--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The worst mistake of first contact, made…" description: "\"The worst mistake of first contact, made throughout history by individuals on both sides of every new encounter, has been the unfortunate habit of maki..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e43/david-brin-3024_assumption_the-worst-mistake-of-first-contact-made_3105487.jpg" --- # The worst mistake of first contact, made throughout… ![“The worst mistake of first contact, made throughout history by individuals on both sides of every new encounter, has been the unfortunate habit of making assumptions. It often proved fatal.” quote by David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e43/david-brin-3024_assumption_the-worst-mistake-of-first-contact-made_3105487.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e43/david-brin-3024_assumption_the-worst-mistake-of-first-contact-made_3105487.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e43/david-brin-3024_assumption_the-worst-mistake-of-first-contact-made_3105487.jpg) > “The worst mistake of first contact, made throughout history by individuals on both sides of every new encounter, has been the unfortunate habit of making assumptions. It often proved fatal.” [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Assumptions during first encounters often lead to conflict and tragedy. **In simple terms:** Assumptions cause conflict. Key Takeaway Question assumptions before acting. Themes communication assumptions conflict Mood cautious analytical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - diplomacy - first‑contact scenarios - cross‑cultural meetings Key Concepts cognitive bias first contact Questions to Reflect On - What assumptions do you hold about strangers? - How can we test assumptions safely? A Different Perspective Assumptions can be hard to avoid. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Assumption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assumption/) [Assumptions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assumptions/) [Both sides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/both-sides/) [Contact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contact/) [Encounter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/encounter/) [Encounter Unfortunate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/encounter-unfortunate-5400999/) [Encounters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/encounters/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [First contact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-contact/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Habit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habit/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Making Assumptions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-assumptions/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [New Encounter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-encounter-363153/) [Sides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sides/) [Unfortunate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unfortunate/) [Worst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worst/) ## Related quotes > [The essence of Christianity...is an ever-new encounter with... the God who speaks to us, who approaches us and who befriends us!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/the-essence-of-christianity-is-an-ever-new-encounter-with-the-god-who/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [Do we change every time we have a new encounter? Are we endlessly mutable? I think these are fascinating questions: it's a rich vein…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-boyd/do-we-change-every-time-we-have-a-new-encounter-are-we-endlessly/) [William Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-boyd/) > [“You'll always meet someone new, encounter something odd. That's the peculiar thing about life. Everything will make sense after it happens in the end.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serena-winter/you-ll-always-meet-someone-new-encounter-something-odd-that-s-the/) [Serena Winter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serena-winter/) > [“With every new encounter with God your vision becomes clearer and sharper”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/with-every-new-encounter-with-god-your-vision-becomes-clearer-and/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [“Making assumptions in our relationships is really asking for problems. Often we make the assumption that our partners know what we think and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-ruiz/making-assumptions-in-our-relationships-is-really-asking-for-problems/) [Miguel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-ruiz/) > [“We make assumptions about how our lives are being charted without knowing that we’re even making these assumptions—which is the beauty of assumptions: they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/we-make-assumptions-about-how-our-lives-are-being-charted-without/) [André Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/) > [But you are making assumptions without all the facts, and that's not a sign of intelligence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-c-hunter/but-you-are-making-assumptions-without-all-the-facts-and-that-s-not-a/) [C.C. Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-c-hunter/) > [“Assumptions are dangerous things to make, and like all dangerous things to make -- bombs, for instance, or strawberry shortcake -- if you make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/assumptions-are-dangerous-things-to-make-and-like-all-dangerous/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“But as Austen delineates so clearly, you can't stop people from making assumptions if they're so inclined. You can only do your best to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-elizabeth-smith/but-as-austen-delineates-so-clearly-you-can-t-stop-people-from-making/) [Amy Elizabeth Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-elizabeth-smith/) > [“The problem with making assumptions is that we believe they are the truth. We could swear they are real.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-ruiz/the-problem-with-making-assumptions-is-that-we-believe-they-are-the/) [Miguel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-ruiz/) > [I'm fine with people making assumptions about me, to be honest. That all comes with fame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-wan-bissaka/i-m-fine-with-people-making-assumptions-about-me-to-be-honest-that/) [Aaron Wan-Bissaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-wan-bissaka/) > [“You asked how I'd define prejudice. That's it. Making assumptions about people you've never met.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-horwitz/you-asked-how-i-d-define-prejudice-that-s-it-making-assumptions-about/) [Tony Horwitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-horwitz/) > [“People who always have problems in life and give other people problems. Are people who jump into conclusion and who are always making assumptions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/de-philosopher-dj-kyos/people-who-always-have-problems-in-life-and-give-other-people/) [De philosopher DJ Kyos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/de-philosopher-dj-kyos/) > [Making assumptions taught me a lot as a producer, because it's something I never do now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-beats/making-assumptions-taught-me-a-lot-as-a-producer-because-it-s/) [Kenny Beats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-beats/) > [I hate it when people call me a cage fighter. I'm a mixed martial artist. But people take one look at what we do,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bisping/i-hate-it-when-people-call-me-a-cage-fighter-i-m-a-mixed-martial/) [Michael Bisping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bisping/) ## More by David Brin > [Beware of self-indulgence. The romance surrounding the writing profession carries several myths: that one must suffer in order to be creative; that one must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/beware-of-self-indulgence-the-romance-surrounding-the-writing/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [Anything done in secret is more likely to result in terrible errors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/anything-done-in-secret-is-more-likely-to-result-in-terrible-errors/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [“Men can be brilliant and strong, they whispered to one another. But men can be mad, as well. And the mad ones can ruin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/men-can-be-brilliant-and-strong-they-whispered-to-one-another-but-men/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [Strutting and preening is, in fact, the surest sign of an inferiority complex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/strutting-and-preening-is-in-fact-the-surest-sign-of-an-inferiority/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [“We aren’t a curse upon the world. We are her new eyes. Her brain, testes, ovaries . . . her ambition and her heart.