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Never Quotes

Quotes on what never happens.

This page gathers quotes centered on absence and limits - books that stayed unpublished, and a pointed line arguing that secrecy is fundamentally undesirable, merely tolerated when unavoidable. Related reading includes Life Quotes.

The walls, the bars, the guns and the guards can never encircle or hold down the idea of the people.

Quotes by Huey Newton

We've never advocated violence; violence is inflicted upon us. But we do believe in self-defense for ourselves and for black people.

Quotes by Huey Newton

I will never feel successful.

Quotes by Howard Stern

One thing with Backstreet Boys, we never try to rush out an album. We always try to make quality music that can stand the test of time.

Quotes by Howie Dorough

There were 84 original episodes. It was rated No. 1 and No. 2 on the Fox Children's Network. We figured it was time to make it available to people who have never watched it.

Quotes by Howie Mandel

I was never academically driven in English, but, again, Tom Waits is a perfect example of an influence. He writes so immaculately and paints so perfectly a world and the characters within it. There are writers like that who are...

Quotes by Hozier

I never wrote music for the mainstream.

Quotes by Hozier

My mom told me I never had enough Tonka toys when I was growing up.

Quotes by Howard Graham Buffett

A lot of crops depend on labor, but they're done by farmers that don't communicate with one another. They're never in the same room together.

Quotes by Howard Graham Buffett

Once you consent to some concession, you can never cancel it and put things back the way they are.

Quotes by Howard Hughes

My father told me, never have partners.

Quotes by Howard Hughes

Politically it's easy to salve one's conscience, no matter that salving it rarely makes the problem go away. You join the Labour Party, write articles attacking the privileged, give the money you spend on opera tickets to homeless charities, and...

Quotes by Howard Jacobson

It is against the spirit of our non-discriminating times to openly prefer one sort of music to another, so let's just say that hearing grand orchestral music in a public place is exhilarating in a way that hearing popular music...

Quotes by Howard Jacobson

Certainly a curtain has never fallen too soon for me. Every play is too long, even the short ones. Every concert, every film, every television programme the same.

Quotes by Howard Jacobson

A writer should never allow himself to be lulled out of the vigilance native to his profession.

Quotes by Howard Jacobson

To be clear, I abhor the separation wall. It is an eyesore in itself and makes tangible the failed diplomacy and cruel short-sightedness that causes such misery in the region. No Palestinian can see that wall and not wonder if...

Quotes by Howard Jacobson

A teacher is a person who never says anything once.

Quotes by Howard Nemerov

I never abandoned either forms or freedom. I imagine that most of what could be called free verse is in my first book. I got through that fairly early.

Quotes by Howard Nemerov

Language is remarkable, except under the extreme constraints of mathematics and logic, it never can talk only about what it's supposed to talk about but is always spreading around.

Quotes by Howard Nemerov

I've never read a political poem that's accomplished anything. Poetry makes things happen, but rarely what the poet wants.

Quotes by Howard Nemerov

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of quotes are gathered under "Never"?
These quotes explore things that haven't happened, aren't wanted, or weren't anticipated — unpublished books that never found a marketing angle, the idea that secrets are "never desirable" even when needed, and a reflection on how it "never occurred" to anyone that private conversation might need protecting.
Are these quotes mostly about regret?
Not exactly regret, more observation — noticing gaps, oversights, or things that didn't come to pass, like unpublished books or an unanticipated need for privacy protections.
Is there a quote about problem-solving here?
Yes — one notes that "people constantly face problems they've never seen before" and have to improvise solutions, which is a nice contrast to the other, more resigned quotes on this page.
How is "Never" different from <a href="/always-quotes">Always</a> quotes?
They're natural opposites — "Always" quotes are about consistency and long-held habits, while "Never" quotes are about absence, gaps, and things that haven't happened.
What should I read if I want something more upbeat?
Good quotes or Like quotes lean lighter, while "Never" quotes tend to be more contemplative. For a broader reflective read, Life quotes is also worth checking.

Other quotes touch on constitutional rights never explicitly written down, and the constant stream of new problems people have never faced before. See also Always Quotes and Good Quotes.