--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I bet a fun thing would be to go way back…" description: "\"I bet a fun thing would be to go way back in time to where there was going to be an eclipse and tell the cave men, \"If I have come to destroy you, may ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d2/jack-handey-829_back-in-time_i-bet-a-fun-thing-would-be-to-go-way-bac_1744002.jpg" --- # I bet a fun thing would be to go way back in time to where… ![“I bet a fun thing would be to go way back in time to where there was going to be an eclipse and tell the cave men, "If I have come to destroy you, may the sun be blotted out from the sky." Just then the eclipse would start, and they'd probably try to kill you or something, but then you could…” quote by Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d2/jack-handey-829_back-in-time_i-bet-a-fun-thing-would-be-to-go-way-bac_1744002.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d2/jack-handey-829_back-in-time_i-bet-a-fun-thing-would-be-to-go-way-bac_1744002.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d2/jack-handey-829_back-in-time_i-bet-a-fun-thing-would-be-to-go-way-bac_1744002.jpg) > “I bet a fun thing would be to go way back in time to where there was going to be an eclipse and tell the cave men, "If I have come to destroy you, may the sun be blotted out from the sky." Just then the eclipse would start, and they'd probably try to kill you or something, but then you could explain about the rotation of the moon and all, and everyone would get a good laugh.” [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A whimsical scenario where a modern person uses an eclipse to scare ancient humans, highlighting the humor in an anachronistic prank. **In simple terms:** Playing with time and knowledge can create funny, impossible situations. Key Takeaway Use imagination to see the absurdity of playing god. Themes imagination humor anachronism Mood playful ironic Type comedic speculative When to use this quote - storytelling - creative writing - comedy sketches Key Concepts time travel prank historical context Questions to Reflect On - What would be the consequences of introducing advanced ideas to primitive societies? - How does humor change when it involves impossible scenarios? A Different Perspective The joke relies on knowledge that ancient people wouldn’t understand modern concepts, limiting its plausibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Caves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caves/) [Eclipse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eclipse/) [Fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fun/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moon/) [Sky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sky/) [Sun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sun/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“yesterday — i was the moon today — just an eclipse something in me travels; some days it’s to the dark some days it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noor-unnahar/yesterday-i-was-the-moon-today-just-an-eclipse-something-in-me/) [Noor Unnahar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noor-unnahar/) > [I recommend for people, if this is the first time they're going to see an eclipse, don't get bogged down in trying to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-espenak/i-recommend-for-people-if-this-is-the-first-time-they-re-going-to-see/) [Fred Espenak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-espenak/) > [We feel that the 2-2-1 press is a very effective means of controlling tempo and providing us with opportunities to capitalize on the mistakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-calhoun/we-feel-that-the-2-2-1-press-is-a-very-effective-means-of-controlling/) [Jim Calhoun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-calhoun/) > [There are two amendments only which I am anxious for: 1. A bill of rights, which it is so much the interest of all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/there-are-two-amendments-only-which-i-am-anxious-for-1-a-bill-of/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [I try to write songs. At our concerts, we take the cream of the crop from my back catalogue and I don't know if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-lightfoot/i-try-to-write-songs-at-our-concerts-we-take-the-cream-of-the-crop/) [Gordon Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-lightfoot/) > [The pressure to perform is actually a privilege. Being left out of the starting rotation is a sign you must work harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-foudy/the-pressure-to-perform-is-actually-a-privilege-being-left-out-of-the/) [Julie Foudy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-foudy/) > [Use the previous techniques in rotation. It will prevent your meditation experience from becoming stale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/use-the-previous-techniques-in-rotation-it-will-prevent-your/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [In comics, there are depths that don't reveal themselves immediately, and the stuff that you might consider anal about 'Watching the Watchmen' - like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gibbons/in-comics-there-are-depths-that-don-t-reveal-themselves-immediately/) [Dave Gibbons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gibbons/) > [One day I discovered that one could get the barrier to internal rotation in ethane approximately right using this method. This was the beginning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-hoffmann/one-day-i-discovered-that-one-could-get-the-barrier-to-internal/) [Roald Hoffmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-hoffmann/) > [This excerpt is presented as reproduced by Copernicus in the preface to De Revolutionibus: "Some think that the earth remains at rest. But Philolaus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/this-excerpt-is-presented-as-reproduced-by-copernicus-in-the-preface/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [As a matter of fact I don't know of one artist as long as I've been alive that they put in regular rotation