--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They want what they don't need, or can't…" description: "\"“They want what they don't need, or can't use, or won't ever make them whole.”\" — William Joyce" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7c/william-joyce-13559_need_they-want-what-they-don-t-need-or-can-t_481369.png" --- # They want what they don't need, or can't use, or won't… ![“They want what they don't need, or can't use, or won't ever make them whole.” quote by William Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7c/william-joyce-13559_need_they-want-what-they-don-t-need-or-can-t_481369.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7c/william-joyce-13559_need_they-want-what-they-don-t-need-or-can-t_481369.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7c/william-joyce-13559_need_they-want-what-they-don-t-need-or-can-t_481369.png) > ““They want what they don't need, or can't use, or won't ever make them whole.”” [William Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-joyce/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often pursue possessions that cannot satisfy deeper needs, leading to emptiness. **In simple terms:** Desires can be useless and unfulfilling. Key Takeaway Seek fulfillment beyond material wants. Themes desire fulfillment illusion Mood reflective critical Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - shopping habits - career ambitions - relationship expectations Key Concepts existentialism consumerism psychology Questions to Reflect On - What needs are you trying to meet? - Can a desire be redirected positively? A Different Perspective Not all desires are harmful; some drive progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Don Need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/don-need-246954/) [Need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/need/) [Need Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/need-use-2248517/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want Don](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-don-311751/) ## Related quotes > [But I want you around even when I don't need you. —Jeremy Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-lester/but-i-want-you-around-even-when-i-don-t-need-you-jeremy-richards/) [Julius Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-lester/) > [We always want what we can't have but always have what we don't need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-sebastiao/we-always-want-what-we-can-t-have-but-always-have-what-we-don-t-need/) [Emanuel Sebastiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-sebastiao/) > [How do I know that I don’t need what I want? I don’t have it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-katie/how-do-i-know-that-i-don-t-need-what-i-want-i-don-t-have-it/) [Byron Katie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-katie/) > [I just figure if you have a modicum of celebrity, you need to use it, and you need to use it for more things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-haggis/i-just-figure-if-you-have-a-modicum-of-celebrity-you-need-to-use-it/) [Paul Haggis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-haggis/) > [I am a great believer that you should record more than you need and then use the absolute best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wilson/i-am-a-great-believer-that-you-should-record-more-than-you-need-and/) [Steven Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wilson/) > [“If you have a need and they find it out, they will use it against you. The best way is to stop from wanting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/if-you-have-a-need-and-they-find-it-out-they-will-use-it-against-you/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [What we need is to use what we have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/what-we-need-is-to-use-what-we-have/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [As an actor, you need to use everything at your disposal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-sethupathi/as-an-actor-you-need-to-use-everything-at-your-disposal/) [Vijay Sethupathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-sethupathi/) > [“If you want to be an actor, don’t. If you need to be an actor, do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-jacobi/if-you-want-to-be-an-actor-don-t-if-you-need-to-be-an-actor-do/) [Derek Jacobi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-jacobi/) > [I'm not a sucka, so I don't need a bodyguard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-base/i-m-not-a-sucka-so-i-don-t-need-a-bodyguard/) [Rob Base](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-base/) > [I don't need alcohol to have fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-janikowski/i-don-t-need-alcohol-to-have-fun/) [Sebastian Janikowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-janikowski/) > [You don't need someone who doesn't need you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/you-don-t-need-someone-who-doesn-t-need-you/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [I never want to put my name on something that I don't love or wouldn't wear myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hailey-baldwin/i-never-want-to-put-my-name-on-something-that-i-don-t-love-or-wouldn/) [Hailey Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hailey-baldwin/) > [You can be fake all you want, but don't be fake around me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brianna-gomillion/you-can-be-fake-all-you-want-but-don-t-be-fake-around-me/) [Brianna Gomillion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brianna-gomillion/) > [“I don't want to know that you don't want me. I don't want to know what you do without me. I don't want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-quin/i-don-t-want-to-know-that-you-don-t-want-me-i-don-t-want-to-know-what/) [Sara Quin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-quin/) ## More by William Joyce > [You know, I hate to give advice because my life has been so odd that almost nothing that's happened to me can apply.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-joyce/you-know-i-hate-to-give-advice-because-my-life-has-been-so-odd-that/) [William Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-joyce/) > [I have known lots of adults who enjoyed similar enthusiasms as a kid and weren't encouraged and then didn't go anywhere with it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-joyce/i-have-known-lots-of-adults-who-enjoyed-similar-enthusiasms-as-a-kid/) [William Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-joyce/) > [“Old friends sometimes need no words to understand each other.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-joyce/old-friends-sometimes-need-no-words-to-understand-each-other/) [William Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-joyce/) > [I raised frogs every spring in our house from tadpoles and by end of summer our house was overrun with frogs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-joyce/i-raised-frogs-every-spring-in-our-house-from-tadpoles-and-by-end-of/) [William Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-joyce/) > [We know that England is crying for a leader, and that leader has emerged in the person of the greatest Englishman I have ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-joyce/we-know-that-england-is-crying-for-a-leader-and-that-leader-has/) [William Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-joyce/) > [“Up there in the sky. Don’t you see him? No, not the moon. The Man in the Moon. He wasn’t always a man. Nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-joyce/up-there-in-the-sky-don-t-you-see-him-no-not-the-moon-the-man-in-the/) [William Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-joyce/) > [So if you're a robot and you're living on this planet, you can do things that you can't do in real life - things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-joyce/so-if-you-re-a-robot-and-you-re-living-on-this-planet-you-can-do/) [William Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-joyce/) > [“I