decided-that-i-didn-t-need-to-touch-the/) [Ella Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-frank/) > [“Caleb,” I called and looked at him. “I need you.” He looked surprised as he came forward. “What do you need?” “You.” “Does this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelly-crane/caleb-i-called-and-looked-at-him-i-need-you-he-looked-surprised-as-he/) [Shelly Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelly-crane/) > [“I needed to touch her. In that moment, it had become as necessary to me as air.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-l-jennings/i-needed-to-touch-her-in-that-moment-it-had-become-as-necessary-to-me/) [S.L. Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-l-jennings/) > [“to touch me. I needed him to touch me. He slowly untied the string at the top of my skirt, taking his time. My”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivy-smoak/to-touch-me-i-needed-him-to-touch-me-he-slowly-untied-the-string-at/) [Ivy Smoak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivy-smoak/) > [“I needed to touch you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorelei-james/i-needed-to-touch-you/) [Lorelei James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorelei-james/) > [I needed to see you. And touch you. And just... know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/i-needed-to-see-you-and-touch-you-and-just-know/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) > [“THE UNFORGIVEN Tell me if you've ever had to deal with these kinds of people: The kind who take and don't give. The kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/the-unforgiven-tell-me-if-you-ve-ever-had-to-deal-with-these-kinds-of/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) ## More by Leonard Cohen > [The blizzard of the world has crossed the threshold and it's overturned the order of the soul...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/the-blizzard-of-the-world-has-crossed-the-threshold-and-it-s/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“Don't matter if you're rich and strong Don't matter if you're weak Don't matter if you write a song The nightingales repeat Don't matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/don-t-matter-if-you-re-rich-and-strong-don-t-matter-if-you-re-weak/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“You don't know me from the wind you never will, you never did I'm the little jew who wrote the Bible. I've seen the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/you-don-t-know-me-from-the-wind-you-never-will-you-never-did-i-m-the/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“This is it I’m not coming after you I’m going to lie down for half an hour This is it I’m not going down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/this-is-it-i-m-not-coming-after-you-i-m-going-to-lie-down-for-half-an/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [My sense of proprietorship has been so weak that actually I didn't pay attention and I lost the copyrights on a lot of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/my-sense-of-proprietorship-has-been-so-weak-that-actually-i-didn-t/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [This world is full of conflicts and full of things that cannot be reconciled. But there are moments when we can... reconcile and embrace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/this-world-is-full-of-conflicts-and-full-of-things-that-cannot-be/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [ I would say the hummingbird really deserves the royalties on \[some of my songs\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-would-say-the-hummingbird-really-deserves-the-royalties-on-some-of/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [One is given to self-dramatization from time to time. I intend to live forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/one-is-given-to-self-dramatization-from-time-to-time-i-intend-to-live/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [The basic function of popular music is to create an environment for courting, lovemaking, and doing the dishes. It's useful because it addresses the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/the-basic-function-of-popular-music-is-to-create-an-environment-for/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“Blessed are you, embrace of the falling, foundation of the light, master of the human accident.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/blessed-are-you-embrace-of-the-falling-foundation-of-the-light-master/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [I continually blacken pages and scribble away, so I always have a number of songs that are half-finished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-continually-blacken-pages-and-scribble-away-so-i-always-have-a/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [I have nothing against the Queen of England. Even in my heart I never resented her for not being Jackie Kennedy. She is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-have-nothing-against-the-queen-of-england-even-in-my-heart-i-never/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [I loved you when you opened like a lily to the heat; you see I’m just another snowman standing in the rain and sleet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-loved-you-when-you-opened-like-a-lily-to-the-heat-you-see-i-m-just/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [It's time that we began to laugh and cry and cry and laugh about it all again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/it-s-time-that-we-began-to-laugh-and-cry-and-cry-and-laugh-about-it/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“I followed the course From chaos to art Desire the horse Depression the