First sight Quote by Alan Wilson Watts
““Now as you plumb out into the universe and explore it astronomically, it gets very strange. You begin to see things in the depths that at first sight seem utterly remote. How could they have anything to do with us. They are so far off and so unlikely. And in the same way, when you start probing into the inner workings of the human body you come across all kinds of funny little monsters and wiggly things that bear no resemblance to what we recognize as the human image. Look at a spermatozoon under a microscope. That little tadpole! And how can that have any connection with a grown human being. It’s so unlike, you see. It’s foreign feeling. And you get the creeps, a foreign feeling, about yourself...But what we will always find out in the end when we meet the very strange thing, there will one day be the dawning recognition: Why that’s me.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Lecture on cosmology and consciousness, 1970s
The vastness of the universe mirrors the complexity of the human body, yet both ultimately reflect ourselves.
In simple terms: The universe and our bodies are strange but connected.
Key Takeaway
Recognize self in the unknown.
Themes
cosmology
identity
wonder
Mood
curious
introspective
Type
philosophical
poetic
When to use this quote
- stargazing
- medical study
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
philosophy
biology
existentialism
Questions to Reflect On
- What strange thing feels like yourself?
- How does awe change self‑view?
A Different Perspective
Understanding can be unsettling.
![“p.61 He [Roark] was usually disliked, from the first sight of his face, anywhere he went. His face was closed like the door of a safety vault; things locked in safety vaults are valuable; men did not care to feel that. He was a cold, disquieting presence in the room; his presence had a strange…” quote by Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/576/ayn-rand-59_care_p-61-he-roark-was-usually-disliked-from_38338.jpg)
