--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I like the idea of generalizing the…" description: "\"I like the idea of generalizing the narcotic thing by making it black meat addiction.\" — William S. Burroughs" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1b/william-s-burroughs-528_addiction_i-like-the-idea-of-generalizing-the-narc_2891260.png" --- # I like the idea of generalizing the narcotic thing by… ![“I like the idea of generalizing the narcotic thing by making it black meat addiction.” quote by William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1b/william-s-burroughs-528_addiction_i-like-the-idea-of-generalizing-the-narc_2891260.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1b/william-s-burroughs-528_addiction_i-like-the-idea-of-generalizing-the-narc_2891260.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1b/william-s-burroughs-528_addiction_i-like-the-idea-of-generalizing-the-narc_2891260.png) > “I like the idea of generalizing the narcotic thing by making it black meat addiction.” [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He likens addictive behaviors to a dark, consuming hunger that replaces ordinary desire. **In simple terms:** Addiction can feel like a black, all‑consuming need. Key Takeaway Recognize and confront hidden cravings. Themes addiction desire darkness Mood cynical introspective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - personal reflection - creative writing - self‑analysis Key Concepts psychology substance abuse metaphor Questions to Reflect On - How do you label personal compulsions? - What does “black meat” symbolize for you? A Different Perspective Addiction is complex and may have social roots. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Addiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/addiction/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Narcotic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/narcotic/) [Narcotics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/narcotics/) ## Related quotes > [Hollywood is a narcotic, not a stimulant. It wants to sell you something. Literature wants to tell you something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rex-murphy/hollywood-is-a-narcotic-not-a-stimulant-it-wants-to-sell-you/) [Rex Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rex-murphy/) > [By empowering people to initiate a conversation prior to surgery regarding their pain control options, we hope to reduce the incidence of narcotic addiction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristi-funk/by-empowering-people-to-initiate-a-conversation-prior-to-surgery/) [Kristi Funk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristi-funk/) > [There's no narcotic like exhaustion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-butler/there-s-no-narcotic-like-exhaustion/) [Octavia Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-butler/) > [Next to a shot of some good, habit-forming narcotic, there is nothing like travelling alone as a 'builder-upper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-benchley/next-to-a-shot-of-some-good-habit-forming-narcotic-there-is-nothing/) [Robert Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-benchley/) > [The most powerful narcotic in the world is the promise of belonging.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kalle-lasn/the-most-powerful-narcotic-in-the-world-is-the-promise-of-belonging/) [Kalle Lasn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kalle-lasn/) > [“Poetry is no more a narcotic than a stimulant; it is a universal bittersweet mixture for all possible household emergencies and its action varies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-graves/poetry-is-no-more-a-narcotic-than-a-stimulant-it-is-a-universal/) [Robert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-graves/) > [Narcotic greens narcotic greens like reeling firmaments disclose in their appearing randomness the sweetest means that you or she or any wandering Thales might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-bluger/narcotic-greens-narcotic-greens-like-reeling-firmaments-disclose-in/) Marianne Bluger > [ For instance, they \[The Federal Narcotics Bureau \] give out that marijuana is a harmful and habit-forming drug, and it simply isn't. They claim… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/for-instance-they-the-federal-narcotics-bureau-give-out-that/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [I feel that any form of so called psychotherapy is strongly contraindicated for addicts. The question Why did you start using narcotics in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/i-feel-that-any-form-of-so-called-psychotherapy-is-strongly/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [The Federal Narcotics Bureau does a grave disservice by disseminating a lot of misinformation. Most of what they say is such nonsense that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/the-federal-narcotics-bureau-does-a-grave-disservice-by-disseminating/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [Every form of addiction is bad, no matter whether the narcotic be alcohol, morphine or idealism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-form-of-addiction-is-bad-no-matter-whether-the-narcotic-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Pluralism is a merciful narcotic.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saki/pluralism-is-a-merciful-narcotic/) [Saki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saki/) > [Storytelling has a narcotic power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/storytelling-has-a-narcotic-power/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [“If only religion were an opiate. No known narcotic rots the brain so fast.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/if-only-religion-were-an-opiate-no-known-narcotic-rots-the-brain-so/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Why are online games so addictive? It's mostly the narcotic appeal of 'leveling.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-thompson/why-are-online-games-so-addictive-it-s-mostly-the-narcotic-appeal-of/) [Clive Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-thompson/) ## More by William S. Burroughs > [“Control never be a means to any practical end. It can never be a means to anything but more control… Like punk.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/control-never-be-a-means-to-any-practical-end-it-can-never-be-a-means/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [“Well as, one judge said to the other, 'Be just and if you can't be just be arbitrary.' Regret cannot observe customary obscenities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/well-as-one-judge-said-to-the-other-be-just-and-if-you-can-t-be-just/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [After one look at this planet any visitor from outer space would say 'I want to see the manager.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/after-one-look-at-this-planet-any-visitor-from-outer-space-would-say/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [For seven days she lay in bed looking sullenly at the ceiling as though resenting the death she had cultivated for so many years.