--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We only have to look at ourselves to see…" description: "\"We only have to look at ourselves to see how intelligent life might develop into something we wouldnt want to meet.\" — Anonymous" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/baa/anonymous-1_intelligent-life_we-only-have-to-look-at-ourselves-to-see_2298574.jpg" --- # We only have to look at ourselves to see how intelligent… ![“We only have to look at ourselves to see how intelligent life might develop into something we wouldnt want to meet.” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/baa/anonymous-1_intelligent-life_we-only-have-to-look-at-ourselves-to-see_2298574.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/baa/anonymous-1_intelligent-life_we-only-have-to-look-at-ourselves-to-see_2298574.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/baa/anonymous-1_intelligent-life_we-only-have-to-look-at-ourselves-to-see_2298574.jpg) > “We only have to look at ourselves to see how intelligent life might develop into something we wouldnt want to meet.” [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We must consider that our own evolution may produce intelligence we would find undesirable. **In simple terms:** Our progress could create unwanted intelligence. Key Takeaway Beware what we create. Themes ethics future technology existential risk self-reflection Mood cautious thoughtful Type philosophical warning When to use this quote - research labs - policy making - education - public discourse Key Concepts AI alignment anthropocentrism unknown unknowns Questions to Reflect On - What safeguards can we implement now? - How do we balance curiosity with caution? A Different Perspective Predicting alien intelligence is speculative and may mislead. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Intelligent life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligent-life/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ## Related quotes > [We only have to look at ourselves to see how intelligent life might develop into something we wouldn't want to meet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/we-only-have-to-look-at-ourselves-to-see-how-intelligent-life-might-3/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [Were their is intelligent life there is sadness, loneliness, and anger, but their is also happiness, friendship and love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/were-their-is-intelligent-life-there-is-sadness-loneliness-and-anger/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It is surely unreasonable to credit that only one small star in the immensity of the universe is capable of developing and supporting intelligent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-surely-unreasonable-to-credit-that-only-one-small-star-in-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is intelligent life on Earth, but Im just visiting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-intelligent-life-on-earth-but-im-just-visiting/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ \[In the Universe it may be that\] Primitive life is very common and intelligent life is fairly rare. Some would say it has yet… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-the-universe-it-may-be-that-primitive-life-is-very-common-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My scratching I don't really think communicates to intelligent life forms. Anyone with more than one brain cell would think Kid Koala music is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-scratching-i-don-t-really-think-communicates-to-intelligent-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It is not the trials in your life that develop or destroy you, but rather your response to those hardships.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stanley/it-is-not-the-trials-in-your-life-that-develop-or-destroy-you-but/) [Charles Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stanley/) > [Your life is your own, to develop or to destroy. You can blame others little and yourself almost totally if that life is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/your-life-is-your-own-to-develop-or-to-destroy-you-can-blame-others/) [Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/) > [We think that life develops spontaneously on Earth, so it must be possible for life to develop on suitable planets elsewhere in the universe.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/we-think-that-life-develops-spontaneously-on-earth-so-it-must-be/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [In life if you can develop and master the art of patience. I believe you will be granted the key to success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-abougoush/in-life-if-you-can-develop-and-master-the-art-of-patience-i-believe/) Ahmed Abougoush > [Rapport is the ultimate tool for producing results with other people. No matter what you want in your life, if you can develop rapport…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/rapport-is-the-ultimate-tool-for-producing-results-with-other-people/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [Your real purpose in life is to develop yourself. To successfully do this you must always be working toward a goal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/your-real-purpose-in-life-is-to-develop-yourself-to-successfully-do/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [My greatest love in life is to develop projects. I just get a huge kick out of that. I've been doing it since ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-forrest/my-greatest-love-in-life-is-to-develop-projects-i-just-get-a-huge/) [Andrew Forrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-forrest/) > [The purpose of life is to discover your gift. The work of life is to develop it. The meaning of life is to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-viscott/the-purpose-of-life-is-to-discover-your-gift-the-work-of-life-is-to/) [David Viscott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-viscott/) > [Being engaged with life. One has to develop a poet's eye for perfect moments, moments that most people pass by.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jewel/being-engaged-with-life-one-has-to-develop-a-poet-s-eye-for-perfect/) [Jewel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jewel/) ## More by Anonymous > [And a tear rolled down her cheek, as she said goodbye; because she's walking away, and she's never looking back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-a-tear-rolled-down-her-cheek-as-she-said-goodbye-because-she-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Scrabble - The game is available in Braille. That’s a nice fact. This makes me feel better about humanity for some reason. I can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/scrabble-the-game-is-available-in-braille-that-s-a-nice-fact-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Put on my J's and dance the whole night away Im naughty by nature like Im hip-hop hooray With my hands in the sky,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/put-on-my-j-s-and-dance-the-whole-night-away-im-naughty-by-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Me.. I have been through a lot, but I still manage to have a smile on my face. Im not worried about the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/me-i-have-been-through-a-lot-but-i-still-manage-to-have-a-smile-on-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Distance is a test of love. many will fail for those who can't withstand it, but for those who can, theres only one answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/distance-is-a-test-of-love-many-will-fail-for-those-who-can-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Im sorry I ever tried...