--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They are focused on whether they can do…" description: "\"They are focused on whether they can do something. They never think whether they should do something.\" — Michael Crichton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/310/michael-crichton-694_focused_they-are-focused-on-whether-they-can-do_333.jpg" --- # They are focused on whether they can do something. They… ![“They are focused on whether they can do something. They never think whether they should do something.” quote by Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/310/michael-crichton-694_focused_they-are-focused-on-whether-they-can-do_333.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/310/michael-crichton-694_focused_they-are-focused-on-whether-they-can-do_333.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/310/michael-crichton-694_focused_they-are-focused-on-whether-they-can-do_333.jpg) > “They are focused on whether they can do something. They never think whether they should do something.” [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Points out the ethical blind spot of focusing solely on feasibility, urging consideration of moral justification before action. **In simple terms:** Feasibility vs. morality Key Takeaway Question the why, not just the how Themes ethics innovation decision-making responsibility Mood critical thoughtful Type analytical cautionary When to use this quote - tech development - policy making - research proposals Key Concepts possibility should Practical Applications - ethical review frameworks - risk assessment Questions to Reflect On - Are we capable of everything we create? - How do we balance ability with duty? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Focused](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focused/) [Focused Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focused-think-234978/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) ## Related quotes > [I think my TV show is gonna be my big thing, so I'm pretty focused on that, and I think doing that will lead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-dicky/i-think-my-tv-show-is-gonna-be-my-big-thing-so-i-m-pretty-focused-on/) [Lil Dicky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-dicky/) > [I want to spend 100 percent of my time focused on what I think I can make the biggest difference on as the governor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-whitman/i-want-to-spend-100-percent-of-my-time-focused-on-what-i-think-i-can/) [Meg Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-whitman/) > [Healthy striving is self-focused: "How can I improve", Perfectionism is other-focused:"What will they think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/healthy-striving-is-self-focused-how-can-i-improve-perfectionism-is/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [I'm incredibly focused. I think it's a blessing and a curse. I'm so driven that nothing else can stand in my way. For many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynsey-addario/i-m-incredibly-focused-i-think-it-s-a-blessing-and-a-curse-i-m-so/) [Lynsey Addario](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynsey-addario/) > [When I look at my own career, growing up, I was doing really well at age 11, but it was kind of isolating because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-kwan/when-i-look-at-my-own-career-growing-up-i-was-doing-really-well-at/) [Michelle Kwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-kwan/) > [They don't have intelligence. They have what I call 'thintelligence.' They see the immediate situation. 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I coulda played a great street urchin or ragamuffin. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-lyonne/i-would-have-done-well-as-a-gypsy-child-i-think-a-circus-baby-i/) [Natasha Lyonne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-lyonne/) > [I don't think I have made as much of my life as I should have. I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) ## More by Michael Crichton > [This is the gift of your species and this is the danger, because you do not choose to control your imaginings. You imagine wonderful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/this-is-the-gift-of-your-species-and-this-is-the-danger-because-you/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [“it is important to recognize that the behavior of the two antagonists mirrors each other, like a Rorschach inkblot. The value of a Rorschach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/it-is-important-to-recognize-that-the-behavior-of-the-two-antagonists/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [Exercise invigorates the body and sharpens the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/exercise-invigorates-the-body-and-sharpens-the-mind/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [Social control is best managed through fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/social-control-is-best-managed-through-fear/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [They always say they didn't. I never heard of one who said, 'You know, I deserve this.' Never happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/they-always-say-they-didn-t-i-never-heard-of-one-who-said-you-know-i/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [Friendships are nice. So is competence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/friendships-are-nice-so-is-competence/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [I can tell you that second hand smoke is not a health hazard to anyone and never was, and the EPA has always known…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/i-can-tell-you-that-second-hand-smoke-is-not-a-health-hazard-to/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [As the practical value of altering consciousness becomes recognized, procedures to effect these alterations will become increasingly ordinary and unremarkable. The whole concept of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/as-the-practical-value-of-altering-consciousness-becomes-recognized/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [In any case, you read with exasperation or amusement the multiple errors in a story-and then turn the page to national or international affairs,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/in-any-case-you-read-with-exasperation-or-amusement-the-multiple/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [Books aren't written - they're rewritten. Including your own. It is one of the hardest things to accept, especially after the seventh rewrite hasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/books-aren-t-written-they-re-rewritten-including-your-own-it-is-one/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [The purpose of life is to stay alive. Watch any animal in nature--all it tries to do is stay alive. It doesn't care about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/the-purpose-of-life-is-to-stay-alive-watch-any-animal-in-nature-all/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [One of the things that Americans, as a multiracial society, feel is a tremendous sensitivity to racial comments of all kinds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/one-of-the-things-that-americans-as-a-multiracial-society-feel-is-a/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [Nobody smart knows what they want to do until they get into their twenties or thirties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/nobody-smart-knows-what-they-want-to-do-until-they-get-into-their/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [This fascination with computer models is something I understand very well. Richard Feynmann called it a disease. I fear he is right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/this-fascination-with-computer-models-is-something-i-understand-very/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [At forty, I was too old to work as a programmer myself anymore; writing code is a young person’s job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/at-forty-i-was-too-old-to-work-as-a-programmer-myself-anymore-writing/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) [Explore all 386 Michael Crichton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) ## More Focused quotes > [“If you're focused, you can't get bored.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alin-sav/if-you-re-focused-you-can-t-get-bored/) [Alin Sav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alin-sav/) > [All I'm focused on is playing my game. Everything else will take care of itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grigor-dimitrov/all-i-m-focused-on-is-playing-my-game-everything-else-will-take-care/) [Grigor Dimitrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grigor-dimitrov/) > [I get pretty focused when I start working on something. And I drink a lot of water, way more than most people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-woodman/i-get-pretty-focused-when-i-start-working-on-something-and-i-drink-a/) [Nick Woodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-woodman/) > [Angela Merkel has been focused on the right things. She has focused on the interests of her citizens - and not just in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-trudeau/angela-merkel-has-been-focused-on-the-right-things-she-has-focused-on/) [Justin Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-trudeau/) > [It is ironic since whenever I have met with our elected officials they are invariably thoughtful, well-meaning people. And yet collectively 90% of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergey-brin/it-is-ironic-since-whenever-i-have-met-with-our-elected-officials/) [Sergey Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergey-brin/) > [We're focused on providing innovations in software, driving the continuous improvement for a much better experience, and there's a lot going on here that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/we-re-focused-on-providing-innovations-in-software-driving-the/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [I'm focused on the music. I think, as long as I keep making music just because I like to make it, people are gonna…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bishop-nehru/i-m-focused-on-the-music-i-think-as-long-as-i-keep-making-music-just/) [Bishop Nehru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bishop-nehru/) > [I was focused on The Hunger Games movie with my director, with the studio, and with the cast and crew. We all just focused…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-jacobson/i-was-focused-on-the-hunger-games-movie-with-my-director-with-the/) [Nina Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-jacobson/) > [Our thoughts are either focused on what's eternal, life-changing, and true, or lost in the details of our temporary, selfish, false beliefs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-groeschel/our-thoughts-are-either-focused-on-what-s-eternal-life-changing-and/) [Craig Groeschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-groeschel/) > [I'm staying focused and clear about what I want in life, and I'm going to get it, man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-brown/i-m-staying-focused-and-clear-about-what-i-want-in-life-and-i-m-going/) [Bobby Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-brown/) > [God puts you where God needs you. You are where you are supposed to be. The job you are doing may not be any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-kushner/god-puts-you-where-god-needs-you-you-are-where-you-are-supposed-to-be/) [Lawrence Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-kushner/) > [Consider developing your whole self with the same raw focus and intensity that you develop a particular skill set. Get focused. Go out, have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-holden/consider-developing-your-whole-self-with-the-same-raw-focus-and/) [Anthony Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-holden/) > [Because YouTube is focused on a lot of different types of content at the same time, it has many opportunities, and the hardest thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kyncl/because-youtube-is-focused-on-a-lot-of-different-types-of-content-at/) [Robert Kyncl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kyncl/) > [At Epcot Center the Disney corporation has focused its attention on two things greatly in need of Disneyfication: the tedious future and the annoying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/at-epcot-center-the-disney-corporation-has-focused-its-attention-on/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [We wanted to guide the musicians, so we could create our own sound. We would never let the band just go in and play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamont-dozier/we-wanted-to-guide-the-musicians-so-we-could-create-our-own-sound-we/) [Lamont Dozier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamont-dozier/) [Browse all 2,614 Focused quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focused/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "They are focused on whether they can do something. 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