--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are the only alive creatures that are…" description: "\"We are the only alive creatures that are mortals; the animals are immortal, which is why they live stupidly. We are the only creatures that know that w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/388/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu-12_advantage_we-are-the-only-alive-creatures-that-are_152302.jpg" --- # We are the only alive creatures that are mortals; the… ![“We are the only alive creatures that are mortals; the animals are immortal, which is why they live stupidly. We are the only creatures that know that we will die, but that is a gift. It's important because we know we have to take advantage and squeeze life and understand why we're here in the…” quote by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/388/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu-12_advantage_we-are-the-only-alive-creatures-that-are_152302.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/388/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu-12_advantage_we-are-the-only-alive-creatures-that-are_152302.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/388/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu-12_advantage_we-are-the-only-alive-creatures-that-are_152302.jpg) > “We are the only alive creatures that are mortals; the animals are immortal, which is why they live stupidly. We are the only creatures that know that we will die, but that is a gift. It's important because we know we have to take advantage and squeeze life and understand why we're here in the first place.” [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human mortality gives us purpose, urging us to live fully and seek meaning, unlike immortal animals. **In simple terms:** Knowing we die gives life purpose. Key Takeaway Live fully and seek meaning. Themes existence purpose mortality Mood inspired thoughtful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal development - philosophical reflection - creative pursuits Key Concepts human consciousness meaning‑seeking life urgency Questions to Reflect On - What gives your life meaning? - How do you use mortality as motivation? A Different Perspective Animals may also have purpose; mortality can cause anxiety. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advantage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advantage/) [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Animals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animals/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [First place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-place/) [Gift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gift/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Mortals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mortals/) ## Related quotes > [“Curious creatures we mortals are-how we do not know what we want, or how to get it if we do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jude-morgan/curious-creatures-we-mortals-are-how-we-do-not-know-what-we-want-or/) [Jude Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jude-morgan/) > [“If we believe that we are just animals, without immortal souls, we are already but one step removed from pod people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/if-we-believe-that-we-are-just-animals-without-immortal-souls-we-are/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [Cinema is an infinite medium, so we should take advantage of it, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/cinema-is-an-infinite-medium-so-we-should-take-advantage-of-it-i-think/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [I want to squeeze every drop out of my potential as far as affecting the world around me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-long/i-want-to-squeeze-every-drop-out-of-my-potential-as-far-as-affecting/) [Chris Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-long/) > [I teach classes 28 weeks of the year, but the rest of the time I do research and write books. While I'm writing a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/i-teach-classes-28-weeks-of-the-year-but-the-rest-of-the-time-i-do/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [There are times in life when you miss someone so much you just want to pluck them out of your phone contact list and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-are-times-in-life-when-you-miss-someone-so-much-you-just-want/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I used to work eight hours a day and squeeze studies in whenever I could.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-coogan/i-used-to-work-eight-hours-a-day-and-squeeze-studies-in-whenever-i/) [Jackie Coogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-coogan/) > [“life hands you lemons, you squeeze the hell out of them to get what you want. Why”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-grover-swank/life-hands-you-lemons-you-squeeze-the-hell-out-of-them-to-get-what/) [Denise Grover Swank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-grover-swank/) > [I try to squeeze in a round of golf here and there when I get a chance to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-smoltz/i-try-to-squeeze-in-a-round-of-golf-here-and-there-when-i-get-a/) [John Smoltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-smoltz/) > [Not that minute maid crap they squeeze these lemons theyselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/currensy/not-that-minute-maid-crap-they-squeeze-these-lemons-theyselves/) Currensy > [The drivability of an engine is a big part of the setup on a road course. If you can't squeeze the gas down you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-waltrip/the-drivability-of-an-engine-is-a-big-part-of-the-setup-on-a-road/) [Michael Waltrip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-waltrip/) > [When we're leading during the game, we have to squeeze the opponent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrikh-mkhitaryan/when-we-re-leading-during-the-game-we-have-to-squeeze-the-opponent/) [Henrikh Mkhitaryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrikh-mkhitaryan/) > [That means following a very restrictive fiscal and monetary policy which will squeeze the monopolies and cut their subsidies. On the micro level we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-klaus/that-means-following-a-very-restrictive-fiscal-and-monetary-policy/) [Vaclav Klaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-klaus/) > [When life gives you lemon...squeeze them right back into life's eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali/when-life-gives-you-lemon-squeeze-them-right-back-into-life-s-eyes/) [Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali/) > [I feel like I bring the juice and the squeeze.