--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The revelation that there was nothing…" description: "\"“The revelation that there was nothing \"special\" about humanity didn't shock her. Not specifically. She'd always been cynical about that sort of thing...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ff/a-lee-martinez-11831_cynical_the-revelation-that-there-was-nothing-sp_1388586.jpg" --- # The revelation that there was nothing "special" about… ![“The revelation that there was nothing "special" about humanity didn't shock her. Not specifically. She'd always been cynical about that sort of thing. The idea that reality was all too big to even quantify in any meaningful way didn't disturb her much either. Except, deep down, she'd assumed there…” quote by A. Lee Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ff/a-lee-martinez-11831_cynical_the-revelation-that-there-was-nothing-sp_1388586.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ff/a-lee-martinez-11831_cynical_the-revelation-that-there-was-nothing-sp_1388586.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ff/a-lee-martinez-11831_cynical_the-revelation-that-there-was-nothing-sp_1388586.jpg) > ““The revelation that there was nothing "special" about humanity didn't shock her. Not specifically. She'd always been cynical about that sort of thing. The idea that reality was all too big to even quantify in any meaningful way didn't disturb her much either. Except, deep down, she'd assumed there was some inherent logic at work. Like ricocheting molecules congealing into planets and stars, dogs and cats. At least the made sense, even if it wasn't very comforting. At least it put things in neat little boxes with neat little labels that she didn't always understand but could rely on in terms of familiarity.”” [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. She finds comfort in believing the universe has an underlying logic, even if that belief is not reassuring. **In simple terms:** She likes the idea of hidden order. Key Takeaway Accept uncertainty while seeking patterns. Themes philosophy existentialism comfort logic Mood thoughtful reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal reflection - scientific inquiry - spiritual contemplation Key Concepts human need for meaning cognitive bias Questions to Reflect On - Do you need a sense of order? - How do you cope with uncertainty? A Different Perspective Reality may be indifferent, making reliance on order risky. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cynical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cynical/) [Dogs And Cats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dogs-and-cats/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) ## Related quotes > [Wilhelm Steinitz was the first man to appreciate the inherent logic behind the game of chess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hartston/wilhelm-steinitz-was-the-first-man-to-appreciate-the-inherent-logic/) William Hartston > [I was 23. When you're 23, your concern is not for the greater good of humanity. I didn't feel like I was unleashing an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-chappelle/i-was-23-when-you-re-23-your-concern-is-not-for-the-greater-good-of/) [Dave Chappelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-chappelle/) > [If humanity didn't put so much energy in Guilt,Fear Sin and Doubt. They would discover what life is truly about!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-victor-paskavich/if-humanity-didn-t-put-so-much-energy-in-guilt-fear-sin-and-doubt/) [Stanley Victor Paskavich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-victor-paskavich/) > [“We—humanity—didn’t come this far by being afraid. Explorers and visionaries have willingly headed off to certain death for thousands of years and by doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-s-jennsen/we-humanity-didn-t-come-this-far-by-being-afraid-explorers-and/) [G.S. Jennsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-s-jennsen/) > [“But I wasn't like most of humanity. I didn't like being helped.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-center/but-i-wasn-t-like-most-of-humanity-i-didn-t-like-being-helped/) [Katherine Center](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-center/) > [You can't leave humanity out. If you didn't have humanity, you wouldn't have anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-neel/you-can-t-leave-humanity-out-if-you-didn-t-have-humanity-you-wouldn-t/) [Alice Neel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-neel/) > [In my heart, I know that Jesus would never condone the suffering that results when dogs and cats are allowed to breed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-krupa/in-my-heart-i-know-that-jesus-would-never-condone-the-suffering-that/) [Joanna Krupa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-krupa/) > [“Despite the perma-shock in which many of us have lived our entire lives, with alarms in our ears made only more shrill by 24…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarahjane-blum/despite-the-perma-shock-in-which-many-of-us-have-lived-our-entire/) Sarahjane Blum > [“According to the official numbers, shelters take in somewhere between six million and eight million dogs and cats every year and euthanize about half…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-kotler/according-to-the-official-numbers-shelters-take-in-somewhere-between/) [Steven Kotler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-kotler/) > [“Some years ago, there was a lovely philosopher of science and journalist in Italy named Giulio Giorello, and he did an interview with me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-c-dennett/some-years-ago-there-was-a-lovely-philosopher-of-science-and/) [Daniel C. Dennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-c-dennett/) > [“I think Willim Shakespeare was the wisest human being I ever heard of. To be perfectly frank though, that's not saying much. