--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Human civilization was like a young…" description: "\"“Human civilization was like a young, unworldly person walking alone across the desert of the universe, who has found out about the existence of a pote..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f94/liu-cixin-4142_civilization_human-civilization-was-like-a-young-unwo_2325638.jpg" --- # Human civilization was like a young, unworldly person… ![“Human civilization was like a young, unworldly person walking alone across the desert of the universe, who has found out about the existence of a potential lover. Though the person could not see the potential lover’s face or figure, the knowledge that the other person existed somewhere in the…” quote by Liu Cixin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f94/liu-cixin-4142_civilization_human-civilization-was-like-a-young-unwo_2325638.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f94/liu-cixin-4142_civilization_human-civilization-was-like-a-young-unwo_2325638.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f94/liu-cixin-4142_civilization_human-civilization-was-like-a-young-unwo_2325638.jpg) > ““Human civilization was like a young, unworldly person walking alone across the desert of the universe, who has found out about the existence of a potential lover. Though the person could not see the potential lover’s face or figure, the knowledge that the other person existed somewhere in the distance created lovely fantasies about the potential lover that spread like wildfire.”” [Liu Cixin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-cixin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The longing for an unknown connection fuels imagination and hope, even without concrete evidence. **In simple terms:** Hope arises from imagined possibilities. Key Takeaway Embrace hope while staying grounded. Themes hope loneliness imagination Mood contemplative hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - space exploration - personal yearning - creative writing - relationship expectations Key Concepts existential longing cosmic perspective Questions to Reflect On - What unknown possibilities inspire you? - How do you balance hope with realism? A Different Perspective Idealized hopes may clash with reality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization/) [Human civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-civilization/) [Imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Lover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lover/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Walking alone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/walking-alone/) ## Related quotes > [“Suppose two thousand years ago, or even earlier, humanity learned that an alien invasion fleet would arrive a few thousand years later. What would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-cixin/suppose-two-thousand-years-ago-or-even-earlier-humanity-learned-that/) [Liu Cixin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-cixin/) > [Every role is a potential lover. I ask: Are they someone I want to wake up to in the morning and go to bed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aunjanue-ellis/every-role-is-a-potential-lover-i-ask-are-they-someone-i-want-to-wake/) [Aunjanue Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aunjanue-ellis/) > [“Civilization was like a mad dash that lasted fie thousand years. Progress begot more progress; countless miracles gave birth to more miracles; humankind seemed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-cixin/civilization-was-like-a-mad-dash-that-lasted-fie-thousand-years/) [Liu Cixin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-cixin/) > [More and more I come to value charity and love of one's fellow being above everything else...All our lauded technological progress-our very civilization-is like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/more-and-more-i-come-to-value-charity-and-love-of-one-s-fellow-being/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [“Once a woman goes over 25, she prioritizes 'financial security' in a potential lover. Love and good looks are just a bonus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/once-a-woman-goes-over-25-she-prioritizes-financial-security-in-a/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“What is the appropriate response to finding out a potential lover”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-james/what-is-the-appropriate-response-to-finding-out-a-potential-lover/) [E.L. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-james/) > [“What is the appropriate response to finding out a potential lover is a complete freaky sadist or masochist?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-james/what-is-the-appropriate-response-to-finding-out-a-potential-lover-is/) [E.L. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-james/) > [“When you discover your own self, you will see that same infinite potential in your lover’s eyes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vironika-tugaleva/when-you-discover-your-own-self-you-will-see-that-same-infinite/) [Vironika Tugaleva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vironika-tugaleva/) > [“not as a potential lover. Roger would have liked it otherwise, but he was wise”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-lowell/not-as-a-potential-lover-roger-would-have-liked-it-otherwise-but-he/) [Elizabeth Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-lowell/) > [Civilization is like a thin layer of ice upon a deep ocean of chaos and darkness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-herzog/civilization-is-like-a-thin-layer-of-ice-upon-a-deep-ocean-of-chaos/) [Werner Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-herzog/) > [Civilization is to groups what