--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As specimens go, they always get excited…" description: "\"“As specimens go, they always get excited about me. I'm a good one. A show-stopper. I'm the kind of kid they'll still enquire about ten years later. Fi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9c/jenni-fagan-62599_ten-years_as-specimens-go-they-always-get-excited_133709.jpg" --- # As specimens go, they always get excited about me. I'm a… ![“As specimens go, they always get excited about me. I'm a good one. A show-stopper. I'm the kind of kid they'll still enquire about ten years later. Fifty-one placements, drug problems, violence, dead adopted mum, no biological links, constant offending. Tick, tick, tick. I lure them in to being…” quote by Jenni Fagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9c/jenni-fagan-62599_ten-years_as-specimens-go-they-always-get-excited_133709.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9c/jenni-fagan-62599_ten-years_as-specimens-go-they-always-get-excited_133709.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9c/jenni-fagan-62599_ten-years_as-specimens-go-they-always-get-excited_133709.jpg) > ““As specimens go, they always get excited about me. I'm a good one. A show-stopper. I'm the kind of kid they'll still enquire about ten years later. Fifty-one placements, drug problems, violence, dead adopted mum, no biological links, constant offending. Tick, tick, tick. I lure them in to being with. Cultivate my specimen face. They like that. Do-gooders are vomit-worthy. Damaged goods are dangerous. The ones that are in it cos the thought it would be a step up from an office job are tedious. The ones who've been in too long lose it. The ones who think they've got the Jesus touch are fucking insane. The I can save you brigade are particularly radioactive. They think if you just inhale some of their middle-classism, then you'll be saved.”” [Jenni Fagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenni-fagan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A raw, self‑critical monologue exposes a chaotic, self‑destructive identity, critiquing societal expectations and the allure of dangerous personas. **In simple terms:** A troubled person reflects on their harmful behavior and social perception. Key Takeaway Question the glorification of destructive archetypes. Themes identity self‑destruction social critique Mood dark intense Type literary critical When to use this quote - mental health advocacy - literary analysis - personal growth Key Concepts psychology sociology trauma Questions to Reflect On - What drives people to adopt harmful personas? - How can society better support those with traumatic pasts? A Different Perspective The graphic language may alienate some readers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Damaged goods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/damaged-goods/) [Specimen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/specimen/) ## Related quotes > [The serial number of a human specimen is the face, that accidental and unrepeatable combination of features. It reflects neither character nor soul, nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-serial-number-of-a-human-specimen-is-the-face-that-accidental-and/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [I've been collecting rocks since I was 8 and have over 200 different specimens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-yellen/i-ve-been-collecting-rocks-since-i-was-8-and-have-over-200-different/) [Janet Yellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-yellen/) > [You know, of course, the specimens are not alive. We have to fix them in a fixing liquid formaldehyde and then we have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lennart-nilsson/you-know-of-course-the-specimens-are-not-alive-we-have-to-fix-them-in/) [Lennart Nilsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lennart-nilsson/) > [There is no part of the country where in the summer you cannot get a sufficient supply of the best specimens. Teach your children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-agassiz/there-is-no-part-of-the-country-where-in-the-summer-you-cannot-get-a/) [Louis Agassiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-agassiz/) > [I have in hands, now, specimens of bottom from t he Gulf Stream, obtained by Lieutenant Craven, and I can say that they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-forbes/i-have-in-hands-now-specimens-of-bottom-from-t-he-gulf-stream/) [Edward Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-forbes/) > [“Perfect specimens for an exacting science...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-e-meredith/perfect-specimens-for-an-exacting-science/) D.E. Meredith > [I wish I had eight pairs of hands, and another body to shoot the specimens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-james-audubon/i-wish-i-had-eight-pairs-of-hands-and-another-body-to-shoot-the/) [John James Audubon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-james-audubon/) > [Of what use are the great number of petrifactions, of different species, shape and form which are dug up by naturalists? Perhaps the collection…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-linnaeus/of-what-use-are-the-great-number-of-petrifactions-of-different/) [Carl Linnaeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-linnaeus/) > [“I've come down from the mountains, with an ass-full of specimens...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/i-ve-come-down-from-the-mountains-with-an-ass-full-of-specimens/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [Distinction between species and specimen is very much like the distinction between images and actual pictures, or, you know, objects that have a definite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-j-t-mitchell/distinction-between-species-and-specimen-is-very-much-like-the/) [W. J. T. Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-j-t-mitchell/) > [The fact is that the British Museum had a complete specimen of a dodo in their collection up until the 18th century - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-savage/the-fact-is-that-the-british-museum-had-a-complete-specimen-of-a-dodo/) [Adam Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-savage/) > [I explain to athletes, you're supposed to be a well-oiled machine. You're supposed to be in better shape than the people watching you. You're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-salley/i-explain-to-athletes-you-re-supposed-to-be-a-well-oiled-machine-you/) [John Salley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-salley/) > [So far, therefore, as we can draw safe conclusions from a single specimen, there has been no marked change of race in the human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lyell/so-far-therefore-as-we-can-draw-safe-conclusions-from-a-single/) [Charles Lyell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lyell/) > [I always wanted to be an actor, so part of me is split between the artistic side and the physical side, but then physically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-legeno/i-always-wanted-to-be-an-actor-so-part-of-me-is-split-between-the/) Dave Legeno > [If I have not the power to put myself in the place of other people, but must be continually burrowing inward, I shall never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/if-i-have-not-the-power-to-put-myself-in-the-place-of-other-people/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) ## More by Jenni Fagan > [“The watching feeling is getting worse. I am not an experiment. I am not a stupid joke, or a trippy game, or an experiment.