--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm a worst-case scenario person. I'm…" description: "\"I'm a worst-case scenario person. I'm only interested in a story because I kind of go, like a magnet, to the worst thing that can happen.\" — John Irving" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/273/john-irving-337_cases_i-m-a-worst-case-scenario-person-i-m-onl_2666119.png" --- # I'm a worst-case scenario person. I'm only interested in a… ![“I'm a worst-case scenario person. I'm only interested in a story because I kind of go, like a magnet, to the worst thing that can happen.” quote by John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/273/john-irving-337_cases_i-m-a-worst-case-scenario-person-i-m-onl_2666119.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/273/john-irving-337_cases_i-m-a-worst-case-scenario-person-i-m-onl_2666119.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/273/john-irving-337_cases_i-m-a-worst-case-scenario-person-i-m-onl_2666119.png) > “I'm a worst-case scenario person. I'm only interested in a story because I kind of go, like a magnet, to the worst thing that can happen.” [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator is drawn to worst‑case scenarios, indicating a fascination with drama and potential danger in stories. **In simple terms:** I love stories with worst outcomes. Key Takeaway Balance curiosity with realistic optimism. Themes drama risk storytelling psychology curiosity Mood intrigued reflective Type literary psychological When to use this quote - reading thrillers - writing suspense - risk assessment workshops - film analysis - personal risk evaluation Key Concepts literature risk analysis creative writing Questions to Reflect On - Why prefer dark narratives? - How does this affect your outlook? A Different Perspective May cause anxiety. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cases/) [Happens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happens/) [Interested Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interested-story-886292/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Magnet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magnet/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Scenario Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scenario-person-2467103/) [Scenarios](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scenarios/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Story Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story-kind-793774/) [Worst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worst/) [Worst Case](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worst-case-1128767/) [Worst case scenario](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worst-case-scenario/) [Worst thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worst-thing/) [Worst things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worst-things/) ## Related quotes > [“The world is a worst case scenario and I'm afraid that all you sense is true”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-world-is-a-worst-case-scenario-and-i-m-afraid-that-all-you-sense/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [My personality is such that I mostly tend to imagine the worst case scenario, which stresses me out a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neha-sharma/my-personality-is-such-that-i-mostly-tend-to-imagine-the-worst-case/) [Neha Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neha-sharma/) > [The worst case scenario is you really like someone's work, then you meet them and they're a self-involved, entitled douchebag.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/the-worst-case-scenario-is-you-really-like-someone-s-work-then-you/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [I'm actually quite pro-technology, but I'm a worrier, so I like to envision worst-case scenarios.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-brooker/i-m-actually-quite-pro-technology-but-i-m-a-worrier-so-i-like-to/) [Charlie Brooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-brooker/) > [If you train worst case scenarios consistently, they will no longer be worst case scenarios](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rener-gracie/if-you-train-worst-case-scenarios-consistently-they-will-no-longer-be/) [Rener Gracie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rener-gracie/) > [Don't spend a lot of time imagining the worst-case scenario. It rarely goes down as you imagine it will, and if by some fluke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-fox/don-t-spend-a-lot-of-time-imagining-the-worst-case-scenario-it-rarely-2/) [Michael J. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-fox/) > [Horror writers are specialists in the worst case scenario](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-laymon/horror-writers-are-specialists-in-the-worst-case-scenario/) [Richard Laymon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-laymon/) > [Often think of the worst-case scenario, the "Eaten By Wolves" factor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/often-think-of-the-worst-case-scenario-the-eaten-by-wolves-factor/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) > [I find some comfort in running through the worst-case scenario in my mind and seeing how it's all going to go down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurel-nakadate/i-find-some-comfort-in-running-through-the-worst-case-scenario-in-my/) [Laurel Nakadate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurel-nakadate/) > [The taste for worst-case scenarios reflects the need to master fear of what is felt to be uncontrollable. It also expresses an imaginative complicity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/the-taste-for-worst-case-scenarios-reflects-the-need-to-master-fear/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [My friends call me Miss Worst Case Scenario.