# We are survival machines—robot vehicles blindly programmed to preserve the selfish… by Richard Dawkins > "We are survival machines—robot vehicles blindly programmed to preserve the selfish molecules known as genes." > **— Richard Dawkins**, *The Selfish Gene (1976), widely cited* Verification Status: Unverified — exact wording/source has not yet been independently confirmed against a primary source; source clue: The Selfish Gene (1976), widely cited.