in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slaine/as-a-matter-of-fact-i-don-t-know-of-one-artist-as-long-as-i-ve-been/) [Slaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slaine/) > [I mean, I can actually say goodbye to the game of golf, never hit another golf shot the rest of my life and I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-norman/i-mean-i-can-actually-say-goodbye-to-the-game-of-golf-never-hit/) [Greg Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-norman/) > [We can't feel the rotation of the planet, but in some ways we can because our bodily systems are reacting to it and have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessa-gamble/we-can-t-feel-the-rotation-of-the-planet-but-in-some-ways-we-can/) [Jessa Gamble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessa-gamble/) > [In college, my friend Melanie and I used to have weekly Jimmy Stewart viewings, and 'Harvey' seemed to make its way into the rotation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-sommer/in-college-my-friend-melanie-and-i-used-to-have-weekly-jimmy-stewart/) [Rich Sommer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-sommer/) > [For the time being Scherzer gives Washington a very nice rotation (on paper) with Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmerman, Gio Gonzalez, and Doug Fister, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-scherzer/for-the-time-being-scherzer-gives-washington-a-very-nice-rotation-on/) [Max Scherzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-scherzer/) ## More by Jack Handey > [Sometimes life seems like a dream, especially when I look down and see that I forgot to put on my pants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/sometimes-life-seems-like-a-dream-especially-when-i-look-down-and-see/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [I think the best Thanksgiving we ever had was one where we didn't even have a turkey. Mom and Dad sat us kids down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/i-think-the-best-thanksgiving-we-ever-had-was-one-where-we-didn-t/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [At first I thought, if I were Superman, a perfect secret identity would be "Clark Kent, Dentist," because you could save money on tooth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/at-first-i-thought-if-i-were-superman-a-perfect-secret-identity-would/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Sometimes I wonder if I'm patriotic enough. Yes, I want to kill people, but on both sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/sometimes-i-wonder-if-i-m-patriotic-enough-yes-i-want-to-kill-people/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [I don't understand people who say life is a mystery, because what is it they want to know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/i-don-t-understand-people-who-say-life-is-a-mystery-because-what-is/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [It's probably not a good idea to be chewing on a toothpick if you're talking to the president, because what if he tells a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/it-s-probably-not-a-good-idea-to-be-chewing-on-a-toothpick-if-you-re/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Probably to a shark, about the funniest thing there is is a wounded seal, trying to swim to shore, because WHERE DOES HE THINK…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/probably-to-a-shark-about-the-funniest-thing-there-is-is-a-wounded/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [I wish I lived back in the Old West days, because I'd save up my money for about twenty years so I could buy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/i-wish-i-lived-back-in-the-old-west-days-because-i-d-save-up-my-money/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Why do there have to be rules for everything? It's gotten to the point that rules dominate just about every aspect of our lives.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/why-do-there-have-to-be-rules-for-everything-it-s-gotten-to-the-point/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Most people don't realize that large pieces of coral, which have been painted brown and attached to the skull by common wood screws, can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/most-people-don-t-realize-that-large-pieces-of-coral-which-have-been/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Here's a suggestion for a new animal, if some new ones get created or evolve: something that stings you, then laughs at you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/here-s-a-suggestion-for-a-new-animal-if-some-new-ones-get-created-or/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [When you go ice-skating, try not to swing your arms too much, because that really annoys me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/when-you-go-ice-skating-try-not-to-swing-your-arms-too-much-because/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [When you go to a party at somebody's house, don't automatically assume that the drinks are free. Ask, and ask often.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/when-you-go-to-a-party-at-somebody-s-house-don-t-automatically-assume/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [He was a cowboy, mister, and he loved the land. He loved it so much he made a woman out of dirt and married…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/he-was-a-cowboy-mister-and-he-loved-the-land-he-loved-it-so-much-he/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [If you were a gladiator in olden days, I bet the inefficiency of how the gladiator fights were organized and scheduled would just drive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/if-you-were-a-gladiator-in-olden-days-i-bet-the-inefficiency-of-how/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) [Explore all 358 Jack Handey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) ## More Back in time quotes > [We cannot go back in time and change the past, but we can repent. The Savior can wipe away our tears of regret and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/we-cannot-go-back-in-time-and-change-the-past-but-we-can-repent-the/) [Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/) > [You can argue that the Terminator movies