--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don’t understand,” said the scientist…" description: "\"“I don’t understand,” said the scientist, “why you lemmings all rush down to the sea and drown yourselves.” “How curious,” said the lemming. “The one t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cba/james-thurber-1534_lemmings_i-don-t-understand-said-the-scientist-wh_244538.png" --- # I don’t understand,” said the scientist, “why you lemmings… ![“I don’t understand,” said the scientist, “why you lemmings all rush down to the sea and drown yourselves.” “How curious,” said the lemming. “The one thing I don’t understand is why you human beings don’t.” quote by James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cba/james-thurber-1534_lemmings_i-don-t-understand-said-the-scientist-wh_244538.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cba/james-thurber-1534_lemmings_i-don-t-understand-said-the-scientist-wh_244538.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cba/james-thurber-1534_lemmings_i-don-t-understand-said-the-scientist-wh_244538.png) > ““I don’t understand,” said the scientist, “why you lemmings all rush down to the sea and drown yourselves.” “How curious,” said the lemming. “The one thing I don’t understand is why you human beings don’t.”” [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humans often fail to understand natural instincts, leading to self‑destructive behavior. **In simple terms:** Humans ignore natural urges. Key Takeaway Observe nature’s lessons. Themes human nature instinct misunderstanding Mood wry thought‑provoking Type satire philosophical When to use this quote - environmental policy - education - personal habits Key Concepts evolutionary biology behavioral science Questions to Reflect On - Why do we repeat harmful patterns? - What can we learn from animal behavior? A Different Perspective Simplifying complex behavior can miss nuance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Lemmings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lemmings/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) ## Related quotes > [I love the idea of the teachings of Jesus Christ and the beautiful stories about it, which I loved in Sunday school and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/i-love-the-idea-of-the-teachings-of-jesus-christ-and-the-beautiful/) [Elton John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/) > [Religion promotes the hatred and spite against gays. From my point of view, I would ban religion completely. Organised religion doesn't seem to work.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/religion-promotes-the-hatred-and-spite-against-gays-from-my-point-of/) [Elton John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/) > [“It wasn't what I was expecting, but like I've always said: if life gives you lemmings, jump off a cliff.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-carey/it-wasn-t-what-i-was-expecting-but-like-i-ve-always-said-if-life/) [Mike Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-carey/) > [“Nothing is more tiresome than being told what to admire, and having things pointed at with a stick. -Robert Frobisher”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/nothing-is-more-tiresome-than-being-told-what-to-admire-and-having/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [I've probably said a million times in my life something about, "All those people are just lemmings. They'd follow each other off a cliff."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-peterson/i-ve-probably-said-a-million-times-in-my-life-something-about-all/) [Cassandra Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-peterson/) > [“Followers, followers. Sometimes, with some things, it’s best to keep your tally down.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-lynn-hope/followers-followers-sometimes-with-some-things-it-s-best-to-keep-your/) [Donna Lynn Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-lynn-hope/) > [I'm driving down the freeway the other day, on my way to Knott's Scary Farm probably, and I hear this report on NPR that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-peterson/i-m-driving-down-the-freeway-the-other-day-on-my-way-to-knott-s-scary/) [Cassandra Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-peterson/) > [So I'd much rather get across the concept of freedom. It's what's important to Indian children. The only way you can be free is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-means/so-i-d-much-rather-get-across-the-concept-of-freedom-it-s-what-s/) [Russell Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-means/) > [There's got to be more to life than just living," Foyle said to the robot. Then find it for yourself, sir. Don't ask the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-bester/there-s-got-to-be-more-to-life-than-just-living-foyle-said-to-the-2/) [Alfred Bester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-bester/) > [There were too many lemmings - that was the core of their difficulty. None wanted solitude, but a crowd of this size was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-carrighar/there-were-too-many-lemmings-that-was-the-core-of-their-difficulty/) Sally Carrighar > [The male has paid a heavy price for his masculine 'privilege' and power. He is out of touch with his emotions and his body.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-goldberg/the-male-has-paid-a-heavy-price-for-his-masculine-privilege-and-power/) [Herb Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-goldberg/) > [The press heralded this as a major accomplishment. The rush from the press as soon as it was announced suggested a high level of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erick-erickson/the-press-heralded-this-as-a-major-accomplishment-the-rush-from-the/) [Erick Erickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erick-erickson/) > [We’ve always assumed The Aegis is all-knowing highly trained and organized but it’s nothing but a cult, isn’t it ? The weak and uneducated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larissa-ione/we-ve-always-assumed-the-aegis-is-all-knowing-highly-trained-and/) [Larissa Ione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larissa-ione/) > [I'm not a lemming about to run off the end of a cliff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-roeder/i-m-not-a-lemming-about-to-run-off-the-end-of-a-cliff/) [Glenn Roeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-roeder/) > [We're all sheep and lemmings to some degree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-minghella/we-re-all-sheep-and-lemmings-to-some-degree/) [Max Minghella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-minghella/) ## More by James Thurber > [ Salvador \[Dali\] was brought up in Spain, a country colored by the legends of Hannibal, El Greco, and Cervantes. I was brought up in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/salvador-dali-was-brought-up-in-spain-a-country-colored-by-the/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [“Her own mother lived the latter years of her life in the horrible suspicion that electricity was dripping invisibly all over the house.