--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I had no idea we planned to be so…" description: "\"“I had no idea we planned to be so ruthless.\" \"It was not publicized or even discussed with the political arm of the colonization program. Ruthlessness..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ae/orson-scott-card-134_alien-life_i-had-no-idea-we-planned-to-be-so-ruthle_2220248.jpg" --- # I had no idea we planned to be so ruthless." "It was not… ![“I had no idea we planned to be so ruthless." "It was not publicized or even discussed with the political arm of the colonization program. Ruthlessness was necessary but wins no votes." "But this is not our world, to treat however we want!" "Visiting here as students of an alien evolutionary…” quote by Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ae/orson-scott-card-134_alien-life_i-had-no-idea-we-planned-to-be-so-ruthle_2220248.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ae/orson-scott-card-134_alien-life_i-had-no-idea-we-planned-to-be-so-ruthle_2220248.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ae/orson-scott-card-134_alien-life_i-had-no-idea-we-planned-to-be-so-ruthle_2220248.jpg) > ““I had no idea we planned to be so ruthless." "It was not publicized or even discussed with the political arm of the colonization program. Ruthlessness was necessary but wins no votes." "But this is not our world, to treat however we want!" "Visiting here as students of an alien evolutionary tradition would not be either cost-effective or, ultimately, successful. We would inevitably contaminate Garden, or worse yet, become contaminated and bring potentially deadly Gardenian life forms back to Earth. The three continental preserves will be sufficient to allow biologists to study alien life at some point in the future. And if you really thought we would colonize this world without making it 'ours', you'd be far too naive to command this expedition." "I...didn't realize..." "You didn't think about it at all," said the expendable. "The selective voluntary blindness of human beings allows them to ignore the moral consequences of their choices. It has been one of the species' most valuable traits, in terms of the survival of any particular human community." "And you aren't morally blind?" "We see the moral ironies very clearly. We simply don't care.”” [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ruthlessness may achieve goals but erodes moral integrity and long‑term sustainability. **In simple terms:** Ruthlessness harms morality. Key Takeaway Balance ambition with ethics. Themes ethics power colonization Mood critical somber Type ethical political When to use this quote - political decision‑making - environmental policy - space colonization - military strategy Key Concepts morality consequences of exploitation Questions to Reflect On - What are the hidden costs of ruthless tactics? - Can ends ever justify means? A Different Perspective Ruthlessness can cause irreversible damage and loss of legitimacy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alien life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alien-life/) [Allow Biologists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/allow-biologists-4953054/) [Aren Morally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aren-morally-3441687/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Morally Blind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morally-blind-4418319/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Ruthlessness Necessary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ruthlessness-necessary-4953055/) [Thought Colonize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-colonize-4953053/) ## Related quotes > [People shouldn't sit there and allow their moral superiority in their heads - because you really aren't morally superior to anyone, although you may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dolmayan/people-shouldn-t-sit-there-and-allow-their-moral-superiority-in-their/) [John Dolmayan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dolmayan/) > [...is it surprising that today we have become so morally blind (for wickedness blinds) that we save the baby whales at great cost, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-von-hildebrand/is-it-surprising-that-today-we-have-become-so-morally-blind-for/) [Alice von Hildebrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-von-hildebrand/) > [We only have to look at ourselves to see how intelligent life might develop into something we wouldnt want to meet. 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What would we do if we actually found evidence of alien life out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-zettel/first-and-foremost-the-quiet-invasion-is-a-first-contact-story-what/) [Sarah Zettel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-zettel/) > [Only man is a narcissistic enough species to think that a highly evolved alien life force would travel across billions and billions of light-years-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-miller/only-man-is-a-narcissistic-enough-species-to-think-that-a-highly/) [Dennis Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-miller/) > [“Something clicked inside Ortez mind, like the bolt of a door latch being released. Man’s first encounter with sentient alien life was a disaster…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-engela/something-clicked-inside-ortez-mind-like-the-bolt-of-a-door-latch/) [Christina Engela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-engela/) > [“Oz had access to information the rest of the world didn't know existed. 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It's always in the news.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-hammer/there-s-so-much-interest-and-curiosity-about-alien-life-interstellar/) [Bonnie Hammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-hammer/) [Browse all 38 Alien life quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alien-life/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I had no idea we planned to be so ruthless.\" \"It was not publicized or even discussed with the political arm of the colonization program. Ruthlessness was necessary but wins no votes.\" \"But this is not our world, to treat however we want!\" \"Visiting here as students of an alien evolutionary tradition would not be either cost-effective or, ultimately, successful. We would inevitably contaminate Garden, or worse yet, become contaminated and bring potentially deadly Gardenian life forms back to Earth. The three continental preserves will be sufficient to allow biologists to study alien life at some point in the future. And if you really thought we would colonize this world without making it 'ours', you'd be far too naive to command this expedition.\" \"I...didn't realize...\" \"You didn't think about it at all,\" said the expendable. \"The selective voluntary blindness of human beings allows them to ignore the moral consequences of their choices. It has been one of the species' most valuable traits, in terms of the survival of any particular human community.\" \"And you aren't morally blind?\" \"We see the moral ironies very clearly. 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