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/for-seven-days-she-lay-in-bed-looking-sullenly-at-the-ceiling-as/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [When you stop growing you start dying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/when-you-stop-growing-you-start-dying/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [Life is a cutup. And to pretend that you write or paint in a timeless vacuum is just simply . . . not .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/life-is-a-cutup-and-to-pretend-that-you-write-or-paint-in-a-timeless/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [When all lies, deceit, pretense is stripped away, what remains? The truth of a painting, or a book or a man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/when-all-lies-deceit-pretense-is-stripped-away-what-remains-the-truth/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [“There is no final enough of wisdom, experience - any fucking thing. No Holy Grail, No Final Satori, no solution. Just conflict. Only thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/there-is-no-final-enough-of-wisdom-experience-any-fucking-thing-no/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [“For John Dillinger In hope he is still alive Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 1986 In hope he is still alive Thanks for the wild…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/for-john-dillinger-in-hope-he-is-still-alive-thanksgiving-day/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [“Did I ever tell you about the man who taught his asshole to talk? His whole abdomen would move up and down, you dig,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/did-i-ever-tell-you-about-the-man-who-taught-his-asshole-to-talk-his/) [William S. 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Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [ \[Arab peoples\] are stuck back thousands of years and they think they're going to get out with a TV set. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/arab-peoples-are-stuck-back-thousands-of-years-and-they-think-they-re/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [“It is not the intensity but the duration of pain that breaks the will to resist.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/it-is-not-the-intensity-but-the-duration-of-pain-that-breaks-the-will/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) [Explore all 484 William S. Burroughs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) ## More Addiction quotes > [What has drug addiction done for me? It's cost me my career, my fortune and basically my sex life when I found out I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robbin-crosby/what-has-drug-addiction-done-for-me-it-s-cost-me-my-career-my-fortune/) Robbin Crosby > [“The idea that creative endeavor and mind-altering substances are entwined is one of the great pop-intellectual myths of our time... Creative people probably do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-idea-that-creative-endeavor-and-mind-altering-substances-are/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [I really think the disease aspect gets lost when you're talking about alcoholism and addiction; it's not like you're battling leukemia or a heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-irsay/i-really-think-the-disease-aspect-gets-lost-when-you-re-talking-about/) [Jim Irsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-irsay/) > [I had an addiction to artificial points of success. Like being able to run for this or run for that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruben-gallego/i-had-an-addiction-to-artificial-points-of-success-like-being-able-to/) [Ruben Gallego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruben-gallego/) > [“Addictions are just symptoms of underlying issues, and in my view Nikki self-medicated the emotional pain of his childhood, and being away from his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-sixx/addictions-are-just-symptoms-of-underlying-issues-and-in-my-view/) [Nikki Sixx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-sixx/) > [“Oil. The great addiction of the civilized world”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-warren/oil-the-great-addiction-of-the-civilized-world/) [Andrew Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-warren/) > [“They say when you fall in love in love with someone that person becomes like a drug,an addiction you don't want to live without.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/they-say-when-you-fall-in-love-in-love-with-someone-that-person/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Addictions - Run to Jesus instead of running to your addiction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/addictions-run-to-jesus-instead-of-running-to-your-addiction/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [Music is my personal addiction. So much of everything I've done has only been to open more doors for the music itself. It all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/music-is-my-personal-addiction-so-much-of-everything-i-ve-done-has/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [“I am made of a thousand ghosts. Only you can shoot me down.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-james/i-am-made-of-a-thousand-ghosts-only-you-can-shoot-me-down/) Bella James > [Religious work is one of the best ways to keep from facing your reality if you are Christian, if you are using it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-miller/religious-work-is-one-of-the-best-ways-to-keep-from-facing-your/) [Keith Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-miller/) > [Cold sweats, hallucinations I wanna speed to stop. The hell I'm going through The addiction's taking you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bullet-for-my-valentine/cold-sweats-hallucinations-i-wanna-speed-to-stop-the-hell-i-m-going/) [Bullet For My Valentine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bullet-for-my-valentine/) > [As addictions go, reading is among the cleanest, easiest to feed, happiest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/as-addictions-go-reading-is-among-the-cleanest-easiest-to-feed/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [“Alcoholism is a choice... not a life sentence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-norman/alcoholism-is-a-choice-not-a-life-sentence/) David Norman > [“Suckers think that you cure greed with money, addiction with substances, expert problems with experts, banking with bankers, economics with economists, and debt crises…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/suckers-think-that-you-cure-greed-with-money-addiction-with/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) [Browse all 2,134 Addiction quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/addiction/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I like the idea of generalizing the narcotic thing by making it black meat addiction.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William S. 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