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenni-fagan/the-watching-feeling-is-getting-worse-i-am-not-an-experiment-i-am-not/) [Jenni Fagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenni-fagan/) > [“Clowns are vicious--they're all nefarious grins--and if you hung out with a bunch of clowns in a bar, pretty soon it would turn into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenni-fagan/clowns-are-vicious-they-re-all-nefarious-grins-and-if-you-hung-out/) [Jenni Fagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenni-fagan/) > [“I dinnae get people, like they all want to be watched, to be seen, like all the time. They put up their pictures online…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenni-fagan/i-dinnae-get-people-like-they-all-want-to-be-watched-to-be-seen-like/) [Jenni Fagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenni-fagan/) > [“she reaches a pale arm up into the sky and polishes the moon”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenni-fagan/she-reaches-a-pale-arm-up-into-the-sky-and-polishes-the-moon/) [Jenni Fagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenni-fagan/) [Explore all 5 Jenni Fagan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenni-fagan/) ## More Damaged goods quotes > [“I have more baggage than baggage claim. I'm damaged goods. I'm not good at...” she released him for a moment and fingered between the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-mcgee/i-have-more-baggage-than-baggage-claim-i-m-damaged-goods-i-m-not-good/) [J.B. McGee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-mcgee/) > [“Don’t play with damaged goods, you will only hurt yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osayi-osar-emokpae/don-t-play-with-damaged-goods-you-will-only-hurt-yourself/) [Osayi Osar-Emokpae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osayi-osar-emokpae/) > [Dear Nintendo, We need a new Mario game, where you rescue the princess in the first ten minutes, and for the rest of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-comeau/dear-nintendo-we-need-a-new-mario-game-where-you-rescue-the-princess/) [Joey Comeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-comeau/) > [You've been told that you're broken. That you're damaged goods ... there is also Post-Traumatic Growth. You come back from war stronger and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/you-ve-been-told-that-you-re-broken-that-you-re-damaged-goods-there/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [“We're only lucky enough to see the wonders of nature's canyons because they're gracious enough to show us the places they've been damaged.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-tyrone-jones/we-re-only-lucky-enough-to-see-the-wonders-of-nature-s-canyons/) [Curtis Tyrone Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-tyrone-jones/) > [The bodies lay on the ground like damaged goods from a warehouse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-goldman/the-bodies-lay-on-the-ground-like-damaged-goods-from-a-warehouse/) Peter Goldman > [Those damaged goods you see In your reflection Love sees them differently Love sees perfection A beautiful display Of healing on the way tonight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-copeland/those-damaged-goods-you-see-in-your-reflection-love-sees-them/) [Rachel Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-copeland/) > [“Perhaps I won’t tire of her,” Gray protested, just to be contrary. Because, apparently, that was how brothers behaved. “Perhaps a dolphin will fly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tessa-dare/perhaps-i-won-t-tire-of-her-gray-protested-just-to-be-contrary/) [Tessa Dare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tessa-dare/) > [The Real You isn't damaged goods. The Real You is the light of the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/the-real-you-isn-t-damaged-goods-the-real-you-is-the-light-of-the/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [I don't think we can reduce the prison population now, so many of these people are damaged goods once they've spent much time in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-moskos/i-don-t-think-we-can-reduce-the-prison-population-now-so-many-of/) [Peter Moskos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-moskos/) > [We are all damaged goods in recovery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/we-are-all-damaged-goods-in-recovery/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [“If there’s anything I’ve learned from polyamory, it’s that the quickest way to destroy a relationship is to try to make it into something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/page-turner/if-there-s-anything-i-ve-learned-from-polyamory-it-s-that-the/) [Page Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/page-turner/) > [There's the whole Mad Hatter's dilemma, it was the amount of mercury that they used in the glue to make the hats. Everything was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-depp/there-s-the-whole-mad-hatter-s-dilemma-it-was-the-amount-of-mercury/) [Johnny Depp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-depp/) > [You've been told that you're broken, that you're damaged goods and should be labeled victims. I don't buy it. The truth, instead, is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/you-ve-been-told-that-you-re-broken-that-you-re-damaged-goods-and/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [“She was damaged goods. Spoiled meat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-theia/she-was-damaged-goods-spoiled-meat/) [V. Theia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-theia/) [Browse all 29 Damaged goods quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/damaged-goods/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“As specimens go, they always get excited about me. I'm a good one. A show-stopper. 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