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You know how advice is. You only want it if it agrees with what you wanted to do anyway.

John Steinbeck

If a story is not about the hearer, he will not listen. And here I make a rule—a great and interesting story is about everyone or it will not last.
JOHN STEINBECK

Last Listening Myself Rule Story
Somewhere in the world there is a defeat for everyone. Some are destroyed by defeat, and some made small and mean by victory. Greatness lives in one who triumphs equally over defeat and victory.
JOHN STEINBECK

Defeat Destroy Greatness Success Victory World
People are felt rather than seen after the first few moments.
JOHN STEINBECK

Moments People See
I wonder how many people I’ve looked at all my life and never seen.
JOHN STEINBECK

Believe Life Myself People See
My imagination will get me a passport to hell one day.
JOHN STEINBECK

Funny Hell Imagination Travel
Maybe the hardest thing in writing is simply to tell the truth about things as we see them.
JOHN STEINBECK

See Truth Writing
I shall revenge myself in the cruelest way you can imagine. I shall forget it.
JOHN STEINBECK

Forget Imagination Revenge Way
All war is a symptom of man’s failure as a thinking animal.
JOHN STEINBECK

Animal Failure Men War
Nearly everyone has his box of secret pain.
JOHN STEINBECK

Pain Secret
And now that you don’t have to be perfect, you can be good.
JOHN STEINBECK

Encouragement Goodness Inspirational Perfection
Books are the best friends you can have; they inform you, and entertain you, and they don’t talk back.
JOHN STEINBECK

Book Entertainment Friendship Talk
If you’re in trouble, or hurt or need – go to the poor people. They’re the only ones that’ll help – the only ones.
JOHN STEINBECK

Help Hurt People Poor Trouble
I have come to believe that a great teacher is a great artist and that there are as few as there are any other great artists. Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit.
JOHN STEINBECK

Education Human Inspirational Mindset Spirit Teacher Teaching
I know now why confusion in government is not only tolerated but encouraged. I have learned. Confused people can make no clear demands.
JOHN STEINBECK

Confused Government People Tolerance
A writer lives in awe of words, for they can be cruel or kind, and they can change their meanings right in front of you. They pick up flavors and odors like butter in a refrigerator.
JOHN STEINBECK

Change Kind Word Writing
This I must fight against: any idea, religion, or government which limits or destroys the individual.
JOHN STEINBECK

Destroy Fighting Freedom Government Greatness Limitation Religion

You know how advice is. You only want it if it agrees with what you wanted to do anyway.

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You know how advice is. You only want it if it agrees with what you wanted to do anyway.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More John Steinbeck Quotes