John Edgar Wideman Quotes

I resisted writing a book for a long time because I didn't want to invade anyone else's privacy or hurt anyone or anger anyone.

I try not to deal with people's hostility, though I must if they have something I need from them, as the professors did at Columbia or my landlord did.

I do ask myself why I make people so enraged, because I only ever say what I think. And while I know it might not be everyone's point of view, that doesn't seem particularly intolerable to me.

If you're offended, it's your problem.

I haven't raised my voice for eight to 10 years in the kitchen. And I won't have anybody shouting. If I hear of anybody having a go at anyone else, they'll get disciplined.

It's not impressive to get in a fight, but if one does happen, you've gotta be ready to handle it. Every girl, not just biker chicks, knows what kind of guy can.

People can get into very bad habits of arguing ideas and shutting them down.

At home, a man is entitled to raise his voice maybe once a year, if something really gets under his skin. At work, it's different. I raise my voice all the time. Not out of malice, but to get things right. It's never personal.

This question: 'How do I deal with a bully without becoming a thug in return?' has been with me ever since I was a child.

You punch me, I punch back. I do not believe it's good for one's self-respect to be a punching bag.

I'm really emotional. I don't fight with people - like, I can barely fight with my husband because I'll just start crying instead. I've learned not to do that.

I don't avoid anything. In my songs I just choose to talk about certain things, and so yeah, there are some aspects of my character and personality that don't come out.

The list of problems that we all experience may be endless, but I honestly cannot abide by the rule that, 'He who yells louder is heard.'

Fighting is not a man's thing, it is a human thing.

If you give an actor any wiggle room to whine in situations where they want to whine, you're gonna whine.

I would never write something that made me uncomfortable. I'm not sure it's even possible.

I'm fortunate enough to have learned not to waste time getting frustrated with my kids, or co-workers, or friends and family for not doing everything I wish they would. If someone doesn't respond to me the way I want them to, I understand that it doesn't have anything to do with me.

Why should I let them beat up on me? Let them argue with each other.

If you've really got a problem with me, and you came and told me you had a problem with me, I'd be interested to listen to you. But if you're just some loser that sits there and hammers away on some blog form or whatever, I don't have time for that. Why even worry about it?

If you're playing a character that someone doesn't like, that's okay, but if you're voicing your own opinions, they actually don't like you!

What you learn is that you can't please everyone all the time.

My strategy is simple. I fight at what I'm good at. I am not good at trash talking, so I don't fight with trash talking. It is not my thing.

I didn't get to be successful by letting people hurt Blackstone or me.

I don't remember threatening anybody, ever. I don't like threats. I don't respond well to them, so I don't give them. But I'm not a doormat. I try to meet the appropriate level of communications.

I expect if people have had a problem with me or my attitude, then they come and take it directly with me, face to face.