--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He’d discovered that most of the terrors…" description: "\"“He’d discovered that most of the terrors that stalked the night weren’t really terrors at all. They were mostly like regular folks, just trying to liv..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d58/a-lee-martinez-11831_humans_he-d-discovered-that-most-of-the-terrors_640969.png" --- # He’d discovered that most of the terrors that stalked the… ![“He’d discovered that most of the terrors that stalked the night weren’t really terrors at all. They were mostly like regular folks, just trying to live their lives. As long as they were left alone they were perfectly harmless except for the occasional bite on the neck. Humans were the real…” quote by A. Lee Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d58/a-lee-martinez-11831_humans_he-d-discovered-that-most-of-the-terrors_640969.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d58/a-lee-martinez-11831_humans_he-d-discovered-that-most-of-the-terrors_640969.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d58/a-lee-martinez-11831_humans_he-d-discovered-that-most-of-the-terrors_640969.png) > ““He’d discovered that most of the terrors that stalked the night weren’t really terrors at all. They were mostly like regular folks, just trying to live their lives. As long as they were left alone they were perfectly harmless except for the occasional bite on the neck. Humans were the real terrors, always getting worked up and looking to kill something.”” [A. Lee Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-lee-martinez/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humans create more fear and harm than the imagined monsters of the night, which are mostly harmless when left alone. **In simple terms:** People are scarier than monsters. Key Takeaway Watch your own actions before blaming others. Themes fear human nature misconception Mood cautious reflective Type observational philosophical When to use this quote - nighttime anxieties - urban legends - conflict resolution - personal responsibility Key Concepts psychology social behavior projection Questions to Reflect On - Do you assume danger without evidence? - How can you differentiate real threats from imagined ones? A Different Perspective It may overlook genuine threats that do exist. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Discovered Terrors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discovered-terrors-5145357/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Left alone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left-alone/) [Monsters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monsters/) [Murder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/murder/) [Paranormal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paranormal/) [Real Terrors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-terrors-5145359/) [Stalked Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stalked-night-5145358/) [Supernatural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supernatural/) [Terrors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrors/) [Terrors Stalked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrors-stalked-5145356/) ## Related quotes > [I owed Lewis one thing, at least. Once you had suffered the experience of presenting a case at one of his Monday morning conferences,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-storr/i-owed-lewis-one-thing-at-least-once-you-had-suffered-the-experience/) [Anthony Storr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-storr/) > [“... A nightmare is something you awaken from, Peter," she had said. "But thoughts and ideas that remain after its terrors have disappeared are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-katzenbach/a-nightmare-is-something-you-awaken-from-peter-she-had-said-but/) [John Katzenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-katzenbach/) > [“The night is dark and full of terrors, and so are dreams.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/the-night-is-dark-and-full-of-terrors-and-so-are-dreams/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [Even the bravest men are frightened by sudden terrors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/even-the-bravest-men-are-frightened-by-sudden-terrors/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“...what are the comprehensible terrors of man compared with the interlinked terrors and wonders of God!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/what-are-the-comprehensible-terrors-of-man-compared-with-the/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [Of all the logical impasses, unknowings, paradoxes, and terrors that provoke laughter, death by its finality and unsolvable mystery is paramount.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-hudgins/of-all-the-logical-impasses-unknowings-paradoxes-and-terrors-that/) [Andrew Hudgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-hudgins/) > [Sleep resistance, bouts of insomnia, nightmares, night terrors, crawling into bed with parents in the middle of the night - all these are so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siri-hustvedt/sleep-resistance-bouts-of-insomnia-nightmares-night-terrors-crawling/) [Siri Hustvedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siri-hustvedt/) > [And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain Thrilled me — filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before; So that now,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/and-the-silken-sad-uncertain-rustling-of-each-purple-curtain-thrilled/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [“They don't get that a hero is someone facing their terrors, not someone that doesn't have any.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/savannah-may/they-don-t-get-that-a-hero-is-someone-facing-their-terrors-not/) [Savannah May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/savannah-may/) > [For the night is dark and full of terrors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-the-night-is-dark-and-full-of-terrors/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I still have night terrors about things happening to my son. The worst things cross your mind when you care so much. I keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-taylor/i-still-have-night-terrors-about-things-happening-to-my-son-the-worst/) [Corey Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-taylor/) > [“I'm sorry I was awful. I'm so full of terrors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-murdoch/i-m-sorry-i-was-awful-i-m-so-full-of-terrors/) [Iris Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-murdoch/) > [Many new churches, I regret to say, can be described from the design point of view only as holy terrors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-boyd/many-new-churches-i-regret-to-say-can-be-described-from-the-design/) [Robin Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-boyd/) > [Religion often partakes of the myth of progress that shields us from the terrors of an uncertain future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/religion-often-partakes-of-the-myth-of-progress-that-shields-us-from/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [Focusing on one mildly disturbing, semi-controllable issue allows the mind to stuff much greater terrors in relatively tidy packages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-beck/focusing-on-one-mildly-disturbing-semi-controllable-issue-allows-the/) [Martha Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-beck/) ## More by A. Lee Martinez > [“Humans... You want a nice warm hug from a cold, indifferent universe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-lee-martinez/humans-you-want-a-nice-warm-hug-from-a-cold-indifferent-universe/) [A. Lee Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-lee-martinez/) > [In the middle of nowhere, along a quiet stretch of road, the diner dreamt of the hungry dead. And of two men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-lee-martinez/in-the-middle-of-nowhere-along-a-quiet-stretch-of-road-the-diner/) [A. Lee Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-lee-martinez/) > [“All things exist in as simple a form as necessity dictates. When a thing is labeled 'complex,' that's just a roundabout way of saying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-lee-martinez/all-things-exist-in-as-simple-a-form-as-necessity-dictates-when-a/) [A. Lee Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-lee-martinez/) > [“She stopped shrieking after a moment. It wasn't the crazy looks she drew from the other pedestrians that made her stop. And her damaged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-lee-martinez/she-stopped-shrieking-after-a-moment-it-wasn-t-the-crazy-looks-she/) [A. Lee Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-lee-martinez/) > [“You’re unlikely to find death anywhere near a tomb.  