--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Our chances of survival were entirely…" description: "\"“Our chances of survival were entirely dependent on our ability and willingness to dominate others.”\" — Elle Casey" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cb/elle-casey-3650_survival_our-chances-of-survival-were-entirely-de_28516.jpg" --- # Our chances of survival were entirely dependent on our… ![“Our chances of survival were entirely dependent on our ability and willingness to dominate others.” quote by Elle Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cb/elle-casey-3650_survival_our-chances-of-survival-were-entirely-de_28516.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cb/elle-casey-3650_survival_our-chances-of-survival-were-entirely-de_28516.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cb/elle-casey-3650_survival_our-chances-of-survival-were-entirely-de_28516.jpg) > ““Our chances of survival were entirely dependent on our ability and willingness to dominate others.”” [Elle Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elle-casey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote asserts that survival hinges on the capacity and desire to exert control over others, implying a power‑centric view of existence. **In simple terms:** Survival depends on dominating others. Key Takeaway Power is essential for survival. Themes Power dynamics Survival Human nature Control Dominance Mood Defiant Cynical Serious Type Philosophical Political Motivational When to use this quote - Leadership competition - Political conflict - Corporate hierarchy - Social stratification - War Key Concepts Power Control Survival instinct Practical Applications - Strategic planning - Leadership training Questions to Reflect On - Is domination truly necessary for survival? - What alternatives exist to power‑based hierarchies? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Survival](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survival/) ## Related quotes > [Willpower determines success in business, interpersonal relationships, health, whatever it is. All the activities in your life, success and failure in them, are dependent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/willpower-determines-success-in-business-interpersonal-relationships/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [My entire film career's been dependent on my ability to look unattractive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-hathaway/my-entire-film-career-s-been-dependent-on-my-ability-to-look/) [Anne Hathaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-hathaway/) > [The process of discovering who we are and what we are here to do . . . is dependent . . . on our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-redfield/the-process-of-discovering-who-we-are-and-what-we-are-here-to-do-is/) [James Redfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-redfield/) > [Those who consume far more resources than they require destroy the life chances of those whose survival depends upon consuming more](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-monbiot/those-who-consume-far-more-resources-than-they-require-destroy-the/) [George Monbiot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-monbiot/) > [Around half of the top alpinists have died climbing. Of course if I'm careful and turn back more often than the others, I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-messner/around-half-of-the-top-alpinists-have-died-climbing-of-course-if-i-m/) [Reinhold Messner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-messner/) > [If one reads enough books one has a fighting chance. Or better, one's chances of survival increase with each book one reads.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/if-one-reads-enough-books-one-has-a-fighting-chance-or-better-one-s/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [I believe in the basic goodness of my species, because that appears to be a positive tactic and quality that leads to better chances…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-randi/i-believe-in-the-basic-goodness-of-my-species-because-that-appears-to/) [James Randi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-randi/) > [“who knows what the chances are out there, of survival, yours? I will say, you, you like an old love song. You can mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/who-knows-what-the-chances-are-out-there-of-survival-yours-i-will-say/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“Chances of survival are dwindling into single-digits now...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fishlegs/chances-of-survival-are-dwindling-into-single-digits-now/) Fishlegs > [As long as nuclear weapons exist, the chances of survival of the human species are quite slight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/as-long-as-nuclear-weapons-exist-the-chances-of-survival-of-the-human/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Good history is a question of survival. Without any past, we will deprive ourselves of the defining impression of our being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-burns/good-history-is-a-question-of-survival-without-any-past-we-will/) [Ken Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-burns/) > [“Good morning,” one of the soldiers said. “I’m Captain Joseph Walker and this is Sergeant James Vanetten. We are members of the One-Hundred-and-First Airborne…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shafter-bailey/good-morning-one-of-the-soldiers-said-i-m-captain-joseph-walker-and/) [Shafter Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shafter-bailey/) > [The crisis of our diminishing water resources is just as severe (if less obviously immediate) as any wartime crisis we have ever faced. Our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-wright/the-crisis-of-our-diminishing-water-resources-is-just-as-severe-if/) Jim Wright > [Nothing is better for self-esteem than survival.