--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If humanity were capable of being…" description: "\"“If humanity were capable of being satisfied, then they'll still be living in trees and eating bugs out of one another's fur. Anna had walked on a moon..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd8/james-s-a-corey-861_life_if-humanity-were-capable-of-being-satisf_845049.jpg" --- # If humanity were capable of being satisfied, then they'll… ![“If humanity were capable of being satisfied, then they'll still be living in trees and eating bugs out of one another's fur. Anna had walked on a moon of Jupiter. She'd look up through a dome-covered sky at the great red spot, close enough to see the swirls and eddies of a storm larger than her…” quote by James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd8/james-s-a-corey-861_life_if-humanity-were-capable-of-being-satisf_845049.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd8/james-s-a-corey-861_life_if-humanity-were-capable-of-being-satisf_845049.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd8/james-s-a-corey-861_life_if-humanity-were-capable-of-being-satisf_845049.jpg) > ““If humanity were capable of being satisfied, then they'll still be living in trees and eating bugs out of one another's fur. Anna had walked on a moon of Jupiter. She'd look up through a dome-covered sky at the great red spot, close enough to see the swirls and eddies of a storm larger than her home world. She'd tasted water thawed from ice as old as the solar system itself. And it was that human dissatisfaction, that human audacity that had put her there.”” [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human discontent drives exploration and risk, leading to extraordinary achievements. **In simple terms:** Dissatisfaction fuels progress. Key Takeaway Embrace curiosity, pursue new horizons. Themes exploration ambition human nature innovation Mood wonderful cautious Type narrative inspirational When to use this quote - space travel - technological breakthroughs - personal growth Key Concepts existential drive risk taking Questions to Reflect On - What drives your deepest aspirations? - How do you balance desire with contentment? A Different Perspective Unchecked desire can cause harm. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anna Walked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anna-walked-685195/) [Dissatisfaction Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dissatisfaction-human-685197/) [Human Dissatisfaction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-dissatisfaction-685196/) [Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity/) [Humanity Capable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity-capable-685194/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Sci fi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sci-fi/) [Solar system](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solar-system/) ## Related quotes > [“A few people liked to paint this drive as a weakness. A failing of the species. Humanity as the virus. The creature that never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/a-few-people-liked-to-paint-this-drive-as-a-weakness-a-failing-of-the-2/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“Anna had walked on a moon of Jupiter. She’d looked up through a dome-covered sky at the great red spot, close enough to see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/anna-had-walked-on-a-moon-of-jupiter-she-d-looked-up-through-a-dome/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“A few people liked to paint this drive as a weakness. A failing of the species. Humanity as the virus. The creature that never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/a-few-people-liked-to-paint-this-drive-as-a-weakness-a-failing-of-the/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“If humanity were capable of being satisfied, then they’d all still be living in trees and eating bugs out of one another’s fur.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/if-humanity-were-capable-of-being-satisfied-then-they-d-all-still-be/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [I am slightly fascinated by the question of whether humanity is capable of change. I may have come to the conclusion that we're not,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-marling/i-am-slightly-fascinated-by-the-question-of-whether-humanity-is/) [Laura Marling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-marling/) > [All the good of which humanity is capable is comprised in obedience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/all-the-good-of-which-humanity-is-capable-is-comprised-in-obedience/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [“The trouble with technology is that it’s dehumanised us – it’s removed the restraints of ordinary human interactions. So we lose the notion that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/the-trouble-with-technology-is-that-it-s-dehumanised-us-it-s-removed/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“She had seen Holden on the newsfeeds and reports. At the beginning of the war between Mars and the Belt, he had been the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/she-had-seen-holden-on-the-newsfeeds-and-reports-at-the-beginning-of/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“The scientists. The technicians. Everyone you needed to make it happen. They actually had to do this. They had to watch the video of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/the-scientists-the-technicians-everyone-you-needed-to-make-it-happen/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [It used to be said that Pluto is a misfit. But now we know Earth is the misfit. This is the most populous class…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-stern/it-used-to-be-said-that-pluto-is-a-misfit-but-now-we-know-earth-is/) [Alan Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-stern/) > [It's time for the human race to enter the solar system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-quayle/it-s-time-for-the-human-race-to-enter-the-solar-system/) [Dan Quayle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-quayle/) > [No one, it has been said, will ever look at the Moon in the same way again. More significantly can one say that no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/no-one-it-has-been-said-will-ever-look-at-the-moon-in-the-same-way/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [“The town was Newport, Rhode Island, U.S.A., Earth, Solar System, Milky Way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/the-town-was-newport-rhode-island-u-s-a-earth-solar-system-milky-way/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [To settle space, we will have to develop the ability to harvest and utilize the resources of the solar system, such as ores, ice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-tumlinson/to-settle-space-we-will-have-to-develop-the-ability-to-harvest-and/) [Rick Tumlinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-tumlinson/) > [“Such, in outline, but even more purposeless, more void of meaning, is the world which Science presents for our belief. Amid such a world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/such-in-outline-but-even-more-purposeless-more-void-of-meaning-is-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) ## More by James S.A. Corey > [“If life transcends death, then I will seek for you there. If not, then there too.” He”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/if-life-transcends-death-then-i-will-seek-for-you-there-if-not-then/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [Violence is what people do when they run out of good ideas. It's attractive because it's simple, it's direct, it's almost always available as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/violence-is-what-people-do-when-they-run-out-of-good-ideas-it-s/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“This was the difference, she thought, between solitude and isolation. And now she knew something about herself she hadn’t known before. It was an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/this-was-the-difference-she-thought-between-solitude-and-isolation/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“Oh, I’m not dying out here,” Amos said, and pointed toward the interior of the ship with his chin. “Worst-case scenario, I’m dying inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/oh-i-m-not-dying-out-here-amos-said-and-pointed-toward-the-interior/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“My love is a pure love,” Alex said with a grin. “I wouldn’t sully it by actually, you know, doin’ anything about it.” “The”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/my-love-is-a-pure-love-alex-said-with-a-grin-i-wouldn-t-sully-it-by/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“The mech hadn’t been designed for violence, but it was suited for it. That made her and it the same.