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-cornwell/my-friends-call-me-miss-worst-case-scenario/) [Patricia Cornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-cornwell/) > [Worst case scenario, nothing I do has any value or purpose, but if I can make someone laugh, I'm at least as useful as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-petri/worst-case-scenario-nothing-i-do-has-any-value-or-purpose-but-if-i/) [Alexandra Petri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-petri/) > [Always play for the worst case scenario..If it is the best you'll win anyway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-trott/always-play-for-the-worst-case-scenario-if-it-is-the-best-you-ll-win/) [David Trott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-trott/) > [When you can look at failure and say, 'What is the worst case scenario,' it's not as bad as it seems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-wolfe-herd/when-you-can-look-at-failure-and-say-what-is-the-worst-case-scenario/) [Whitney Wolfe Herd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-wolfe-herd/) > [Most of us have to think worst-case scenario.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-parker/most-of-us-have-to-think-worst-case-scenario/) [Willie Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-parker/) ## More by John Irving > [Your memory is a monster; you forget - it doesn't. It simply files things away. It keeps things for you, or hides things from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/your-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-doesn-t-it-simply-files-things/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [Our memory is a monster; you forget it - it does not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/our-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-it-does-not/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [Watch out for people who call themselves religious; make sure you know what they mean––make sure they know what they mean!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/watch-out-for-people-who-call-themselves-religious-make-sure-you-know/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [The desire to never leave your side, the desire to never see you again. The desire to see your face asleep on the pillow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/the-desire-to-never-leave-your-side-the-desire-to-never-see-you-again/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I had been a student in Vienna, and one of the neat little things I had found out was about that zoo. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-had-been-a-student-in-vienna-and-one-of-the-neat-little-things-i/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“God, I think I just hit a high E-flat - and I really held it!" Esmeralda said, after one of her more prolonged orgasms,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/god-i-think-i-just-hit-a-high-e-flat-and-i-really-held-it-esmeralda/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Nostalgia!" Miss Frost cried. "You´re nostalgic!" She repeated. "Just how old are you, William?" She asked. "Seventeen, " I told her. "Seventeen!" Miss Frost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/nostalgia-miss-frost-cried-you-re-nostalgic-she-repeated-just-how-old/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [ “JUST BECAUSE A BUNCH OF ATHEISTS ARE BETTER WRITERS THAN THE GUYS WHO WROTE THE BIBLE DOESN'T NECESSARILY MAKE THEM RIGHT!" \[Owen Meany\] said… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/just-because-a-bunch-of-atheists-are-better-writers-than-the-guys-who/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [It is much easier to be flexible about where a story begins than it ever was for me to change my mind about where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/it-is-much-easier-to-be-flexible-about-where-a-story-begins-than-it/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Only the chicken-lover will understand me. He will give me a kindly look, maybe mildly desirous. His eyes will tell me: You might look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/only-the-chicken-lover-will-understand-me-he-will-give-me-a-kindly/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [You're nice,' Cushie told him, squeezing his hand. 'And you're my oldest friend.' But they both must have known that you can know someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/you-re-nice-cushie-told-him-squeezing-his-hand-and-you-re-my-oldest/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Because of A Prayer for Owen Meany, many of my readers assume I am “religious.” I go to church only occasionally—like a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/because-of-a-prayer-for-owen-meany-many-of-my-readers-assume-i-am/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Did anyone who was in love and was unsatisfied with how he was loved in return ever feel saved?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/did-anyone-who-was-in-love-and-was-unsatisfied-with-how-he-was-loved/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“I TRUST THAT GOD WILL HELP ME, BECAUSE WHAT I’M SUPPOSED TO DO LOOKS VERY HARD.