--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Nothing defines humans better than their…" description: "\"Nothing defines humans better than their willingness to do irrational things in the pursuit of phenomenally unlikely payoffs. This is the principle beh..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab5/scott-adams-666_dating_nothing-defines-humans-better-than-their_321030.jpg" --- # Nothing defines humans better than their willingness to do… ![“Nothing defines humans better than their willingness to do irrational things in the pursuit of phenomenally unlikely payoffs. This is the principle behind lotteries, dating, and religion.” quote by Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab5/scott-adams-666_dating_nothing-defines-humans-better-than-their_321030.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab5/scott-adams-666_dating_nothing-defines-humans-better-than-their_321030.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab5/scott-adams-666_dating_nothing-defines-humans-better-than-their_321030.jpg) > “Nothing defines humans better than their willingness to do irrational things in the pursuit of phenomenally unlikely payoffs. This is the principle behind lotteries, dating, and religion.” [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often act irrationally when hoping for huge, unlikely rewards, as seen in lotteries, dating, and religion. **In simple terms:** We chase big, unlikely rewards despite irrationality. Key Takeaway Accept that irrational risk‑taking is a human trait. Themes risk reward irrationality human nature Mood reflective critical Type observational philosophical When to use this quote - gambling - online dating - faith practices - investment speculation Key Concepts probability bias hope psychology Questions to Reflect On - Why do we chase unlikely payoffs? - What rational alternatives exist? A Different Perspective Irrational pursuits can lead to disappointment or loss. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dating/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Irrational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irrational/) [Irrational Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irrational-things-2147507/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Principle Lotteries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principle-lotteries-3025628/) [Pursuit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pursuit/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Unlikely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unlikely/) [Unlikely Payoffs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unlikely-payoffs-3025627/) [Willingness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/willingness/) [Willingness Irrational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/willingness-irrational-3025626/) ## Related quotes > [You have to think an awful lot about your motivations or people's behavioral intentions or what their body language can indicate or what's really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-silver/you-have-to-think-an-awful-lot-about-your-motivations-or-people-s/) [Ron Silver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-silver/) > [Sometimes motorists do irrational things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-prince/sometimes-motorists-do-irrational-things/) [Erik Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-prince/) > [I'm irrational about all things creative, and I'm always late!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iggy-azalea/i-m-irrational-about-all-things-creative-and-i-m-always-late/) [Iggy Azalea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iggy-azalea/) > [It's the irrational things that interest me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/it-s-the-irrational-things-that-interest-me/) [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) > [“I'm petrified. 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I think this is unlikely because I have enough difficulty finding my keys,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-is-a-rumour-going-around-that-i-have-found-god-i-think-this-is/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [It's very unlikely you're a genius, but, if you're ready to work at it hard and you want to listen to music all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/it-s-very-unlikely-you-re-a-genius-but-if-you-re-ready-to-work-at-it/) [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) > [God has often given His people favor in the sight of heathen masters (as Joseph and Daniel), and has magnified the sufficiency of His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-w-pink/god-has-often-given-his-people-favor-in-the-sight-of-heathen-masters/) [Arthur W. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-w-pink/) > [But I said that you could still want something that is very unlikely to happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-haddon/but-i-said-that-you-could-still-want-something-that-is-very-unlikely/) [Mark Haddon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-haddon/) ## More by Scott Adams > [The creator of the universe works in mysterious ways. 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Small successes can grow into big ones, but failures rarely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/what-you-rarely-see-is-a-stillborn-failure-that-transmogrifies-into-a/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [“Because everything you perceive is a metaphor for something your brain is not equipped to fully understand. God is as real as the clothes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/because-everything-you-perceive-is-a-metaphor-for-something-your/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [“Capitalism is rotten at every level, and yet it adds up to something extraordinarily useful for society over time. The paradox of capitalism is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/capitalism-is-rotten-at-every-level-and-yet-it-adds-up-to-something/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [The best part about being my age is in knowing how my life worked out. 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Yet every day they ask themselves why they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/de-philosopher-dj-kyos/to-lovers-out-there-pregnancy-is-the-main-reason-why-most-couples-are/) [De philosopher DJ Kyos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/de-philosopher-dj-kyos/) > [Someone needs to make an app that alerts you every time your wife/girlfriend gets a haircut, so we don't forget to notice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/someone-needs-to-make-an-app-that-alerts-you-every-time-your-wife/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“My brother trolled recovery and support groups, searching for women with dependency issues, the way I frequented bookstores with the hope of finding a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-o-brien/my-brother-trolled-recovery-and-support-groups-searching-for-women/) [Richard J. O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-o-brien/) > [“Are Seth and I seeing each other? Is that even possible? I mean, inter-realmal dating?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-klein/are-seth-and-i-seeing-each-other-is-that-even-possible-i-mean-inter/) [Katie Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-klein/) > [“There are exes with whom it is too dangerous to allow even a moment’s eye contact. These are not exes at all, and never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-wagner/there-are-exes-with-whom-it-is-too-dangerous-to-allow-even-a-moment-s/) [Josh Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-wagner/) > [I don't really comment on my personal life because I feel like any comment at all is opening up a whole can of worms.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-hartnett/i-don-t-really-comment-on-my-personal-life-because-i-feel-like-any/) [Josh Hartnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-hartnett/) > [I started online dating in my 50s after two divorces. Trust me, if I can do it, anyone can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coleen-nolan/i-started-online-dating-in-my-50s-after-two-divorces-trust-me-if-i/) [Coleen Nolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coleen-nolan/) > [Being in a relationship isn't about the kissing, the dates,looks,or the showing off, it;s about being with someone who makes you happy in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-in-a-relationship-isn-t-about-the-kissing-the-dates-looks-or/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Serial dating: It's not just for breakfast anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-s/serial-dating-it-s-not-just-for-breakfast-anymore/) [Laura S](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-s/) > [We don't do 'dating' in Sweden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-winberg/we-don-t-do-dating-in-sweden/) [Caroline Winberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-winberg/) > [Ex boyfriends, are like an old pair of shoes. 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