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-gellhorn/nothing-is-better-for-self-esteem-than-survival/) [Martha Gellhorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-gellhorn/) > [I wanted to write about voodoo tradition that I feel has been very important to survival of black people here: people of the African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/i-wanted-to-write-about-voodoo-tradition-that-i-feel-has-been-very/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) ## More by Elle Casey > [“I tend to agree with that little devil more and more these days.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elle-casey/i-tend-to-agree-with-that-little-devil-more-and-more-these-days/) [Elle Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elle-casey/) > [“Scars are your body's way of healing, making that damaged part stronger than it ever wad before the pain”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elle-casey/scars-are-your-body-s-way-of-healing-making-that-damaged-part/) [Elle Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elle-casey/) > [“Apparently, when faced with impending death, I completely lose my shit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elle-casey/apparently-when-faced-with-impending-death-i-completely-lose-my-shit/) [Elle Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elle-casey/) > [“It's not every day that I spoke to a totally hot naked man who I was getting read to expose my parts to--and piss…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elle-casey/it-s-not-every-day-that-i-spoke-to-a-totally-hot-naked-man-who-i-was/) [Elle Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elle-casey/) > [“I can't let you go because you're mine”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elle-casey/i-can-t-let-you-go-because-you-re-mine/) [Elle Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elle-casey/) > [“So you say, like, 'Hey tree, fix Finn,' and the tree is like, 'Okay, shazam, done.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elle-casey/so-you-say-like-hey-tree-fix-finn-and-the-tree-is-like-okay-shazam/) [Elle Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elle-casey/) > [“I love it when my brain just spontaneously takes over like that. It always surprises me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elle-casey/i-love-it-when-my-brain-just-spontaneously-takes-over-like-that-it/) [Elle Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elle-casey/) > [“That was just too embarrassing, although there was a sort of poetic justice to peeing on your enemies when they weren't able to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elle-casey/that-was-just-too-embarrassing-although-there-was-a-sort-of-poetic/) [Elle Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elle-casey/) > [“I wasted the best years of my life on that asshole.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elle-casey/i-wasted-the-best-years-of-my-life-on-that-asshole/) [Elle Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elle-casey/) > [“I love you, Andie Marks MacKenzie. I'm not letting you go.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elle-casey/i-love-you-andie-marks-mackenzie-i-m-not-letting-you-go/) [Elle Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elle-casey/) > [“Love comes in many flavors. Most people start out with vanilla and chocolate and work their way up to rum raisin but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elle-casey/love-comes-in-many-flavors-most-people-start-out-with-vanilla-and/) [Elle Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elle-casey/) > [“Don’t worry.   Your knight in shining armor will arrive someday.   And when he does, I know he’ll not only be totally adorable,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elle-casey/don-t-worry-your-knight-in-shining-armor-will-arrive-someday-and-when/) [Elle Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elle-casey/) > [“believe now, after looking into this man’s eyes, that I went upstairs with a demon.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elle-casey/believe-now-after-looking-into-this-man-s-eyes-that-i-went-upstairs/) [Elle Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elle-casey/) > [“Yes. Go away.” I stare at the ceiling. Having him this close makes me sad for some reason. Must be the drugs again. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elle-casey/yes-go-away-i-stare-at-the-ceiling-having-him-this-close-makes-me-sad/) [Elle Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elle-casey/) > [“Have I been possessed by a rapscallion demon?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elle-casey/have-i-been-possessed-by-a-rapscallion-demon/) [Elle Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elle-casey/) [Explore all 123 Elle Casey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elle-casey/) ## More Survival quotes > [I wanted to write about voodoo tradition that I feel has been very important to survival of black people here: people of the African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/i-wanted-to-write-about-voodoo-tradition-that-i-feel-has-been-very/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [Nothing is better for self-esteem than survival.