---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think there was always some scrawny…"
description: "\"I think there was always some scrawny dreamer sitting at the edge of the firelight, who had the ability to imagine dangers, to look into the future in ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/551/christopher-moore-353_ability_i-think-there-was-always-some-scrawny-dr_1856301.jpg"
---

#  I think there was always some scrawny dreamer sitting at…

![“I think there was always some scrawny dreamer sitting at the edge of the firelight, who had the ability to imagine dangers, to look into the future in his imagination and see possibilities, and therefore survived to pass his genes on to the next generation.” quote by Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/551/christopher-moore-353_ability_i-think-there-was-always-some-scrawny-dr_1856301.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/551/christopher-moore-353_ability_i-think-there-was-always-some-scrawny-dr_1856301.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/551/christopher-moore-353_ability_i-think-there-was-always-some-scrawny-dr_1856301.jpg)

> “I think there was always some scrawny dreamer sitting at the edge of the firelight, who had the ability to imagine dangers, to look into the future in his imagination and see possibilities, and therefore survived to pass his genes on to the next generation.”

[Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Imagination of danger and future possibilities enables survival and passing of genes to the next generation.

**In simple terms:** Imagining threats and futures helps survive and reproduce.

Key Takeaway

Cultivate foresight and creativity.

Themes

survival imagination evolution creativity future-thinking

Mood

hopeful reflective

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- parenting
- career planning
- entrepreneurship
- environmental forecasting

Key Concepts

Evolutionary psychology creative imagination risk assessment

Questions to Reflect On

- How does imagination shape your long‑term goals?
- What risks do you overlook?

A Different Perspective

Imagination alone cannot guarantee survival without action.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Danger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/danger/) [Dreamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreamer/) [Dreamer Sitting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreamer-sitting-2470267/) [Future Imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future-imagination-2470268/) [Generations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generations/) [Genes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genes/) [Imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination/) [Imagine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [Next](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next/) [Next generation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next-generation/) [Possibilities Survived](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possibilities-survived-2470269/) [Possibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possibility/) [Scrawny Dreamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scrawny-dreamer-2470266/) [Sitting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sitting/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/)

## Related quotes

> [Out of this darkness a new world can arise, not to be constructed by our minds so much as to emerge from our dreams.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-macy/out-of-this-darkness-a-new-world-can-arise-not-to-be-constructed-by/)

[Joanna Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-macy/)

> [“Look at towards the future! If you see something, it is your imagination only! Because the future is not there yet, it has not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/look-at-towards-the-future-if-you-see-something-it-is-your/)

[Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/)

> [New gene pools are generated in every generation, and evolution takes place because the successful individuals produced by these gene pools give rise to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernst-mayr/new-gene-pools-are-generated-in-every-generation-and-evolution-takes/)

[Ernst Mayr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernst-mayr/)

> [A large animal needs a large area. If you protect that area, you're also protecting thousands of other plants and animals. You're saving all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-schaller/a-large-animal-needs-a-large-area-if-you-protect-that-area-you-re/)

[George Schaller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-schaller/)

> [Of course it is a very simple matter to identify genes which might modify intelligence or memory and start thinking about whether you want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-winston/of-course-it-is-a-very-simple-matter-to-identify-genes-which-might/)

[Robert Winston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-winston/)

> [“Everyone thinks that it was the big strong caveman who got the girl, and for the most part, that may have been true, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/everyone-thinks-that-it-was-the-big-strong-caveman-who-got-the-girl/)

[Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/)

> [ I always found that kind of hard, and even though Gene Kelly was also a taskmaster, Bobby \[Fosse\] was tougher. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-reynolds/i-always-found-that-kind-of-hard-and-even-though-gene-kelly-was-also/)

[Debbie Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-reynolds/)

> [A renaissance in cellular biology has recently revealed the molecular mechanisms by which thoughts and perceptions directly influence gene activity and cell behavior...Energy psychology,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-h-lipton/a-renaissance-in-cellular-biology-has-recently-revealed-the-molecular/)

[Bruce H. Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-h-lipton/)

> [Let us understand what our own selfish genes are up to because we may then at least have the chance to upset their designs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/let-us-understand-what-our-own-selfish-genes-are-up-to-because-we-may/)

[Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/)

> [And when I went to Houston, they had a conditioning coach by the name of Gene Coleman. And that was the first time I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-ryan/and-when-i-went-to-houston-they-had-a-conditioning-coach-by-the-name/)

[Nolan Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-ryan/)

> [Do we make ourselves into what we become or is it built into our genes, into the fate spun for us by whatever shapes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-bruchac/do-we-make-ourselves-into-what-we-become-or-is-it-built-into-our/)

[Joseph Bruchac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-bruchac/)

> [We are a spectacular, splendid manifestation of life. We have language. . . . We have affection. We have genes for usefulness, and usefulness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/we-are-a-spectacular-splendid-manifestation-of-life-we-have-language/)

[Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/)

