---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I like to think I'm the canary down the…"
description: "\"I like to think I'm the canary down the mine for people.\" — Daisy May Cooper"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21e/daisy-may-cooper-32831_canary_i-like-to-think-i-m-the-canary-down-the_16895.jpg"
---

#  I like to think I'm the canary down the mine for people.

![“I like to think I'm the canary down the mine for people.” quote by Daisy May Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21e/daisy-may-cooper-32831_canary_i-like-to-think-i-m-the-canary-down-the_16895.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21e/daisy-may-cooper-32831_canary_i-like-to-think-i-m-the-canary-down-the_16895.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21e/daisy-may-cooper-32831_canary_i-like-to-think-i-m-the-canary-down-the_16895.jpg)

> “I like to think I'm the canary down the mine for people.”

[Daisy May Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisy-may-cooper/)

## About This Quote

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

The speaker sees themselves as an early warning system, alerting others to danger before it spreads.

**In simple terms:** Self‑as‑warning sign

Key Takeaway

Early detection saves others

Themes

caution responsibility vulnerability community alertness

Mood

empathetic serious hopeful

Type

metaphorical reflective

When to use this quote

- working in hazardous environments
- monitoring health crises
- watching for financial fraud
- guarding personal relationships

Key Concepts

risk awareness protective role

Practical Applications

- risk assessment tools
- early‑warning communication systems

Questions to Reflect On

- How can we better support those who act as early detectors?
- What are the costs of ignoring warning signs?

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Canary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/canary/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/)

## Related quotes

> [I think the canary left some feathers in there after you ate it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/i-think-the-canary-left-some-feathers-in-there-after-you-ate-it/)

[Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/)

> [I'm always amazed by those people who get up at 5 and write till 8 and then eat a peach and walk their canary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-greenberg/i-m-always-amazed-by-those-people-who-get-up-at-5-and-write-till-8/)

[Richard Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-greenberg/)

> [Being in love, you know... it's not like having a canary, in a cage. When you lose one sweetheart, you can't just go out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-waters/being-in-love-you-know-it-s-not-like-having-a-canary-in-a-cage-when/)

[Sarah Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-waters/)

> [Cruelty is a mystery, and the waste of pain. But if we describe a word to compass these things, a world that is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/cruelty-is-a-mystery-and-the-waste-of-pain-but-if-we-describe-a-word/)

[Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/)

> [Knowing without any doubt that the newly elected cannot help but be his zombies, Obama is the cat who swallowed the canary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judi-mcleod/knowing-without-any-doubt-that-the-newly-elected-cannot-help-but-be/)

Judi McLeod

> [“Here we have Diogenes, His Highness’ favourite canary. Things are starting to take shape.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antal-szerb/here-we-have-diogenes-his-highness-favourite-canary-things-are/)

[Antal Szerb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antal-szerb/)

> [That's what the cat said to the canary when he swallowed him - 'You'll be all right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvah-bessie/that-s-what-the-cat-said-to-the-canary-when-he-swallowed-him-you-ll/)

[Alvah Bessie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvah-bessie/)

> [We're performing several shows in the Canary Islands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-duke/we-re-performing-several-shows-in-the-canary-islands/)

[George Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-duke/)

> [Don't save the canary. Fix the coal mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/don-t-save-the-canary-fix-the-coal-mine/)

[Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/)

> [“Canary light of oil lamps”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/canary-light-of-oil-lamps/)

[Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/)

> [You can't soar like an eagle and crap like a canary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-sabol/you-can-t-soar-like-an-eagle-and-crap-like-a-canary/)

[Ed Sabol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-sabol/)

> [Better a debauched canary than a pious wolf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/better-a-debauched-canary-than-a-pious-wolf/)

[Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/)

> [Was reading a book. It was about a canary. Every year the canarycomes back with a new song. It never repeats its song in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/medeski-martin-and-wood/was-reading-a-book-it-was-about-a-canary-every-year-the-canarycomes/)

[Medeski Martin And Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/medeski-martin-and-wood/)