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-gellhorn/nothing-is-better-for-self-esteem-than-survival/) [Martha Gellhorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-gellhorn/) > [The crisis of our diminishing water resources is just as severe (if less obviously immediate) as any wartime crisis we have ever faced. Our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-wright/the-crisis-of-our-diminishing-water-resources-is-just-as-severe-if/) Jim Wright > [“Good morning,” one of the soldiers said. “I’m Captain Joseph Walker and this is Sergeant James Vanetten. We are members of the One-Hundred-and-First Airborne…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shafter-bailey/good-morning-one-of-the-soldiers-said-i-m-captain-joseph-walker-and/) [Shafter Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shafter-bailey/) > [Good history is a question of survival. Without any past, we will deprive ourselves of the defining impression of our being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-burns/good-history-is-a-question-of-survival-without-any-past-we-will/) [Ken Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-burns/) > [“There was no such thing as a fair fight. All vulnerabilities must be exploited.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cary-caffrey/there-was-no-such-thing-as-a-fair-fight-all-vulnerabilities-must-be/) Cary Caffrey > [The prime communities of the Southwest are survival communities. Their sustenance is governed by rainfall and wind direction. You can study little enclaves of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-predock/the-prime-communities-of-the-southwest-are-survival-communities-their/) [Antoine Predock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-predock/) > [There was the natural human survival instinct to be optimistic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-demick/there-was-the-natural-human-survival-instinct-to-be-optimistic/) [Barbara Demick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-demick/) > [I'm not being presumptuous, I hope, when I say that 'The Crown' is little bit like 'The Godfather.' It is essentially about a family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-morgan/i-m-not-being-presumptuous-i-hope-when-i-say-that-the-crown-is-little/) [Peter Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-morgan/) > [The planet's survival has become so uncertain that any effort, any thought that presupposes an assured future amounts to a mad gamble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/the-planet-s-survival-has-become-so-uncertain-that-any-effort-any/) [Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/) > [For now, I'm supposing that all movements are equal, which they're not, except in this respect: that none of them gives a damn about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilfrid-sheed/for-now-i-m-supposing-that-all-movements-are-equal-which-they-re-not/) [Wilfrid Sheed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilfrid-sheed/) > [“To have endured horrors, to have seen the worst of humanity and have your life made unrecognizable by it, to come out of all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ransom-riggs/to-have-endured-horrors-to-have-seen-the-worst-of-humanity-and-have/) [Ransom Riggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ransom-riggs/) > [If God exist? Why doesn't he give me that strenght,hope,faith when We need it?Surviving by you'r own is painfully](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ojal-hukom/if-god-exist-why-doesn-t-he-give-me-that-strenght-hope-faith-when-we/) Ojalé Hukom > [Successful investment is a battle for financial survival.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-m-loeb/successful-investment-is-a-battle-for-financial-survival/) [Gerald M. Loeb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-m-loeb/) > [“Work is a vehicle with which man chases some fleeting destination called a full tummy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/work-is-a-vehicle-with-which-man-chases-some-fleeting-destination/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) [Browse all 3,145 Survival quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survival/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Our chances of survival were entirely dependent on our ability and willingness to dominate others.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Elle Casey" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elle-casey/our-chances-of-survival-were-entirely-dependent-on-our-ability-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Survival" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elle-casey/our-chances-of-survival-were-entirely-dependent-on-our-ability-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cb/elle-casey-3650_survival_our-chances-of-survival-were-entirely-de_28516.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cb/elle-casey-3650_survival_our-chances-of-survival-were-entirely-de_28516.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cb/elle-casey-3650_survival_our-chances-of-survival-were-entirely-de_28516.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Our chances of survival were entirely dependent on our ability and willingness to dominate others.” — Elle Casey", "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": "Elle Casey", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elle-casey/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Our chances of survival were entirely...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elle-casey/our-chances-of-survival-were-entirely-dependent-on-our-ability-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elle-casey/our-chances-of-survival-were-entirely-dependent-on-our-ability-and/#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 } } ] } ```