> [Early experience shapes the structure and function of the brain. This reveals the fundamental way in which gene expression is determined by experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-siegel/early-experience-shapes-the-structure-and-function-of-the-brain-this/)

[Daniel J. Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-siegel/)

> [The families in positions of great financial power obsessively interbreed with each other. But I'm not talking about one Earth race, Jewish or non-Jewish.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-icke/the-families-in-positions-of-great-financial-power-obsessively/)

[David Icke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-icke/)

> [At the deepest level, all living things that have ever been looked at have the same DNA code. And many of the same genes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/at-the-deepest-level-all-living-things-that-have-ever-been-looked-at/)

[Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/)

## More by Christopher Moore

> [“Love them all," said Renoir. "That is the secret, young man. Love them all." The painter let go of his arm and shrugged. "Then,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/love-them-all-said-renoir-that-is-the-secret-young-man-love-them-all/)

[Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/)

> [“I tried cutting myself to express my heartbreak over Tommy (Lord Flood) rejecting me, but OMFG it hurts like flaming fuck.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/i-tried-cutting-myself-to-express-my-heartbreak-over-tommy-lord-flood/)

[Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/)

> [Canada is a myth people made up to entertain children, like the Tooth Fairy. There’s no such place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/canada-is-a-myth-people-made-up-to-entertain-children-like-the-tooth/)

[Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/)

> [Sarcasm will make your tits fall off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/sarcasm-will-make-your-tits-fall-off/)

[Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/)

> [“I hope you are not here to ask me to do my bawdy business- the monkey has a nosebleed and the circus, sir, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/i-hope-you-are-not-here-to-ask-me-to-do-my-bawdy-business-the-monkey/)

[Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/)

> [The prospect of change is a many-fanged beast, my dear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/the-prospect-of-change-is-a-many-fanged-beast-my-dear/)

[Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/)

> [“The night was crisp and the stars shone with a cold blue light like loneliness or infinity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/the-night-was-crisp-and-the-stars-shone-with-a-cold-blue-light-like/)

[Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/)

> [Children see magic because they look for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/children-see-magic-because-they-look-for-it/)

[Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/)

> [“Abby Von Normal - And I'm like, "Don't change the subject, Kung Pao, what I want to know is if you're ready to spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/abby-von-normal-and-i-m-like-don-t-change-the-subject-kung-pao-what-i/)

[Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/)

> [“You can't just go around blurting out the truth like a prophet with Tourette's syndrome.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/you-can-t-just-go-around-blurting-out-the-truth-like-a-prophet-with/)

[Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/)

> [How could you deal with a creature as devious as woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/how-could-you-deal-with-a-creature-as-devious-as-woman/)

[Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/)

> [“…turning your ankle hurts like hell, even if you're a superhero.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/turning-your-ankle-hurts-like-hell-even-if-you-re-a-superhero/)

[Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/)

> [Lonliness evaporated off of them like the steam off dry ice, and by morning it was just a cloud on the ceiling of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/lonliness-evaporated-off-of-them-like-the-steam-off-dry-ice-and-by/)

[Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/)

> [“Give us a call or you know, flash a searchlight in the sky with your logo on it, because we monitor everything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/give-us-a-call-or-you-know-flash-a-searchlight-in-the-sky-with-your/)

[Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/)

> [“it wasn't so much like the hands of time had stood still here, more like they'd been thrown in the air in exasperation, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/it-wasn-t-so-much-like-the-hands-of-time-had-stood-still-here-more/)

[Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/)

[Explore all 591 Christopher Moore quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/)

## More Ability quotes

> [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/)

[Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/)

> [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/)

[Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/)

> [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/)

[Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/)

> [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/)

[Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/)

> [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/)

[Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/)

> [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/)

[Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/)

> [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/)

[Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/)

> [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/)

[Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/)

> [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/)

[Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/)

> [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/)

[Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/)

> [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/)

[Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/)

> [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/)

[Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/)

> [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/)

[Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/)

[Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I think there was always some scrawny dreamer sitting at the edge of the firelight, who had the ability to imagine dangers, to look into the future in his imagination and see possibilities, and therefore survived to pass his genes on to the next generation.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Christopher Moore"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/i-think-there-was-always-some-scrawny-dreamer-sitting-at-the-edge-of/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Ability"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/i-think-there-was-always-some-scrawny-dreamer-sitting-at-the-edge-of/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/551/christopher-moore-353_ability_i-think-there-was-always-some-scrawny-dr_1856301.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/551/christopher-moore-353_ability_i-think-there-was-always-some-scrawny-dr_1856301.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/551/christopher-moore-353_ability_i-think-there-was-always-some-scrawny-dr_1856301.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I think there was always some scrawny dreamer sitting at the edge of the firelight, who had the ability to…” — Christopher Moore",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Christopher Moore",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I think there was always some...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/i-think-there-was-always-some-scrawny-dreamer-sitting-at-the-edge-of/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/i-think-there-was-always-some-scrawny-dreamer-sitting-at-the-edge-of/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
