I think fame is something that you've achieved in your inner self that becomes known to others outside you. There are really very few famous people in history. James Purdy More Quotes by James Purdy More Quotes From James Purdy In a competitive society, the thing people fear the most is love. James Purdy people The worse the author, the more he is known. James Purdy known I don't think it's like eastern mysticism, which leaves the person whole. It's really another form of cancer, television. James Purdy cancer television thinking New York establishment isn't really a literary establishment. It's just a collection of broken down old newspaper hacks who pass judgment on books that they have not even read, with assuredness of Jehova. James Purdy broken new-york book No one looks at a television, and no one hears it. It's a poison. James Purdy poison television looks I am against all machines. It's no wonder that so many Americans go on dope when they have no other cultural stimulus than a television. James Purdy dope machines goes-on I think America, really, is over. James Purdy america thinking Television masturbates its audience even though the audience is not really watching. It masturbates orifices the audience doesn't have. It sticks holes in the viewer and masturbates in those holes. Then it finally gets into the brain and masturbates there, too. James Purdy sticks brain television I've never been in fashion. Not at all. James Purdy fashion There's the world of the newspapers. They believe that what is happening is happening, which is so naïve. Because they're the first to turn on that. James Purdy believe world firsts I don't have any home. Everyone I grew up with, my family, are all dead. So I feel kind of like a ghost. I'm more interested in the past. James Purdy ghost home past The world is telling you through The New York Times and The New York Review of Books "You must shut up. You must never appear again. Because you are not relevant to us." So you have to fight their attempt to destroy you, fight to continue feeling. James Purdy fighting new-york book If you're a writer, you have to be an egomaniac. You have to just believe in yourself, which is hard work. James Purdy egomaniacs hard-work believe There's really nothing wrong with sentimentality... Nothing I wrote is sentimental. James Purdy sentimentality sentimental Margaret Meade is always running around saying that marijuana's just like bread and water! Well, bread and water are poison, and marijuana's a poison. Now, if you like poison, why shouldn't you have it? But don't try to pretend that it's innocuous. James Purdy marijuana running water I wish people would call poisons poison. I don't mind people smoking marijuana, but they should admit it's a poison, and coffee's a poison, but the Americans lie so. James Purdy marijuana coffee lying Actually, television tells you to take dope. It tells you to destroy the human race really, by first having more consumers and then consuming more poison and then making the whole planet uninhabitable. James Purdy dope poison race There are no manners left in America at all, because all you're doing is kicking the person next to you so that you can consume more, see more, and get more. James Purdy kicking next america The New York Times is the worst newspaper in the world and it's extremely vicious to artists. James Purdy artist new-york world Most journalists are broken down alcoholics. James Purdy broken-down journalist broken