> [“A woman once held a Canary in the palm of her hand and stroked her and whispered a careful warning. The canary, seeking some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-lynn-hope/a-woman-once-held-a-canary-in-the-palm-of-her-hand-and-stroked-her/)

[Donna Lynn Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-lynn-hope/)

> [A caged canary is safe but not free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-e-williams/a-caged-canary-is-safe-but-not-free/)

[Walter E. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-e-williams/)

## More by Daisy May Cooper

> [I'm difficult to cast. In comedy, if there's a female character, usually written by a bloke, she's either the ditsy good-looking one, or the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisy-may-cooper/i-m-difficult-to-cast-in-comedy-if-there-s-a-female-character-usually/)

[Daisy May Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisy-may-cooper/)

> [It's brilliant there are so many writer-performers around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisy-may-cooper/it-s-brilliant-there-are-so-many-writer-performers-around/)

[Daisy May Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisy-may-cooper/)

> [I'd love to be an artist. My mum is so talented and she used to design her own greetings cards. I'm crap at drawing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisy-may-cooper/i-d-love-to-be-an-artist-my-mum-is-so-talented-and-she-used-to-design/)

[Daisy May Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisy-may-cooper/)

> [I love being outside in nature, especially by the water - if I could, I would come back as a tadpole so that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisy-may-cooper/i-love-being-outside-in-nature-especially-by-the-water-if-i-could-i/)

[Daisy May Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisy-may-cooper/)

> [I'm terrible at learning lines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisy-may-cooper/i-m-terrible-at-learning-lines/)

[Daisy May Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisy-may-cooper/)

> [When I was in hospital, I recorded a ghost. My fave YouTube channel is Huff Paranormal, which is about a guy who talks to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisy-may-cooper/when-i-was-in-hospital-i-recorded-a-ghost-my-fave-youtube-channel-is/)

[Daisy May Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisy-may-cooper/)

> [Growing up, we loved 'The Royle Family'. Caroline Aherne, she was just incredible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisy-may-cooper/growing-up-we-loved-the-royle-family-caroline-aherne-she-was-just/)

[Daisy May Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisy-may-cooper/)

> [I'd just come out of drama school, didn't get anything, had to move back in with my parents and do a night-time cleaning job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisy-may-cooper/i-d-just-come-out-of-drama-school-didn-t-get-anything-had-to-move/)

[Daisy May Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisy-may-cooper/)

> [At Rada, I was cast as Lady Macbeth and tried to do it as seriously as I could, but people still started laughing. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisy-may-cooper/at-rada-i-was-cast-as-lady-macbeth-and-tried-to-do-it-as-seriously-as/)

[Daisy May Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisy-may-cooper/)

> [Oh my God, I used to love 'Just Seventeen'. My treat was to go to Woolworths with my pocket money and get 'Just Seventeen'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisy-may-cooper/oh-my-god-i-used-to-love-just-seventeen-my-treat-was-to-go-to/)

[Daisy May Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisy-may-cooper/)

> [I'm so bad with money, I had to hand all my cards over to my husband. It doesn't comprehend in my brain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisy-may-cooper/i-m-so-bad-with-money-i-had-to-hand-all-my-cards-over-to-my-husband/)

[Daisy May Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisy-may-cooper/)

> [I love reading about ghosts, near-death experiences, astral projection - which is when you leave your body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisy-may-cooper/i-love-reading-about-ghosts-near-death-experiences-astral-projection/)

[Daisy May Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisy-may-cooper/)

> [I went to London for drama school but I hated it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisy-may-cooper/i-went-to-london-for-drama-school-but-i-hated-it/)

[Daisy May Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisy-may-cooper/)

> [I am so grateful every day to do a job that I love. That is the key to life and what I would like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisy-may-cooper/i-am-so-grateful-every-day-to-do-a-job-that-i-love-that-is-the-key-to/)

[Daisy May Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisy-may-cooper/)

[Explore all 15 Daisy May Cooper quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisy-may-cooper/)

