--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sometimes I think Earth has got to be the…" description: "\"“Sometimes I think Earth has got to be the insane asylum of the universe. . . and I'm here by computer error. At sixty-eight, I hope I've gained some w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/832/forrest-j-ackerman-237779_atheism_sometimes-i-think-earth-has-got-to-be-th_2779760.jpg" --- # Sometimes I think Earth has got to be the insane asylum of… ![“Sometimes I think Earth has got to be the insane asylum of the universe. . . and I'm here by computer error. At sixty-eight, I hope I've gained some wisdom in the past fourteen lustrums and it’s obligatory to speak plain and true about the conclusions I've come to; now that I have been educated to…” quote by Forrest J. Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/832/forrest-j-ackerman-237779_atheism_sometimes-i-think-earth-has-got-to-be-th_2779760.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/832/forrest-j-ackerman-237779_atheism_sometimes-i-think-earth-has-got-to-be-th_2779760.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/832/forrest-j-ackerman-237779_atheism_sometimes-i-think-earth-has-got-to-be-th_2779760.jpg) > ““Sometimes I think Earth has got to be the insane asylum of the universe. . . and I'm here by computer error. At sixty-eight, I hope I've gained some wisdom in the past fourteen lustrums and it’s obligatory to speak plain and true about the conclusions I've come to; now that I have been educated to believe by such mentors as Wells, Stapledon, Heinlein, van Vogt, Clarke, Pohl, (S. Fowler) Wright, Orwell, Taine, Temple, Gernsback, Campbell and other seminal influences in scientifiction, I regret the lack of any female writers but only Radclyffe Hall opened my eyes outside sci-fi. I was a secular humanist before I knew the term. I have not believed in God since childhood's end. I believe a belief in any deity is adolescent, shameful and dangerous. How would you feel, surrounded by billions of human beings taking Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the tooth fairy and the stork seriously, and capable of shaming, maiming or murdering in their name? I am embarrassed to live in a world retaining any faith in church, prayer or a celestial creator. I do not believe in Heaven, Hell or a Hereafter; in angels, demons, ghosts, goblins, the Devil, vampires, ghouls, zombies, witches, warlocks, UFOs or other delusions; and in very few mundane individuals--politicians, lawyers, judges, priests, militarists, censors and just plain people. I respect the individual's right to abortion, suicide and euthanasia. I support birth control. I wish to Good that society were rid of smoking, drinking and drugs. My hope for humanity - and I think sensible science fiction has a beneficial influence in this direction - is that one day everyone born will be whole in body and brain, will live a long life free from physical and emotional pain, will participate in a fulfilling way in their contribution to existence, will enjoy true love and friendship, will pity us 20th century barbarians who lived and died in an atrocious, anachronistic atmosphere of arson, rape, robbery, kidnapping, child abuse, insanity, murder, terrorism, war, smog, pollution, starvation and the other negative “norms” of our current civilization. I have devoted my life to amassing over a quarter million pieces of sf and fantasy as a present to posterity and I hope to be remembered as an altruist who would have been an accepted citizen of Utopia.”” Forrest J. Ackerman ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A skeptical, humanist view rejects supernatural beliefs, values scientific progress, and hopes for a future of health, love, and rationality. **In simple terms:** Reject faith; embrace science and compassion. Key Takeaway Promote rational, humane values. Themes atheism humanism science ethics future hope health love rationality social progress Mood critical hopeful Type Atheism:1 Atheist:0 Belief:0 Birth control:1 Child abuse:0 Computers:0 Danger:0 Emotional pain:0 Fairy tales:0 Faith:0 Female writers:0 Heaven hell:0 Hope:1 Hope for humanity:1 Humanist:1 Insane asylum:0 Insanity:0 Long life:1 Love and friendship:1 Morality:1 Respect:1 Sci fi:1 Science:1 Science fiction:1 Secular:1 Tooth fairy:0 Utopia:1 Humanity Think:0 Secular Humanist:1 Creator Believe:0 When to use this quote - debate clubs - science education - policy advocacy Key Concepts philosophy ethics science fiction sociology Questions to Reflect On - How can secular values coexist with religious societies? - What role does science fiction play in shaping hope? A Different Perspective May alienate believers; complexity of personal faith. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) [Atheist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheist/) [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Birth control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/birth-control/) [Child abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child-abuse/) [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) [Danger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/danger/) [Emotional pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotional-pain/) [Fairy tales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fairy-tales/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Female writers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/female-writers/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Hope for humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope-for-humanity/) [Humanist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanist/) [Insane asylum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insane-asylum/) [Insanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insanity/) [Long life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-life/) [Love and friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-and-friendship/) [Morality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morality/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Sci fi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sci-fi/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Science fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science-fiction/) [Secular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secular/) [Tooth fairy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tooth-fairy/) [Utopia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/utopia/) ## Related quotes > [Sometimes I wonder if we're too good to be true, too scared to get my heart broken and scared of the thought of losing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-i-wonder-if-we-re-too-good-to-be-true-too-scared-to-get-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I sought out the laws which govern nature, solid or ethereal, and after much pondering I perceived that the Universe had not been formed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/i-sought-out-the-laws-which-govern-nature-solid-or-ethereal-and-after/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [The only difference between a Religious Humanist and a Secular Humanist is what they do on Sunday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-edwords/the-only-difference-between-a-religious-humanist-and-a-secular/) Fred Edwords > [However, within the limits of the human, it is important to recognise our common humanity. 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Fowler) Wright, Orwell, Taine, Temple, Gernsback, Campbell and other seminal influences in scientifiction, I regret the lack of any female writers but only Radclyffe Hall opened my eyes outside sci-fi. I was a secular humanist before I knew the term. I have not believed in God since childhood's end. I believe a belief in any deity is adolescent, shameful and dangerous. How would you feel, surrounded by billions of human beings taking Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the tooth fairy and the stork seriously, and capable of shaming, maiming or murdering in their name? I am embarrassed to live in a world retaining any faith in church, prayer or a celestial creator. I do not believe in Heaven, Hell or a Hereafter; in angels, demons, ghosts, goblins, the Devil, vampires, ghouls, zombies, witches, warlocks, UFOs or other delusions; and in very few mundane individuals--politicians, lawyers, judges, priests, militarists, censors and just plain people. I respect the individual's right to abortion, suicide and euthanasia. I support birth control. I wish to Good that society were rid of smoking, drinking and drugs. My hope for humanity - and I think sensible science fiction has a beneficial influence in this direction - is that one day everyone born will be whole in body and brain, will live a long life free from physical and emotional pain, will participate in a fulfilling way in their contribution to existence, will enjoy true love and friendship, will pity us 20th century barbarians who lived and died in an atrocious, anachronistic atmosphere of arson, rape, robbery, kidnapping, child abuse, insanity, murder, terrorism, war, smog, pollution, starvation and the other negative “norms” of our current civilization. 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