William Powell Quotes

• Cultivate solitude and quiet and a few sincere friends, rather than mob merriment, noise and thousands of nodding acquaintances.

  William Powell

  Inspirational, Friendship, Real Friends

  94 Copy quote

• Have you noticed that the people who actually make the laws, the people in power, never make laws for themselves?

  William Powell

  Law, People

  "The Anarchist Cookbook". Book by William Powell, "Postscript", p. 153, 1971.

  28 Copy quote

• I highly recommend worrying. It is much more effective than dieting.

  William Powell

  Worry, Dieting, Diets

  17 Copy quote

• Unity is the only way in which the people of this country can overthrow the fascists, communists, capitalists, and all the other assholes who claim running a representative government is so difficult. The emphasis has been taken from the Bill of Rights and placed on the type of interpretation of the Constitution that best suits the people in power.

  William Powell

  Running, Country, Taken

  "The Anarchist Cookbook". Book by William Powell, Chapter Three: "Natural, Nonlethal, and Lethal Weapons", p. 78, 1971.

  21 Copy quote

• The only laws a man can truly respect are the ones he makes for himself.

  William Powell

  Men, Law

  "The Anarchist Cookbook" by William Powell, (p. 153), 1971.

  21 Copy quote

• I detest symbolic protest, as it is an outcry of weak, middle-of-the-road, liberal eunuchs. If an individual feels strongly enough about something to do something about it, then he shouldn't prostitute himself by doing something symbolic. He should get out and do something real.

  William Powell

  Real, Enough, Individual

  "The Anarchist Cookbook". Book by William Powell, Chapter Two: "Electronics, Sabotage, and Surveillance", p. 62, 1971.

  20 Copy quote

• Dessert is probably the most important stage of the meal, since it will be the last thing your guests remember before they pass out all over the table.

  William Powell

  Important, Lasts, Meals

  47 Copy quote

• Believe it or not, bananas do contain a small quantity of Musa Sapientum bananadine, which is a mild, short-lasting psychedelic.

  William Powell

  Believe, Bananas, Psychedelic

  "The Anarchist Cookbook". Book by William Powell, chapter one, "Drugs", 1971.

  19 Copy quote

• Every person, whether in wartime or not, should keep a pistol and rifle in his house at all times. If a person is not going to protect himself, and wishes the government to do it for him, how can he complain when the government decides to protect itself against him, and executes him?

  William Powell

  Government, House, Wish

  "The Anarchist Cookbook". Book by William Powell, Chapter Three: "Natural, Nonlethal, and Lethal Weapons", p. 93, 1971.

  19 Copy quote

• A revolution was never fought, throughout history, for ideals. Revolutions were fought for much more concrete things: food, clothes, housing, and to relieve intolerable oppression. … I know of no one, outside of Patrick Henry, willing to die for an abstraction.

  William Powell

  Clothes, Revolution, Oppression

  "The Anarchist Cookbook". Book by William Powell, Chapter Two: "Electronics, Sabotage, and Surveillance", 1971.

  25 Copy quote

• Why did God make so many dumb fools and Democrats?

  William Powell

  Dumb, Fool, Democrat

  "Fictional character: Father". "Life with Father", www.imdb.com. 1947.

  10 Copy quote

• Unfortunately, or perhaps it is fortunate that I have always been forced to stand on my acting ability. I haven't a personality such as Jack Gilbert's, for instance, that attracts women and makes them like me for myself. When I am on the screen I must make them forget me entirely and think only of my acting.

  William Powell

  Thinking, Personality, Acting

  Biography/Personal Quotes, www.imdb.com.

  20 Copy quote

• If a man is to be a man, a free spirit unto himself, he must arm himself not only with weapons but with ideals and concepts he is willing to die for.

  William Powell

  Men, Free Spirit, Arms

  "The Anarchist Cookbook". Book by William Powell, Chapter Three: "Natural, Nonlethal, and Lethal Weapons", p. 93, 1971.