used the excess dirt to make a few more continents. Australia is my best work, I think," -Bunnymund”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-joyce/i-used-the-excess-dirt-to-make-a-few-more-continents-australia-is-my/) [William Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-joyce/) > [If you really want to tell stories, do it and don't be dissuaded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-joyce/if-you-really-want-to-tell-stories-do-it-and-don-t-be-dissuaded/) [William Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-joyce/) > [“I think all wishes are the same, really," she continued. "Whether they ask for this, that, or the other, what they are really asking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-joyce/i-think-all-wishes-are-the-same-really-she-continued-whether-they-ask/) [William Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-joyce/) > [Watch over our child. Guide him safely from the ways of harm. Keep happy his heart, brave his soul, and rosy his cheeks. Guard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-joyce/watch-over-our-child-guide-him-safely-from-the-ways-of-harm-keep/) [William Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-joyce/) > [And I was lucky enough to have teachers that really, really looked out for me and really encouraged all that. And in rural Louisiana,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-joyce/and-i-was-lucky-enough-to-have-teachers-that-really-really-looked-out/) [William Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-joyce/) > [I did not win and in fact I was called into the principal's office for a consultation with my parents. But that was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-joyce/i-did-not-win-and-in-fact-i-was-called-into-the-principal-s-office/) [William Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-joyce/) > [Chuchill has renounced all British interests in Europe and those of his people who are not blind now realise that the pretext for this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-joyce/chuchill-has-renounced-all-british-interests-in-europe-and-those-of/) [William Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-joyce/) > [Everyone's story matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-joyce/everyone-s-story-matters/) [William Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-joyce/) [Explore all 49 William Joyce quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-joyce/) ## More Need quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [With multiplayer, permanent death, and an ever-changing world to explore and conquer, 'A Valley Without Wind' might be the place you're looking for if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-manuel/with-multiplayer-permanent-death-and-an-ever-changing-world-to/) [Rob Manuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-manuel/) > [I was very lucky to get well known much later in life. You need to have flopped quite a few times to get a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/i-was-very-lucky-to-get-well-known-much-later-in-life-you-need-to/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [A draft doesn't produce the people we need to satisfy our real manpower shortage. We need specialists to keep our jets flying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-schroeder/a-draft-doesn-t-produce-the-people-we-need-to-satisfy-our-real/) [Patricia Schroeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-schroeder/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [U dount need eny cuz when u get in a relaishondhip u love it forever not for crying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/no-athors-name-i-made-it/u-dount-need-eny-cuz-when-u-get-in-a-relaishondhip-u-love-it-forever/) [No Athors Name I Made It](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/no-athors-name-i-made-it/) > [I think people need to be comfortable questioning the authority of a doctor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susannah-cahalan/i-think-people-need-to-be-comfortable-questioning-the-authority-of-a/) [Susannah Cahalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susannah-cahalan/) > [Inequality is pervasive but invisible. It's hard to see. You need a sort of tool to make it visible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hito-steyerl/inequality-is-pervasive-but-invisible-it-s-hard-to-see-you-need-a/) [Hito Steyerl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hito-steyerl/) > [I think I need the demons in order to write, but the demons have gone. It bothers me a lot. I've tried and tried,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-wilson/i-think-i-need-the-demons-in-order-to-write-but-the-demons-have-gone/) [Brian Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-wilson/) > [I really like female singers; I've got zero interest in working with male singers. Any male voice I need to do, I can do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devin-townsend/i-really-like-female-singers-i-ve-got-zero-interest-in-working-with/) [Devin Townsend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devin-townsend/) > [Receiving the care that you need, and are entitled to, shouldn't be a struggle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-walsh/receiving-the-care-that-you-need-and-are-entitled-to-shouldn-t-be-a/) [Marty Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-walsh/) > [Anything you pray for, you need to prepare for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devon-franklin/anything-you-pray-for-you-need-to-prepare-for/) [DeVon Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devon-franklin/) > [If the system should not need parts now, the worker should not produce because you are just absorbing instead of producing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliyahu-goldratt/if-the-system-should-not-need-parts-now-the-worker-should-not-produce/) [Eliyahu Goldratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliyahu-goldratt/) > [I really don't think you need a letter on your jersey to be a leader on a hockey club.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carey-price/i-really-don-t-think-you-need-a-letter-on-your-jersey-to-be-a-leader/) [Carey Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carey-price/) > [The more I trust you, the less details I need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-more-i-trust-you-the-less-details-i-need/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 14,164 Need quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/need/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“They want what they don't need, or can't use, or won't ever make them whole.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Joyce" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-joyce/they-want-what-they-don-t-need-or-can-t-use-or-won-t-ever-make-them/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Need" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-joyce/they-want-what-they-don-t-need-or-can-t-use-or-won-t-ever-make-them/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7c/william-joyce-13559_need_they-want-what-they-don-t-need-or-can-t_481369.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7c/william-joyce-13559_need_they-want-what-they-don-t-need-or-can-t_481369.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7c/william-joyce-13559_need_they-want-what-they-don-t-need-or-can-t_481369.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“They want what they don't need, or can't use, or won't ever make them whole.” — William Joyce", "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": "William Joyce", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-joyce/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“They want what they don't need,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-joyce/they-want-what-they-don-t-need-or-can-t-use-or-won-t-ever-make-them/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-joyce/they-want-what-they-don-t-need-or-can-t-use-or-won-t-ever-make-them/#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 } } ] } ```