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-sanu/i-feel-like-i-bring-the-juice-and-the-squeeze/) [Mohamed Sanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-sanu/) ## More by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu > [I am not a depressive person at all, but I reflect a lot on my life, and life in general, from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-am-not-a-depressive-person-at-all-but-i-reflect-a-lot-on-my-life/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [My mom had very low expectations for me, and she really had a point. I was a big problem at seventeen. If I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/my-mom-had-very-low-expectations-for-me-and-she-really-had-a-point-i/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [Life and death are illusions. We are in a constant state of transformation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/life-and-death-are-illusions-we-are-in-a-constant-state-of/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [I think the most experimental way to a film is to tell the story the traditional way, because everyone is doing the other thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-think-the-most-experimental-way-to-a-film-is-to-tell-the-story-the/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [Time starts out as a notion. But after you turn fifty, time is not a notion anymore but a fact that you start feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/time-starts-out-as-a-notion-but-after-you-turn-fifty-time-is-not-a/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [I think bad movies are made around the world, not just in Hollywood. There are as many bad art films in the whole world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-think-bad-movies-are-made-around-the-world-not-just-in-hollywood/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [ How can \[actors\] learn their lines and be honest in front of 30 people and all the lights? It makes me cry sometimes. I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/how-can-actors-learn-their-lines-and-be-honest-in-front-of-30-people/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [I love the three-act theory. It works and works beautifully. But you don't necessarily have to structure a story that way: Cortazar and Borges…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-love-the-three-act-theory-it-works-and-works-beautifully-but-you/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [3D is the way we experience life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/3d-is-the-way-we-experience-life/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [I made commercials for corporations like Volkswagen and Coca-Cola, but I was always the one to write them, too, which was a very good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-made-commercials-for-corporations-like-volkswagen-and-coca-cola-but/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [I like to make films, but the only reason I do is because I'm a very bad musician.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-like-to-make-films-but-the-only-reason-i-do-is-because-i-m-a-very/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [It's very healthy to be aware of your ego.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/it-s-very-healthy-to-be-aware-of-your-ego/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [I personally can't handle frivolous violence. I overreact to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-personally-can-t-handle-frivolous-violence-i-overreact-to-it/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [ I saw what I could \[in Mexico City\], but we rarely got anything other than big, mainstream American films. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-saw-what-i-could-in-mexico-city-but-we-rarely-got-anything-other/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [For the actors, the talent is to serve the demands that I ask of them, to do it with naturality and truth, and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/for-the-actors-the-talent-is-to-serve-the-demands-that-i-ask-of-them/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) [Explore all 262 Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) ## More Advantage quotes > [Dogmatists have one advantage: they are poor listeners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-de-waal/dogmatists-have-one-advantage-they-are-poor-listeners/) [Frans de Waal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-de-waal/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Talented people can predict with great accuracy what's about to happen just a tiny bit ahead of their competitors. It might be two seconds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-maney/talented-people-can-predict-with-great-accuracy-what-s-about-to/) [Kevin Maney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-maney/) > [All I ever wanted was an unfair advantage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-wynn/all-i-ever-wanted-was-an-unfair-advantage/) [Garrison Wynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-wynn/) > [Part of the advantage, and part of the result of trying to be a producer and director, are the practical things, you find. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/campbell-scott/part-of-the-advantage-and-part-of-the-result-of-trying-to-be-a/) [Campbell Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/campbell-scott/) > [I was born with a silver microphone in my mouth, and that was an advantage. My father wrote books and was also a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dimbleby/i-was-born-with-a-silver-microphone-in-my-mouth-and-that-was-an/) [Jonathan Dimbleby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dimbleby/) > [Like funny men, skilled diners are apparently perceived to have an evolutionary advantage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-goodyear/like-funny-men-skilled-diners-are-apparently-perceived-to-have-an/) [Dana Goodyear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-goodyear/) > [For some reason when I decide to pursue something, I never have any fear that it won't happen. I think it's just ingrained in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-blatz/for-some-reason-when-i-decide-to-pursue-something-i-never-have-any/) [Kelly Blatz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-blatz/) > [I think I have good hands, so I try to use them to my advantage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bianca-andreescu/i-think-i-have-good-hands-so-i-try-to-use-them-to-my-advantage/) [Bianca Andreescu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bianca-andreescu/) > [My influences are jazz, blues, European classical music; they are rock music and pop music. So many kinds of music. World music from different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rokia-traore/my-influences-are-jazz-blues-european-classical-music-they-are-rock/) [Rokia Traore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rokia-traore/) > [Baseball needs to put the steroids era behind it by having and enforcing tough rules against all kinds of artificial advantages, so that spring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-olasky/baseball-needs-to-put-the-steroids-era-behind-it-by-having-and/) [Marvin Olasky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-olasky/) > [Daily contact with some teachers is itself all-sided ethical education for the child without a spoken precept. Here, too, the real advantage of male…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-stanley-hall/daily-contact-with-some-teachers-is-itself-all-sided-ethical/) [G. Stanley Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-stanley-hall/) > [ If \[Donald\] Trump throws 20 million off of health care, that's going to be - if he handles this badly - and it's very… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/if-donald-trump-throws-20-million-off-of-health-care-that-s-going-to/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [Live in the world you inhabit. Look upon things as they are. Take them as you find them. Make the best of them. Turn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/live-in-the-world-you-inhabit-look-upon-things-as-they-are-take-them/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [I always tell women that the fact that you're different and that you're noticed, because there are few of us in the tech industry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padmasree-warrior/i-always-tell-women-that-the-fact-that-you-re-different-and-that-you/) [Padmasree Warrior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padmasree-warrior/) [Browse all 3,503 Advantage quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advantage/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We are the only alive creatures that are mortals; the animals are immortal, which is why they live stupidly. We are the only creatures that know that we will die, but that is a gift. 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