Everyone there is already dead. Death’s business is among the living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-lee-martinez/you-re-unlikely-to-find-death-anywhere-near-a-tomb-everyone-there-is/) [A. Lee Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-lee-martinez/) > [“Quiet fell upon the pickup and lasted for a little over nineteen minutes. Is that why you hang around with him?", Loretta asked. "Cuz…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-lee-martinez/quiet-fell-upon-the-pickup-and-lasted-for-a-little-over-nineteen/) [A. Lee Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-lee-martinez/) > [Quiet descended, a silence so consuming that even the drafty corridors ceased whistling. Bog wasn't certain where to look, so he solved the problem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-lee-martinez/quiet-descended-a-silence-so-consuming-that-even-the-drafty-corridors/) [A. Lee Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-lee-martinez/) > [“Vance shook his head. "Philly, I love you, buddy. I do. But you're not my type." "I'm not?" "What? Are you insulted?" Philip was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-lee-martinez/vance-shook-his-head-philly-i-love-you-buddy-i-do-but-you-re-not-my/) [A. Lee Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-lee-martinez/) > [“Do these robots looked armed? And I was talking to the dinosaur. Were you worried he would discuss me to death?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-lee-martinez/do-these-robots-looked-armed-and-i-was-talking-to-the-dinosaur-were/) [A. Lee Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-lee-martinez/) > [“The universe was filled with secrets, and he understood now that one of the biggest was that no one needed to know them all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-lee-martinez/the-universe-was-filled-with-secrets-and-he-understood-now-that-one/) [A. Lee Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-lee-martinez/) > [“Music has always been the greatest expression of mortal philosophy," continued Lucky. "The path to enlightenment is found in the lyrics of Spinal Tap.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-lee-martinez/music-has-always-been-the-greatest-expression-of-mortal-philosophy/) [A. Lee Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-lee-martinez/) > [“Vance took the news of their "big-city fellows" status better than Philip. Probably because it turned out that he was actually gay. "You're what?"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-lee-martinez/vance-took-the-news-of-their-big-city-fellows-status-better-than/) [A. Lee Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-lee-martinez/) > [“When you cross over into the weird stuff, there's no going back. Hector has a theory on it. Calls it the law of 'Anomalous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-lee-martinez/when-you-cross-over-into-the-weird-stuff-there-s-no-going-back-hector/) [A. Lee Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-lee-martinez/) > [To worry is to acknowledge that the world is unpredictable, and there is power in understanding one's own powerlessness at times. But too often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-lee-martinez/to-worry-is-to-acknowledge-that-the-world-is-unpredictable-and-there/) [A. Lee Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-lee-martinez/) > [“He hasn't earned your your mercy." Nessy replied, "Mercy isn't earned. It's given.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-lee-martinez/he-hasn-t-earned-your-your-mercy-nessy-replied-mercy-isn-t-earned-it/) [A. Lee Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-lee-martinez/) [Explore all 57 A. Lee Martinez quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-lee-martinez/) ## More Humans quotes > [Entertainment is a sacred pursuit when done well. When done well, it raises the quality of human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/entertainment-is-a-sacred-pursuit-when-done-well-when-done-well-it/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [There is no human nature, since there is no god to conceive it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/there-is-no-human-nature-since-there-is-no-god-to-conceive-it/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [Houses are like the human beings that inhabit them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/houses-are-like-the-human-beings-that-inhabit-them/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [Humans are animals too, but some do not like to work from expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/humans-are-animals-too-but-some-do-not-like-to-work-from-expectations/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [Humans are, as Sartre put it, 'condemned to be free'. To insist that science, or God, objectively defines moral values is to abandon our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenan-malik/humans-are-as-sartre-put-it-condemned-to-be-free-to-insist-that/) [Kenan Malik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenan-malik/) > [Human beings have an innate inner drive to be autonomous, self-determined, and connected to one another. And when that drive is liberated, people achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/human-beings-have-an-innate-inner-drive-to-be-autonomous-self/) [Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/) > [Half the misery of human life might be extinguished if men would alleviate the general curse they lie under by mutual offices of compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/half-the-misery-of-human-life-might-be-extinguished-if-men-would/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [When grubbing for necessities man is still an animal. He becomes uniquely human when he reaches out for the superfluous and extravagant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/when-grubbing-for-necessities-man-is-still-an-animal-he-becomes/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [I think the next 50 years are going to present the human race with challenges that so far exceed the limitations of geopolitical boundaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/i-think-the-next-50-years-are-going-to-present-the-human-race-with/) [Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/) > [A Light exists in Spring Not present on the Year At any other period - When March is scarcely here A Color stands abroad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-dickinson/a-light-exists-in-spring-not-present-on-the-year-at-any-other-period/) [Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-dickinson/) [Browse all 32,126 Humans quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“He’d discovered that most of the terrors that stalked the night weren’t really terrors at all. 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