cart”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-followed-the-course-from-chaos-to-art-desire-the-horse-depression/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) [Explore all 543 Leonard Cohen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) ## More Greedy quotes > [No actor wants to choose - they just want all of the options available to them all the time; we tend to be pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-jacobs/no-actor-wants-to-choose-they-just-want-all-of-the-options-available/) [Gillian Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-jacobs/) > [“THE UNFORGIVEN Tell me if you've ever had to deal with these kinds of people: The kind who take and don't give. The kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/the-unforgiven-tell-me-if-you-ve-ever-had-to-deal-with-these-kinds-of/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [“Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/be-fearful-when-others-are-greedy-and-be-greedy-when-others-are/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [It's not that you don't make any money doing conscious rap music. You make a lot of money doing this, but if you're greedy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krs-one/it-s-not-that-you-don-t-make-any-money-doing-conscious-rap-music-you/) [KRS-One](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krs-one/) > [“For their never-ending endeavours to obtain or retain wealth, countries desperately need companies, because they—unlike most human beings—have the means of production, and human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/for-their-never-ending-endeavours-to-obtain-or-retain-wealth/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“Mostly the greedy rich is responsible for the poor’s poverty!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/mostly-the-greedy-rich-is-responsible-for-the-poor-s-poverty/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [I'm not greedy. I just want my half.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cruise/i-m-not-greedy-i-just-want-my-half/) [Tom Cruise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cruise/) > [The moment one starts sharing one's being without any motive life becomes a sweet fragrance. It is all honey. Then everything remains the same,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/the-moment-one-starts-sharing-one-s-being-without-any-motive-life/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [As much as the next person, I want to be approved of, but I'm not greedy for that stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-firth/as-much-as-the-next-person-i-want-to-be-approved-of-but-i-m-not/) [Colin Firth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-firth/) > [“Greedy is the one who is disappointed when he finds silver in gold mine!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/greedy-is-the-one-who-is-disappointed-when-he-finds-silver-in-gold/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [I try to be more mindful and less greedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-dooley/i-try-to-be-more-mindful-and-less-greedy/) [Stacey Dooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-dooley/) > [Are we like late Rome, infatuated with past glories, ruled by a complacent, greedy elite, and hopelessly powerless to respond to changing conditions?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/are-we-like-late-rome-infatuated-with-past-glories-ruled-by-a/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [Musically, I want to graduate and become one of the greatest. You can't do that just spitting punchlines. I respect those people who say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chamillionaire/musically-i-want-to-graduate-and-become-one-of-the-greatest-you-can-t/) [Chamillionaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chamillionaire/) > [“If I’m my biggest fan, the only person in the stadium is probably me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/if-i-m-my-biggest-fan-the-only-person-in-the-stadium-is-probably-me/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [“..But time can be a greedy thing- sometimes it steals all the details for itself”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/but-time-can-be-a-greedy-thing-sometimes-it-steals-all-the-details/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) [Browse all 725 Greedy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greedy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I needed so much To have nothing to touch I've always been greedy that way”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Leonard Cohen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-needed-so-much-to-have-nothing-to-touch-i-ve-always-been-greedy/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Greedy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-needed-so-much-to-have-nothing-to-touch-i-ve-always-been-greedy/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/639/leonard-cohen-448_selfishness_i-needed-so-much-to-have-nothing-to-touc_1970818.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/639/leonard-cohen-448_selfishness_i-needed-so-much-to-have-nothing-to-touc_1970818.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/639/leonard-cohen-448_selfishness_i-needed-so-much-to-have-nothing-to-touc_1970818.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I needed so much To have nothing to touch I've always been greedy that way” — Leonard Cohen", "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": "Leonard Cohen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I needed so much To have...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-needed-so-much-to-have-nothing-to-touch-i-ve-always-been-greedy/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-needed-so-much-to-have-nothing-to-touch-i-ve-always-been-greedy/#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 } } ] } ```