--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Who are we? Where do we come from? Why…" description: "\"Who are we? Where do we come from? Why are we this way and not some other? What does it mean to be human? Are we capable, if need be, of fundamental ch..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7c/anonymous-1_change_who-are-we-where-do-we-come-from-why-are_2714603.jpg" --- # Who are we? Where do we come from? Why are we this way and… ![“Who are we? Where do we come from? Why are we this way and not some other? What does it mean to be human? Are we capable, if need be, of fundamental change, or do the dead hands of forgotten ancestors impel us in some direction, indiscriminately for good or ill, and beyond our control? Can we…” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7c/anonymous-1_change_who-are-we-where-do-we-come-from-why-are_2714603.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7c/anonymous-1_change_who-are-we-where-do-we-come-from-why-are_2714603.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7c/anonymous-1_change_who-are-we-where-do-we-come-from-why-are_2714603.jpg) > “Who are we? Where do we come from? Why are we this way and not some other? What does it mean to be human? Are we capable, if need be, of fundamental change, or do the dead hands of forgotten ancestors impel us in some direction, indiscriminately for good or ill, and beyond our control? Can we alter our character? Can we improve our societies? Can we leave our children a world better than the one that was left to us? Can we free them from the demons that torment us and haunt our civilization? In the long run, are we wise enough to know what changes to make? Can we be trusted with our own future?” [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. He contemplates humanity’s origins, purpose, capacity for change, and responsibility toward future generations. **In simple terms:** Human existence raises deep existential questions. Key Takeaway Reflect on human purpose. Themes existential philosophy future Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical existential When to use this quote - education - public discourse - personal reflection Key Concepts identity change responsibility Questions to Reflect On - What defines humanity’s purpose? - How can we shape a better future? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization/) ## Related quotes > [“There is nothing comparable when to comes to the black man. He has no culture, no civilization, and no long historical past.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frantz-faron/there-is-nothing-comparable-when-to-comes-to-the-black-man-he-has-no/) Frantz Faron > [The coarsening of our culture towards violent death has more consequences than war. Tragically, this same culture has led to the death of 50…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/the-coarsening-of-our-culture-towards-violent-death-has-more/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [“Civilization had long maintained the appearance of such communal closeness, in small units people could manage. Societies had evolved that could stack such social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gardner-r-dozois/civilization-had-long-maintained-the-appearance-of-such-communal/) [Gardner R. Dozois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gardner-r-dozois/) > [Egypt gave birth to what later would become known as 'Western Civilization,' long before the greatness of Greece and Rome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henrik-clarke/egypt-gave-birth-to-what-later-would-become-known-as-western/) [John Henrik Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henrik-clarke/) > [We will never be an advanced civilization as long as rain showers can delay the launching of a space rocket.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/we-will-never-be-an-advanced-civilization-as-long-as-rain-showers-can/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [“Of course, I quite agree that the Christian religion is, in the long run, a thing of unspeakable comfort. But it does not begin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/of-course-i-quite-agree-that-the-christian-religion-is-in-the-long/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In the long run the pessimist may be proven right, but the optimist has a better time on the trip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-the-long-run-the-pessimist-may-be-proven-right-but-the-optimist/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You cant be TOO nice, especially right off the bat, but trust me...in the LONG run, every girl wants a prince charming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-cant-be-too-nice-especially-right-off-the-bat-but-trust-me-in-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sometimes pretending is easier then ending but in the long run the same thing has 2 be done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-pretending-is-easier-then-ending-but-in-the-long-run-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Letting go of someone you love is probably the hardest thing anyone will ever have to do but you have to do whats best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/letting-go-of-someone-you-love-is-probably-the-hardest-thing-anyone/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If I try to use human influence strategies and tactics of how to get other people to do what I want, to work better,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-i-try-to-use-human-influence-strategies-and-tactics-of-how-to-get/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sometimes in life we give our hearts to people and they take advantage of it, realizing that some of your friends turned out to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-in-life-we-give-our-hearts-to-people-and-they-take/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everything in life comes within time, if you rush things just because you feel the need/want something only makes things worse in the long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everything-in-life-comes-within-time-if-you-rush-things-just-because/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm just trying to avoid being hurt again in the long run.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-just-trying-to-avoid-being-hurt-again-in-the-long-run/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“And it was then that the things I've never liked to talk about began. Not that they were particularly terrible; I've no wish to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-it-was-then-that-the-things-i-ve-never-liked-to-talk-about-began/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## 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 Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [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/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) Phil Hogan > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Who are we? Where do we come from? Why are we this way and not some other? What does it mean to be human? Are we capable, if need be, of fundamental change, or do the dead hands of forgotten ancestors impel us in some direction, indiscriminately for good or ill, and beyond our control? Can we alter our character? Can we improve our societies? Can we leave our children a world better than the one that was left to us? Can we free them from the demons that torment us and haunt our civilization? In the long run, are we wise enough to know what changes to make? 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