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/the-mech-hadn-t-been-designed-for-violence-but-it-was-suited-for-it/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“For another thing, we’re under martial law, so I can do very nearly whatever the fuck I want. Including march through your precious little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/for-another-thing-we-re-under-martial-law-so-i-can-do-very-nearly/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“This attack is the greatest tragedy in human history,” Avasarala said. “They want the belt to rise up so they can hide behind the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/this-attack-is-the-greatest-tragedy-in-human-history-avasarala-said/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“Church of Humanity Ascendant, a religion that eschewed supernaturalism in all forms, and whose theology boiled down to Humans can be better than they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/church-of-humanity-ascendant-a-religion-that-eschewed-supernaturalism/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“Oh good,” Amos replied. “Somebody got killed there. That’s how we claim stuff, you know. This planet is officially ours now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/oh-good-amos-replied-somebody-got-killed-there-that-s-how-we-claim/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“Alamogordo and worked his two-year service stripping down ancient solar electricity stations from the bad old days before fusion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/alamogordo-and-worked-his-two-year-service-stripping-down-ancient/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“But humans hadn’t been living and working in space nearly long enough for the primitive part of the brain not to say, I’ll fall,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/but-humans-hadn-t-been-living-and-working-in-space-nearly-long-enough/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“I like the backup plan better,” Amos said. “Backup plan?” Prax asked. “The backup plan is I grab the first guy we see, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/i-like-the-backup-plan-better-amos-said-backup-plan-prax-asked-the/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“She had seen Holden on the newsfeeds and reports. At the beginning of the war between Mars and the Belt, he had been the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/she-had-seen-holden-on-the-newsfeeds-and-reports-at-the-beginning-of/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“the lizard living at the base of her spine”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/the-lizard-living-at-the-base-of-her-spine/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) [Explore all 341 James S.A. Corey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) ## More Humanity quotes > [Scrabble - The game is available in Braille. That’s a nice fact. This makes me feel better about humanity for some reason. I can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/scrabble-the-game-is-available-in-braille-that-s-a-nice-fact-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-of-course-that-the-curtness-of-the-ten-commandments-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Half the misery of human life might be extinguished if men would alleviate the general curse they lie under by mutual offices of compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/half-the-misery-of-human-life-might-be-extinguished-if-men-would/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [“Is it necessary to recall that the earth is not infinite, and that our civilization is close to having invaded all of it? The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-tarde/is-it-necessary-to-recall-that-the-earth-is-not-infinite-and-that-our/) [Gabriel Tarde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-tarde/) > [“If attempting to make the world a civilized one, makes you a bad woman in the eyes of the dumb patriarchal society, then, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/if-attempting-to-make-the-world-a-civilized-one-makes-you-a-bad-woman/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“Once the switch of parenthood is thrown, it changes you for ever & you can never escape the extra pull of humanity it gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hammond/once-the-switch-of-parenthood-is-thrown-it-changes-you-for-ever-you/) [Richard hammond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hammond/) > [“The power of imagination is strongest in the place of solitude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/the-power-of-imagination-is-strongest-in-the-place-of-solitude/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [“Is there any holy beings like human beings?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/is-there-any-holy-beings-like-human-beings/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“I now know that deep within the human concept is something dark, selfish, and completely willing to do whatever is necessary to support the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-west/i-now-know-that-deep-within-the-human-concept-is-something-dark/) [Melissa West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-west/) > [The concept of humanity is an especially useful ideological instrument of imperialist expansion, and in its ethical-humanitarian form it is a specific vehicle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-schmitt/the-concept-of-humanity-is-an-especially-useful-ideological/) [Carl Schmitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-schmitt/) > [“He grew away from old associations, and saw something new in life and humanity. Secondarily, he made close acquaintance with phenomena which he had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/he-grew-away-from-old-associations-and-saw-something-new-in-life-and/) [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) > [What is accurately portrayed is the rich humanity not just of Martin Luther King but of the movement, which was a multiracial movement. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/what-is-accurately-portrayed-is-the-rich-humanity-not-just-of-martin/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [He is not humanity deified. He is not Godhead humanized. He is God. He is man. He is all that God is, and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/he-is-not-humanity-deified-he-is-not-godhead-humanized-he-is-god-he/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is like an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-must-not-lose-faith-in-humanity-humanity-is-like-an-ocean-if-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 9,796 Humanity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If humanity were capable of being satisfied, then they'll still be living in trees and eating bugs out of one another's fur. Anna had walked on a moon of Jupiter. She'd look up through a dome-covered sky at the great red spot, close enough to see the swirls and eddies of a storm larger than her home world. She'd tasted water thawed from ice as old as the solar system itself. And it was that human dissatisfaction, that human audacity that had put her there.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James S.A. 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