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-sorry-i-ever-tried/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Being betrayed by the one you love is the worst feeling in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-betrayed-by-the-one-you-love-is-the-worst-feeling-in-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The only person I've ever purposely caused pain here is myself...By simply sharing, caring too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-person-i-ve-ever-purposely-caused-pain-here-is-myself-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-of-course-that-the-curtness-of-the-ten-commandments-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Explore all 162,899 Anonymous quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More Intelligent life quotes > [The hardware and the software used in the Breakthrough project will be compatible with other telescopes around the world, so they too can search…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuri-milner/the-hardware-and-the-software-used-in-the-breakthrough-project-will/) [Yuri Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuri-milner/) > [As George Bernard Shaw observed: "All great truths begin as blasphemies." Yet I have to say, the idea that there is intelligent life elsewhere…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/as-george-bernard-shaw-observed-all-great-truths-begin-as-blasphemies/) [Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/) > [The higher you go in a company, the less oxygen there is, so supporting intelligent life becomes difficult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/the-higher-you-go-in-a-company-the-less-oxygen-there-is-so-supporting/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [ \[In the Universe it may be that\] Primitive life is very common and intelligent life is fairly rare. Some would say it has yet… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-the-universe-it-may-be-that-primitive-life-is-very-common-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If we ever established contact with intelligent life on another world, there would be barriers to communication. First, they would be many light years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/if-we-ever-established-contact-with-intelligent-life-on-another-world/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) > [A stunning survey of the latest evidence for intelligent life on Mars. Mac Tonnies brings a thoughtful, balanced and highly accessible approach to one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-brennan/a-stunning-survey-of-the-latest-evidence-for-intelligent-life-on-mars/) [Herbie Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-brennan/) > [I keep wondering if, say, there is intelligent life on other planets, the scientists argue that something like two percent of the other planets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-barthelme/i-keep-wondering-if-say-there-is-intelligent-life-on-other-planets/) [Donald Barthelme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-barthelme/) > [Intelligent life on a planet comes of age when it first works out the reason for its own existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/intelligent-life-on-a-planet-comes-of-age-when-it-first-works-out-the/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [The question is not whether there is intelligent life out there, the question is, whether there is intelligent life down here. As long as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacque-fresco/the-question-is-not-whether-there-is-intelligent-life-out-there-the/) [Jacque Fresco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacque-fresco/) > [The surest sign that intelligent life exists somewhere else in the universe is that it has never tried to contact us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/young-siddiq-prince/the-surest-sign-that-intelligent-life-exists-somewhere-else-in-the/) [Young Siddiq Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/young-siddiq-prince/) > [“Like an alchemical wave sending ripples of love to every part of our being, once we become conscious of an intelligent life force existing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atalina-m-homan/like-an-alchemical-wave-sending-ripples-of-love-to-every-part-of-our/) Atalina M Homan > [Symbiosis is a much higher reflection of intelligent life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/symbiosis-is-a-much-higher-reflection-of-intelligent-life/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I'm sure the universe is full of intelligent life. It's just been too intelligent to come here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/i-m-sure-the-universe-is-full-of-intelligent-life-it-s-just-been-too/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [A society that destroys the environment that supports it, I would not consider to be intelligent life. It's like the cancer that ultimately kills…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/a-society-that-destroys-the-environment-that-supports-it-i-would-not/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“There is an enormous difference between life and intelligent life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcelo-gleiser/there-is-an-enormous-difference-between-life-and-intelligent-life/) [Marcelo Gleiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcelo-gleiser/) [Browse all 109 Intelligent life quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligent-life/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We only have to look at ourselves to see how intelligent life might develop into something we wouldnt want to meet.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anonymous" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-only-have-to-look-at-ourselves-to-see-how-intelligent-life-might-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Intelligent life" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-only-have-to-look-at-ourselves-to-see-how-intelligent-life-might-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/baa/anonymous-1_intelligent-life_we-only-have-to-look-at-ourselves-to-see_2298574.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/baa/anonymous-1_intelligent-life_we-only-have-to-look-at-ourselves-to-see_2298574.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/baa/anonymous-1_intelligent-life_we-only-have-to-look-at-ourselves-to-see_2298574.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We only have to look at ourselves to see how intelligent life might develop into something we wouldnt want…” — Anonymous", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Anonymous", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We only have to look at...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-only-have-to-look-at-ourselves-to-see-how-intelligent-life-might-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-only-have-to-look-at-ourselves-to-see-how-intelligent-life-might-2/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```