  13 Copy quote

• My friends have stood by me marvelously in the ups and downs of my career. I don't believe there is anything more worthwhile in life than friendship. Friendship is a far better thing than love, as it is commonly accepted.

  William Powell

  Believe, Careers, Accepted

  Biography/Personal Quotes, www.imdb.com.

  5 Copy quote

• Power is not a material possession that can be given, it is the ability to act. Power must be taken, it is never given.

  William Powell

  Taken, Given, Ability

  "The Anarchist Cookbook". Book by William Powell, "Foreword", 1971.

  7 Copy quote

• Never before have self-suffiency and education been so important, and they are virtually inseparable from survival.

  William Powell

  Self, Survival, Important

  "The Anarchist Cookbook". Book by William Powell, Chapter Three: "Natural, Nonlethal, and Lethal Weapons", 1971.

  5 Copy quote

• I have never gone into a picture without first studying my characterization from all angles. I make a study of the fellow's life and try to learn everything about him, including the conditions under which he came into this world, his parentage, his environment, his social status, and the things in which he is interested. Then I attempt to get his mental attitude as much as possible.

  William Powell

  Attitude, Trying, Gone

  Biography/Personal Quotes, www.imdb.com.

  16 Copy quote

• It seems acceptable today to scream for revolution, without any concept of what will follow it. This is just what the forces at large want, for who will follow a man who doesn't know where he's going?

  William Powell

  Men, Want, Today

  "The Anarchist Cookbook". Book by William Powell, Chapter Two: "Electronics, Sabotage, and Surveillance", p. 62, 1971.

  5 Copy quote

• I can fully appreciate the fury and anger that a person can feel when put through a humiliating experience by a cop, but I would recommend strongly that a person maintain his cool, and in no circumstances lose his temper. If you lose your temper, you are playing right into the cop's hands.

  William Powell

  Hands, Appreciate, Cop

  "The Anarchist Cookbook". Book by William Powell, "Postscript", p. 154, 1971.

  16 Copy quote

• There is only one purpose in hand-to-hand combat, and that is to kill. Never face an enemy with the idea of knocking him out. The chances are extremely good that he will kill you.

  William Powell

  Hands, Ideas, Enemy

  "The Anarchist Cookbook". Book by William Powell, Chapter Three: "Natural, Nonlethal, and Lethal Weapons", p. 79, 1971.

  10 Copy quote

• It has got to the point in this country where men believe they are men, just because that is their birthright. If that is true, then, by the same logic, an animal held captive in a zoo is still a free wild beast.

  William Powell

  Country, Zoos, Believe

  "The Anarchist Cookbook". Book by William Powell, Chapter Three: "Natural, Nonlethal, and Lethal Weapons", p. 93, 1971.

  9 Copy quote

• A word of advice: If you get the choice between the upper and lower bunks in a cell, choose the lower. Prisons do not turn off their lights at night, and I spent a sleepless night, without a mattress, with a five-hundred-watt bulb shining directly into my eyes.

  William Powell

  Eye, Night, Light

  "The Anarchist Cookbook". Book by William Powell, "Postscript", p. 157, 1971.

  15 Copy quote

• Treat any and all drugs with respect, for most of the time they are stronger than you are.

  William Powell

  Drug, Stronger, Treats

  "The Anarchist Cookbook". Book by William Powell, Chapter One: "Drugs", p. 59, 1971.

  7 Copy quote

• A government creates its own revolution. There can be no revolt without it.

  William Powell

  Government, Revolution, Revolt

  "The Anarchist Cookbook". Book by William Powell, Chapter Two: "Electronics, Sabotage, and Surveillance", 1971.

  9 Copy quote

• One of the greatest myths of all time is that so-called civilized man is no longer an animal, and for that reason can strive to disarm himself and grow fat with false concepts.

  William Powell

  Animal, Men, Reason

  "The Anarchist Cookbook". Book by William Powell, Chapter Three: "Natural, Nonlethal, and Lethal Weapons", p. 93, 1971.

  4 Copy quote

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