--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: All of the important things ... will turn…" description: "\"All of the important things ... will turn out to be universally shared. It's why there will be no true aliens.\" — Jack McDevitt" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4c/jack-mcdevitt-8429_aliens_all-of-the-important-things-will-turn-ou_1285994.jpg" --- # All of the important things ... will turn out to be… ![“All of the important things ... will turn out to be universally shared. It's why there will be no true aliens.” quote by Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4c/jack-mcdevitt-8429_aliens_all-of-the-important-things-will-turn-ou_1285994.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4c/jack-mcdevitt-8429_aliens_all-of-the-important-things-will-turn-ou_1285994.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4c/jack-mcdevitt-8429_aliens_all-of-the-important-things-will-turn-ou_1285994.jpg) > “All of the important things ... will turn out to be universally shared. It's why there will be no true aliens.” [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Fundamental human values are universal, suggesting any extraterrestrial life would share them, negating truly alien cultures. **In simple terms:** Human values are universal; aliens would be similar. Key Takeaway Seek common ground across differences. Themes philosophy anthropology science fiction universality culture Mood speculative thought‑provoking Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - cross‑cultural dialogue - space exploration policy - education curricula Key Concepts Ethics shared humanity cosmic perspective Questions to Reflect On - What truly defines “alien”? - Can we imagine non‑human values? A Different Perspective Assumes all life evolves similarly, which may not hold. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aliens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aliens/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Important things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-things/) [Shared True](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shared-true-4173091/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [True Aliens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-aliens-4173090/) [Turns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turns/) [Universally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universally/) [Universally Shared](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universally-shared-1340627/) ## Related quotes > [One of the things that is wonderful about hymns is that they are a sort of universally shared poetry, at least among certain populations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/one-of-the-things-that-is-wonderful-about-hymns-is-that-they-are-a/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) > [A universal sound is about having everybody be able to relate to it whether you're in New York, LA, London or Australia. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario/a-universal-sound-is-about-having-everybody-be-able-to-relate-to-it/) [Mario](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario/) > [I've got a feeling that with the best coppers - and in fact the best people in any field of work - what sets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-stott/i-ve-got-a-feeling-that-with-the-best-coppers-and-in-fact-the-best/) [Ken Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-stott/) > [It's always more interesting to make a movie about what is relevant in your society. What's the political global backdrop? What are our threats?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-butler/it-s-always-more-interesting-to-make-a-movie-about-what-is-relevant/) [Gerard Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-butler/) > [Once you've been on tour six, seven years, you get an idea of what works and what doesn't work universally. 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It is a frank album.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-and-the-diamonds/rejection-is-a-universally-embarrassing-topic-and-electra-heart-is-my/) [Marina and the Diamonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-and-the-diamonds/) > [“while an adult could rarely be universally loved, everyone could love the right kid.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/while-an-adult-could-rarely-be-universally-loved-everyone-could-love/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [The morality of scholarship, as currently practiced, is to encourage everyone to replace difficult pleasures by pleasures universally accessible precisely because they are easier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-bloom/the-morality-of-scholarship-as-currently-practiced-is-to-encourage/) [Harold Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-bloom/) > [I'm really excited about anything that is able to address the really big markets, so anything that's universally appealing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-andreessen/i-m-really-excited-about-anything-that-is-able-to-address-the-really/) [Marc Andreessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-andreessen/) > [Of all of our inventions for mass communication, pictures still speak the most universally understood language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/of-all-of-our-inventions-for-mass-communication-pictures-still-speak/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) ## More by Jack McDevitt > [The queen of virtues is the recognition of one's own flaws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/the-queen-of-virtues-is-the-recognition-of-one-s-own-flaws/) [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) > [Tides are like politics. They come and go with a great deal of fuss and noise, but inevitably they leave the beach just as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/tides-are-like-politics-they-come-and-go-with-a-great-deal-of-fuss/) [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) > [Talking with most people usually involves a search for truth. Talking with congressmen is strictly special effects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/talking-with-most-people-usually-involves-a-search-for-truth-talking/) [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) > [The real problem has to do with the inability by people to admit that a position they've held a long time might be wrong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/the-real-problem-has-to-do-with-the-inability-by-people-to-admit-that/) [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) > [Lies hold civilization together. If people ever seriously begin telling each other what they really think, there'd be no peace. Good-bye to tact. Good-bye…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/lies-hold-civilization-together-if-people-ever-seriously-begin/) [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) > [Science fiction writers missed the most salient feature of our modern era: the Internet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/science-fiction-writers-missed-the-most-salient-feature-of-our-modern/) [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) > [ “...those whose tastes run to personal power \[can\] never be trusted to act save in the pursuit of their own ambition.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/those-whose-tastes-run-to-personal-power-can-never-be-trusted-to-act/) [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) > [Solitude is only a good idea if you have the right people along to share it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/solitude-is-only-a-good-idea-if-you-have-the-right-people-along-to/) [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) > [Universal deities ... never seem to smile. Not in any culture. What's the point of having omnipotence if you don't enjoy it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/universal-deities-never-seem-to-smile-not-in-any-culture-what-s-the/) [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) > [Technological civilizations don't last long. You're all right until you get a printing press. Then a race starts between technology and common sense. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/technological-civilizations-don-t-last-long-you-re-all-right-until/) [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) > [My father used to take me to the movies on Saturdays. In 1940, when I was four years old, we encountered 'Flash Gordon Conquers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/my-father-used-to-take-me-to-the-movies-on-saturdays-in-1940-when-i/) [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) > [Of course, they (i. e., demons) had always been observed with some regularity, but that could usually be ascribed to an overabundance of piety…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/of-course-they-i-e-demons-had-always-been-observed-with-some/) [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) > [If you want creative and successful children, resign yourself to jousting with rebels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/if-you-want-creative-and-successful-children-resign-yourself-to/) [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) > [There is no justice. There are occasional acts of vengeance, or regret, but there's no real justice. In the natural scheme of things, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/there-is-no-justice-there-are-occasional-acts-of-vengeance-or-regret/) [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) > [I was once invited to attend a private dinner for Senator John F. Kennedy. But it was a Saturday evening, and I passed. Had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/i-was-once-invited-to-attend-a-private-dinner-for-senator-john-f/) [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) [Explore all 81 Jack McDevitt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) ## More Aliens quotes > [My days – the blossom of my youth and the flower of my manhood – have been darkened by the dreariness of servitude. 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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/) > [If you're going to immerse yourself in a project for three years, why not stake out a chunk of the world that is completely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-powers/if-you-re-going-to-immerse-yourself-in-a-project-for-three-years-why/) [Richard Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-powers/) > [I'm not a fan of any genre but am a fan of movies that are intelligent and/or funny. That goes across all genres: a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-not-a-fan-of-any-genre-but-am-a-fan-of-movies-that-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The respect for human rights, essential if we are to use technology wisely, is not something alien that must be grafted onto science. 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