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/her-own-mother-lived-the-latter-years-of-her-life-in-the-horrible/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [“Against the may, the could be, and the should, folly 'tis to balance doubt or hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/against-the-may-the-could-be-and-the-should-folly-tis-to-balance/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [Love is the strange bewilderment that overtakes one person on account of another person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/love-is-the-strange-bewilderment-that-overtakes-one-person-on-account/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [“ There was an old coddle so molly, He talked in a glot that was poly, His gaws were so gew That his laps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/there-was-an-old-coddle-so-molly-he-talked-in-a-glot-that-was-poly/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [“you might as well fall on your face as lean over too far backwards”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/you-might-as-well-fall-on-your-face-as-lean-over-too-far-backwards/) [james thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [I myself have known some profoundly thoughtful dogs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/i-myself-have-known-some-profoundly-thoughtful-dogs/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [He knows all about art, but he doesn't know what he likes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/he-knows-all-about-art-but-he-doesn-t-know-what-he-likes/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [All men should strive to learn before they die, what they are running from, and to, and why.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/all-men-should-strive-to-learn-before-they-die-what-they-are-running/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [Quick, name some towns in New Jersey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/quick-name-some-towns-in-new-jersey/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [Looks can be deceiving; it's eating that's believing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/looks-can-be-deceiving-it-s-eating-that-s-believing/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [Humor does not include sarcasm, invalid irony, sardonicism, innuendo, or any other form of cruelty. When these things are raised to a high point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/humor-does-not-include-sarcasm-invalid-irony-sardonicism-innuendo-or/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [Where most of us end up there is no knowing, but the hellbent get where they are going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/where-most-of-us-end-up-there-is-no-knowing-but-the-hellbent-get/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [Comedy has to be done en clair. You can't blunt the edge of wit or the point of satire with obscurity. 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The weak and uneducated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larissa-ione/we-ve-always-assumed-the-aegis-is-all-knowing-highly-trained-and/) [Larissa Ione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larissa-ione/) > [The press heralded this as a major accomplishment. The rush from the press as soon as it was announced suggested a high level of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erick-erickson/the-press-heralded-this-as-a-major-accomplishment-the-rush-from-the/) [Erick Erickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erick-erickson/) > [The male has paid a heavy price for his masculine 'privilege' and power. He is out of touch with his emotions and his body.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-goldberg/the-male-has-paid-a-heavy-price-for-his-masculine-privilege-and-power/) [Herb Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-goldberg/) > [There were too many lemmings - that was the core of their difficulty. None wanted solitude, but a crowd of this size was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-carrighar/there-were-too-many-lemmings-that-was-the-core-of-their-difficulty/) Sally Carrighar > [There's got to be more to life than just living," Foyle said to the robot. Then find it for yourself, sir. Don't ask the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-bester/there-s-got-to-be-more-to-life-than-just-living-foyle-said-to-the-2/) [Alfred Bester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-bester/) > [So I'd much rather get across the concept of freedom. It's what's important to Indian children. The only way you can be free is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-means/so-i-d-much-rather-get-across-the-concept-of-freedom-it-s-what-s/) [Russell Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-means/) > [I'm driving down the freeway the other day, on my way to Knott's Scary Farm probably, and I hear this report on NPR that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-peterson/i-m-driving-down-the-freeway-the-other-day-on-my-way-to-knott-s-scary/) [Cassandra Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-peterson/) > [“Followers, followers. Sometimes, with some things, it’s best to keep your tally down.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-lynn-hope/followers-followers-sometimes-with-some-things-it-s-best-to-keep-your/) [Donna Lynn Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-lynn-hope/) > [I've probably said a million times in my life something about, "All those people are just lemmings. They'd follow each other off a cliff."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-peterson/i-ve-probably-said-a-million-times-in-my-life-something-about-all/) [Cassandra Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-peterson/) > [“Nothing is more tiresome than being told what to admire, and having things pointed at with a stick. -Robert Frobisher”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/nothing-is-more-tiresome-than-being-told-what-to-admire-and-having/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [“It wasn't what I was expecting, but like I've always said: if life gives you lemmings, jump off a cliff.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-carey/it-wasn-t-what-i-was-expecting-but-like-i-ve-always-said-if-life/) [Mike Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-carey/) > [Religion promotes the hatred and spite against gays. From my point of view, I would ban religion completely. Organised religion doesn't seem to work.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/religion-promotes-the-hatred-and-spite-against-gays-from-my-point-of/) [Elton John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/) > [We're all sheep and lemmings to some degree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-minghella/we-re-all-sheep-and-lemmings-to-some-degree/) [Max Minghella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-minghella/) [Browse all 39 Lemmings quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lemmings/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I don’t understand,” said the scientist, “why you lemmings all rush down to the sea and drown yourselves.” “How curious,” said the lemming. “The one thing I don’t understand is why you human beings don’t.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Thurber" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/i-don-t-understand-said-the-scientist-why-you-lemmings-all-rush-down/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Lemmings" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/i-don-t-understand-said-the-scientist-why-you-lemmings-all-rush-down/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cba/james-thurber-1534_lemmings_i-don-t-understand-said-the-scientist-wh_244538.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cba/james-thurber-1534_lemmings_i-don-t-understand-said-the-scientist-wh_244538.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cba/james-thurber-1534_lemmings_i-don-t-understand-said-the-scientist-wh_244538.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I don’t understand,” said the scientist, “why you lemmings all rush down to the sea and drown yourselves.”…” — James Thurber", "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": "James Thurber", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I don’t understand,” said the scientist,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/i-don-t-understand-said-the-scientist-why-you-lemmings-all-rush-down/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/i-don-t-understand-said-the-scientist-why-you-lemmings-all-rush-down/#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 } } ] } ```