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-trust-that-god-will-help-me-because-what-i-m-supposed-to-do-looks/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) [Explore all 641 John Irving quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) ## More Cases quotes > [The time that one gains cannot be accumulated in a storehouse; it is contradictory to want to save up existence, which, the fact is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/the-time-that-one-gains-cannot-be-accumulated-in-a-storehouse-it-is/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [I'd always have grease in at least two places, in case the umpires would ask me to wipe one off. I never wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaylord-perry/i-d-always-have-grease-in-at-least-two-places-in-case-the-umpires/) [Gaylord Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaylord-perry/) > [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/) [Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/) > [You gonna take the case?" It's not a case. It's a missing person. Sort of." You're gonna have a devil of a time finding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/you-gonna-take-the-case-it-s-not-a-case-it-s-a-missing-person-sort-of/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [I think we've all had enough of Coltrane saxophonists. There's a case of someone ruining a generation of saxophonists, as Louis Armstrong may have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bley/i-think-we-ve-all-had-enough-of-coltrane-saxophonists-there-s-a-case/) [Paul Bley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bley/) > [Every wife ought to answer for her man. If the husband be engaged in a seditious club, or drinks mysterious healths, or be frugal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/every-wife-ought-to-answer-for-her-man-if-the-husband-be-engaged-in-a/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [The world around us is an increasingly hostile and sinful place. Occasionally that splashes onto us, and perhaps, in the case of a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-world-around-us-is-an-increasingly-hostile-and-sinful-place/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [If you followed the media you'd think that everybody in Africa was starving to death, and that's not the case; so it's important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/if-you-followed-the-media-you-d-think-that-everybody-in-africa-was/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [ \[As in the case of\] alcohol prohibition, illegality has driven organized crime, sent countless people to jail, and killed many thousands. Repression does not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-branson/as-in-the-case-of-alcohol-prohibition-illegality-has-driven-organized/) [Sam Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-branson/) > [He emphasised basic truths: you are not dying yet, you have to live your life until you are. Underpinning them was the belief that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/he-emphasised-basic-truths-you-are-not-dying-yet-you-have-to-live/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [Athletes at all ages are bigger and stronger than ever before. And they are being encouraged - sometimes even incentivized, as we recently learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-jain/athletes-at-all-ages-are-bigger-and-stronger-than-ever-before-and/) [Naveen Jain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-jain/) > [Each Act of Parliament intended to address harassment and discrimination has faced objections on the basis of 'you'll never be able to prove...' and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-field/each-act-of-parliament-intended-to-address-harassment-and/) [Tim Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-field/) > [The Cheney team had, for example, technological supremacy over the National Security Council staff. That is to say, they could read their e-mails. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-wilkerson/the-cheney-team-had-for-example-technological-supremacy-over-the/) [Lawrence Wilkerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-wilkerson/) > [If you want good behavior, don't pay on a commission basis. Our judges aren't paid so much a case. We keep them pretty well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/if-you-want-good-behavior-don-t-pay-on-a-commission-basis-our-judges/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) [Browse all 6,420 Cases quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cases/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm a worst-case scenario person. I'm only interested in a story because I kind of go, like a magnet, to the worst thing that can happen.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Irving" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-m-a-worst-case-scenario-person-i-m-only-interested-in-a-story/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cases" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-m-a-worst-case-scenario-person-i-m-only-interested-in-a-story/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/273/john-irving-337_cases_i-m-a-worst-case-scenario-person-i-m-onl_2666119.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/273/john-irving-337_cases_i-m-a-worst-case-scenario-person-i-m-onl_2666119.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/273/john-irving-337_cases_i-m-a-worst-case-scenario-person-i-m-onl_2666119.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I'm a worst-case scenario person. I'm only interested in a story because I kind of go, like a magnet, to the…” — John Irving", "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": "John Irving", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I'm a worst-case scenario person. I'm...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-m-a-worst-case-scenario-person-i-m-only-interested-in-a-story/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-m-a-worst-case-scenario-person-i-m-only-interested-in-a-story/#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 } } ] } ```