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-think-willim-shakespeare-was-the-wisest-human-being-i-ever-heard-of/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [Whatever its other limitations, the Big Apple and those who live there make room for their dogs and cats, take good care of them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-clooney/whatever-its-other-limitations-the-big-apple-and-those-who-live-there/) [Nick Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-clooney/) > [Why may we not be in the universe, as our dogs and cats are in our drawingrooms and libraries?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/why-may-we-not-be-in-the-universe-as-our-dogs-and-cats-are-in-our/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [Pollicle dogs and cats all must Jellicle cats and dogs all must Like undertakers, come to dust. Here a little dog I pause Heaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-stearns-eliot/pollicle-dogs-and-cats-all-must-jellicle-cats-and-dogs-all-must-like/) [Thomas Stearns Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-stearns-eliot/) > [It's funny how dogs and cats know the inside of folks better than other folks do, isn't it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-funny-how-dogs-and-cats-know-the-inside-of-folks-better-than/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## 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/) > [“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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-lee-martinez/he-d-discovered-that-most-of-the-terrors-that-stalked-the-night-weren/) [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/) [Explore all 57 A. Lee Martinez quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-lee-martinez/) ## More Cynical quotes > [Broken by hardships, disappointments and tragedy, people can become discouraged and cynical. But lives can also be mended. Put back together well, they won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-goodier/broken-by-hardships-disappointments-and-tragedy-people-can-become/) [Steve Goodier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-goodier/) > [“Writers whose thoughts are expressed with clarity and precision are assumed by readers to be superficial. Where the meaning is obscured, then readers give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/writers-whose-thoughts-are-expressed-with-clarity-and-precision-are/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [I would say most comedians have a very cynical worldview of the way the world can work. It's almost like if you didn't, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-quinn/i-would-say-most-comedians-have-a-very-cynical-worldview-of-the-way/) [Colin Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-quinn/) > [Sure, I’m dramatic and sloppily semi-cynical and semi-sentimental. But, in leisure years I could grow and choose my way. Now I am living on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/sure-i-m-dramatic-and-sloppily-semi-cynical-and-semi-sentimental-but/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [We're so immaturely cynical as a culture. We're not wise enough to look at an institution like marriage and to really things about what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-peterson/we-re-so-immaturely-cynical-as-a-culture-we-re-not-wise-enough-to/) [Jordan Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-peterson/) > [I'm not cynical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-schlessinger/i-m-not-cynical/) [Laura Schlessinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-schlessinger/) > [A well governed people are generally a people who do not think much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-siegfried/a-well-governed-people-are-generally-a-people-who-do-not-think-much/) Andre Siegfried > [I love writers who are insightful enough to be cynical but choose not to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/i-love-writers-who-are-insightful-enough-to-be-cynical-but-choose-not/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [It is a very cynical, skeptical, foolish person that suggests Israel does not need a peace process to have a growing economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-quest/it-is-a-very-cynical-skeptical-foolish-person-that-suggests-israel/) [Richard Quest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-quest/) > [Songwriters might write cynical, world-wise lyrics and constantly talk about money, but most of us are downright naive when it comes to business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-nelson/songwriters-might-write-cynical-world-wise-lyrics-and-constantly-talk/) [Willie Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-nelson/) > [No one more cynical than an idealist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/no-one-more-cynical-than-an-idealist/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [I've actually always wanted to write like a one-person show that was sort of a romantic comedy - a show that was kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/i-ve-actually-always-wanted-to-write-like-a-one-person-show-that-was/) [Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) > [“That's what I've never been able to get about religion: that charmless combination of altruism and insanity. Give me a cynical, self-interested bastard any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-carey/that-s-what-i-ve-never-been-able-to-get-about-religion-that-charmless/) [Mike Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-carey/) > [As the rain falls and the sun shines, they grow, grow, grow; minds so open, they go through life aware and accepting, seeing light…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecelia-ahern/as-the-rain-falls-and-the-sun-shines-they-grow-grow-grow-minds-so/) [Cecelia Ahern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecelia-ahern/) > [One of the weirdest things that happened to artists and art criticism was this moment when everyone got cynical and stopped believing in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/one-of-the-weirdest-things-that-happened-to-artists-and-art-criticism/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) [Browse all 968 Cynical quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cynical/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The revelation that there was nothing \"special\" about humanity didn't shock her. 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