## More Canary quotes

> [Being in love, you know... it's not like having a canary, in a cage. When you lose one sweetheart, you can't just go out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-waters/being-in-love-you-know-it-s-not-like-having-a-canary-in-a-cage-when/)

[Sarah Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-waters/)

> [I'm always amazed by those people who get up at 5 and write till 8 and then eat a peach and walk their canary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-greenberg/i-m-always-amazed-by-those-people-who-get-up-at-5-and-write-till-8/)

[Richard Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-greenberg/)

> [“A woman once held a Canary in the palm of her hand and stroked her and whispered a careful warning. The canary, seeking some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-lynn-hope/a-woman-once-held-a-canary-in-the-palm-of-her-hand-and-stroked-her/)

[Donna Lynn Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-lynn-hope/)

> [Was reading a book. It was about a canary. Every year the canarycomes back with a new song. It never repeats its song in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/medeski-martin-and-wood/was-reading-a-book-it-was-about-a-canary-every-year-the-canarycomes/)

[Medeski Martin And Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/medeski-martin-and-wood/)

> [Better a debauched canary than a pious wolf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/better-a-debauched-canary-than-a-pious-wolf/)

[Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/)

> [You can't soar like an eagle and crap like a canary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-sabol/you-can-t-soar-like-an-eagle-and-crap-like-a-canary/)

[Ed Sabol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-sabol/)

> [“Canary light of oil lamps”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/canary-light-of-oil-lamps/)

[Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/)

> [Don't save the canary. Fix the coal mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/don-t-save-the-canary-fix-the-coal-mine/)

[Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/)

> [We're performing several shows in the Canary Islands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-duke/we-re-performing-several-shows-in-the-canary-islands/)

[George Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-duke/)

> [That's what the cat said to the canary when he swallowed him - 'You'll be all right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvah-bessie/that-s-what-the-cat-said-to-the-canary-when-he-swallowed-him-you-ll/)

[Alvah Bessie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvah-bessie/)

> [“Here we have Diogenes, His Highness’ favourite canary. Things are starting to take shape.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antal-szerb/here-we-have-diogenes-his-highness-favourite-canary-things-are/)

[Antal Szerb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antal-szerb/)

> [Knowing without any doubt that the newly elected cannot help but be his zombies, Obama is the cat who swallowed the canary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judi-mcleod/knowing-without-any-doubt-that-the-newly-elected-cannot-help-but-be/)

Judi McLeod

> [Cruelty is a mystery, and the waste of pain. But if we describe a word to compass these things, a world that is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/cruelty-is-a-mystery-and-the-waste-of-pain-but-if-we-describe-a-word/)

[Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/)

> [A caged canary is safe but not free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-e-williams/a-caged-canary-is-safe-but-not-free/)

[Walter E. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-e-williams/)

> [“The canary began to sing again. The sun had struck it, and its throat and tiny breast had filled with song. Francis gazed at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikos-kazantzakis/the-canary-began-to-sing-again-the-sun-had-struck-it-and-its-throat/)

[Nikos Kazantzakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikos-kazantzakis/)

[Browse all 28 Canary quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/canary/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I like to think I'm the canary down the mine for people.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Daisy May Cooper"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisy-may-cooper/i-like-to-think-i-m-the-canary-down-the-mine-for-people/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Canary"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisy-may-cooper/i-like-to-think-i-m-the-canary-down-the-mine-for-people/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21e/daisy-may-cooper-32831_canary_i-like-to-think-i-m-the-canary-down-the_16895.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21e/daisy-may-cooper-32831_canary_i-like-to-think-i-m-the-canary-down-the_16895.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21e/daisy-may-cooper-32831_canary_i-like-to-think-i-m-the-canary-down-the_16895.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I like to think I'm the canary down the mine for people.” — Daisy May Cooper",
                "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": "Daisy May Cooper",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisy-may-cooper/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I like to think I'm the...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisy-may-cooper/i-like-to-think-i-m-the-canary-down-the-mine-for-people/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisy-may-cooper/i-like-to-think-i-m-the-canary-down-the-mine-for-people/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