reboot their world each time they go back in time, but that doesn't negate the value of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hayter/you-can-argue-that-the-terminator-movies-reboot-their-world-each-time/) [David Hayter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hayter/) > [Traveling is all very well if you can get home at night. I would be willing to go around the world if I came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gladys-taber/traveling-is-all-very-well-if-you-can-get-home-at-night-i-would-be/) [Gladys Taber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gladys-taber/) > [I measure success in terms of the connection with the audience, which we've been able to do in spades. I mean, it's very hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-freston/i-measure-success-in-terms-of-the-connection-with-the-audience-which/) [Tom Freston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-freston/) > [If you could travel back in time to the present moment, what would you do differently?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/if-you-could-travel-back-in-time-to-the-present-moment-what-would-you/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [I used to think that I wouldn't change anything from my past, because doing so would inevitably affect who I am now. But considering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mccafferty/i-used-to-think-that-i-wouldn-t-change-anything-from-my-past-because/) [Megan McCafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mccafferty/) > [If I would do another 'Terminator' movie I would have Terminator travel back in time and tell Arnold not to have a special election.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-schwarzenegger/if-i-would-do-another-terminator-movie-i-would-have-terminator-travel/) [Arnold Schwarzenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-schwarzenegger/) > [I wouldn't change a thing in my own life, but I'd like to go back in time anyway though, just to some eras that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gemma-arterton/i-wouldn-t-change-a-thing-in-my-own-life-but-i-d-like-to-go-back-in/) [Gemma Arterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gemma-arterton/) > [It's one of those things, when you look back on it, you'd go, "Oh, I could've done without that. If I could go back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ti-west/it-s-one-of-those-things-when-you-look-back-on-it-you-d-go-oh-i-could/) [Ti West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ti-west/) > [If you go back in time you'll find tribes that were essentially only concerned with their own tribal members. If you were a member…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/if-you-go-back-in-time-you-ll-find-tribes-that-were-essentially-only/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [ For Bryan \[Cranston \] to go back in time and become this larger-than-life and somewhat theatrical guy, who performed his ideas and rhetoric in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-roach/for-bryan-cranston-to-go-back-in-time-and-become-this-larger-than/) [Jay Roach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-roach/) > [I am not the man I once was. I do not want to go back in time, to be the second son, the second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vasco-da-gama/i-am-not-the-man-i-once-was-i-do-not-want-to-go-back-in-time-to-be/) Vasco da Gama > [I work for three or four hours a day, in the late morning and early afternoon. Then I go out for a walk and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-g-ballard/i-work-for-three-or-four-hours-a-day-in-the-late-morning-and-early/) [J. G. Ballard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-g-ballard/) > [Imagine the wheel of time turning in a seemingly endless round, revealing that the beginning is the end of another beginning. This is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-cousineau/imagine-the-wheel-of-time-turning-in-a-seemingly-endless-round/) [Phil Cousineau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-cousineau/) > [Go back. Go back in time. Everyone's life is a chain of memories. In each chain there are shining links, happenings where this element…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/go-back-go-back-in-time-everyone-s-life-is-a-chain-of-memories-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) Browse all 112 Back in time quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I bet a fun thing would be to go way back in time to where there was going to be an eclipse and tell the cave men, \"If I have come to destroy you, may the sun be blotted out from the sky.\" Just then the eclipse would start, and they'd probably try to kill you or something, but then you could explain about the rotation of the moon and all, and everyone would get a good laugh.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jack Handey" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/i-bet-a-fun-thing-would-be-to-go-way-back-in-time-to-where-there-was/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Back in time" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/i-bet-a-fun-thing-would-be-to-go-way-back-in-time-to-where-there-was/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d2/jack-handey-829_back-in-time_i-bet-a-fun-thing-would-be-to-go-way-bac_1744002.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d2/jack-handey-829_back-in-time_i-bet-a-fun-thing-would-be-to-go-way-bac_1744002.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d2/jack-handey-829_back-in-time_i-bet-a-fun-thing-would-be-to-go-way-bac_1744002.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I bet a fun thing would be to go way back in time to where there was going to be an eclipse and tell the…” — Jack Handey", "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": "Jack Handey", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I bet a fun thing would...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/i-bet-a-fun-thing-would-be-to-go-way-back-in-time-to-where-there-was/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/i-bet-a-fun-thing-would-be-to-go-way-back-in-time-to-where-there-was/#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 } } ] } ```