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/we-aren-t-a-curse-upon-the-world-we-are-her-new-eyes-her-brain-testes/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [If you believe you can make a living as a writer, you already have enough ego.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/if-you-believe-you-can-make-a-living-as-a-writer-you-already-have/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [Historically, central planners have generally done a poor job of managing economic resources - this we've known since the time of the Pharaohs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/historically-central-planners-have-generally-done-a-poor-job-of/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [A neurosis defends itself by coming up with rationalizations to explain away bizarre behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/a-neurosis-defends-itself-by-coming-up-with-rationalizations-to/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [Alas, criticism has always been what human beings, especially leaders, most hate to hear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/alas-criticism-has-always-been-what-human-beings-especially-leaders/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [It's how creativity works. Especially in humans. For every good idea, ten thousand idiotic ones must first be posed, sifted, tried out, and discarded.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/it-s-how-creativity-works-especially-in-humans-for-every-good-idea/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [Tragedies such as Nevil Shute's 'On the Beach' and Stanley Kubrick's 'Dr Strangelove' are so powerful because there's an underlying assumption that this did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/tragedies-such-as-nevil-shute-s-on-the-beach-and-stanley-kubrick-s-dr/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [In contrast, markets - oft mythologized as "natural" are the most unnatural things going. Libertarians will tell you "market laws are laws of nature",…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/in-contrast-markets-oft-mythologized-as-natural-are-the-most/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [“Snow and soot covered the ancient tree's broken branches and seared bark. It wasn't dead, not quite yet. Here and there tiny shoots of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/snow-and-soot-covered-the-ancient-tree-s-broken-branches-and-seared/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [“As simple an act as reading or writing a sentence must be surrounded by perceptory nap and weave . . . an itch, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/as-simple-an-act-as-reading-or-writing-a-sentence-must-be-surrounded/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [Ideologies are too seductive anyway. It does a man good to see things from a different point of view.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/ideologies-are-too-seductive-anyway-it-does-a-man-good-to-see-things/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) [Explore all 142 David Brin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) ## More Assumption quotes > [Next to the assumption of power was the responsibility of relinquishing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/next-to-the-assumption-of-power-was-the-responsibility-of/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [It's difficult for people to come to the understanding that only a small minority of the people ever really get the word about life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-nightingale/it-s-difficult-for-people-to-come-to-the-understanding-that-only-a/) [Earl Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-nightingale/) > [Much like teaching art to young art students age 10 to 15 or so on, you have to break it down into bite-sized pieces,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/much-like-teaching-art-to-young-art-students-age-10-to-15-or-so-on/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [Neither novels or their readers benefit from any attempts to divine whether any facts hide inside a story. Such efforts attack the very idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/neither-novels-or-their-readers-benefit-from-any-attempts-to-divine/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [The risk of developing carcinoma of the lung increases steadily as the amount smoked increases. If the risk among non-smokers is taken as unity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-doll/the-risk-of-developing-carcinoma-of-the-lung-increases-steadily-as/) [Richard Doll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-doll/) > [Fortunately, the mind is restless; when it uncovers a layer of its own deception, gives up an illusion, exposes a lie, it does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-chernin/fortunately-the-mind-is-restless-when-it-uncovers-a-layer-of-its-own/) [Kim Chernin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-chernin/) > [The possibility of saying anything about a thing rests on the assumption that it preserves its identity, or continues to be the same thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-knight/the-possibility-of-saying-anything-about-a-thing-rests-on-the/) [Frank Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-knight/) > [She spent hours drawing on her own, trying to perfect her craft. And when she got into music, she had that same diligence in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-joplin/she-spent-hours-drawing-on-her-own-trying-to-perfect-her-craft-and/) [Laura Joplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-joplin/) > [If they are, then the only ultimate truths are the particulars of concrete experience, and no postulate or general assumption is inherent in science…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chauncey-wright/if-they-are-then-the-only-ultimate-truths-are-the-particulars-of/) [Chauncey Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chauncey-wright/) > [If he's - the inference is that somehow he thinks slavery is a - is a noble institution I would - I would strongly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/if-he-s-the-inference-is-that-somehow-he-thinks-slavery-is-a-is-a/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Leadership, pure and simple, is the assumption of responsibility for the pursuit of excellence in group life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-selznick/leadership-pure-and-simple-is-the-assumption-of-responsibility-for/) [Philip Selznick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-selznick/) > [Humans suffer from self-centred notions as to the nature of life. Humans assume that alien life forms should conform to standards that match our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-perry/humans-suffer-from-self-centred-notions-as-to-the-nature-of-life/) [Steve Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-perry/) > [When I see a fan coming over, I can't help but make an assumption about what they want to talk about. A middle-aged American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-dormer/when-i-see-a-fan-coming-over-i-can-t-help-but-make-an-assumption/) [Natalie Dormer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-dormer/) > [The Bell curve is a fact of life. The blacks on average score 85 per cent on IQ and it is accurate, nothing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/the-bell-curve-is-a-fact-of-life-the-blacks-on-average-score-85-per/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [Pussy Riot have certainly changed some people's assumptions about the role of political art and the relationship between the intelligentsia and the church. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masha-gessen/pussy-riot-have-certainly-changed-some-people-s-assumptions-about-the/) [Masha Gessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masha-gessen/) [Browse all 1,277 Assumption quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assumption/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The worst mistake of first contact, made throughout history by individuals on both sides of every new encounter, has been the unfortunate habit of making assumptions. 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