intelligence is to individuals. It is a means of combining the intelligence of many to achieve ongoing group adaptation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/civilization-is-to-groups-what-intelligence-is-to-individuals-it-is-a-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The veneer of civilization is like that on the kitchen counter - very thin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-watts/the-veneer-of-civilization-is-like-that-on-the-kitchen-counter-very/) [Malcolm Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-watts/) > [Civilization, like an airplane in flight, survives only as it keeps going forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/civilization-like-an-airplane-in-flight-survives-only-as-it-keeps/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [“Civilization is like air or water. Wherever there is a passage, be it only a fissure, it will penetrate and modify the conditions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/civilization-is-like-air-or-water-wherever-there-is-a-passage-be-it/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [“Look at them, the bugs. Humans have used everything in their power to extinguish them: every kind of poison, aerial sprays, introducing and cultivating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-cixin/look-at-them-the-bugs-humans-have-used-everything-in-their-power-to/) [Liu Cixin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-cixin/) ## More by Liu Cixin > [“This is Galileo,” said Aristotle. “He advocates understanding the world through observation and experiment. He is an unimaginative thinker, but his results demand our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-cixin/this-is-galileo-said-aristotle-he-advocates-understanding-the-world/) [Liu Cixin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-cixin/) > [“She could no longer feel grief. She was now like a Geiger counter that had been subjected to too much radiation, no longer capable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-cixin/she-could-no-longer-feel-grief-she-was-now-like-a-geiger-counter-that/) [Liu Cixin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-cixin/) > [“As he left the hospital, he wasn’t scared. The only emotion he felt was loneliness. His alienation had been building up, but had been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-cixin/as-he-left-the-hospital-he-wasn-t-scared-the-only-emotion-he-felt-was/) [Liu Cixin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-cixin/) > [“Yes. They spread out to cover the entire solar system. 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YE: I started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-cixin/none-of-these-is-in-line-with-your-original-ideal-of-using-the-alien/) [Liu Cixin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-cixin/) > [“This was characteristic of ultimate deterrence: The deterrer and the deteree shared the same terror of deterrence itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-cixin/this-was-characteristic-of-ultimate-deterrence-the-deterrer-and-the/) [Liu Cixin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-cixin/) > [The Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction was a horrible event. Dinosaurs and many other animals and plants were killed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-cixin/the-cretaceous-paleogene-extinction-was-a-horrible-event-dinosaurs/) [Liu Cixin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-cixin/) > [“Suppose two thousand years ago, or even earlier, humanity learned that an alien invasion fleet would arrive a few thousand years later. What would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-cixin/suppose-two-thousand-years-ago-or-even-earlier-humanity-learned-that/) [Liu Cixin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-cixin/) > [“Make time for life, or life won’t make time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-cixin/make-time-for-life-or-life-won-t-make-time/) [Liu Cixin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-cixin/) > [The earth's crust is very thin but the planet can act as a spaceship if a force or energy powerful enough was exerted on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-cixin/the-earth-s-crust-is-very-thin-but-the-planet-can-act-as-a-spaceship/) [Liu Cixin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-cixin/) > [“Indeed, it is the nature of intelligent life to climb mountains. 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Each civilization dies from indifference toward the unique values which created it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-gomez-davila/violence-is-not-necessary-to-destroy-a-civilization-each-civilization/) [Nicolas Gomez Davila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-gomez-davila/) > [“The voice in the head that never stops speaking becomes a civilization that is obsessed with form and therefore knows nothing of the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/the-voice-in-the-head-that-never-stops-speaking-becomes-a/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [We released 400,000 classified documents, the most extraordinary history of a war to ever have been released in our civilization. Those documents cover 109,000…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-assange/we-released-400-000-classified-documents-the-most-extraordinary/) [Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-assange/) > [Wine is one of the most civilized things in the world and one of the most natural things of the world that has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/wine-is-one-of-the-most-civilized-things-in-the-world-and-one-of-the/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [Whenever we touch nature we get clean. 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