--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If a Martian (who, we'll imagine, never…" description: "\"“If a Martian (who, we'll imagine, never dies except by accident) came to Earth and saw this peculiar race of creatures - these humans who live about s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1b/richard-feynman-12444_death_if-a-martian-who-we-ll-imagine-never-die_239932.jpg" --- # If a Martian (who, we'll imagine, never dies except by… ![“If a Martian (who, we'll imagine, never dies except by accident) came to Earth and saw this peculiar race of creatures - these humans who live about seventy or eighty years, knowing that death is going to come - it would look to him like a terrible problem of psychology to live under those…” quote by Richard Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1b/richard-feynman-12444_death_if-a-martian-who-we-ll-imagine-never-die_239932.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1b/richard-feynman-12444_death_if-a-martian-who-we-ll-imagine-never-die_239932.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1b/richard-feynman-12444_death_if-a-martian-who-we-ll-imagine-never-die_239932.jpg) > ““If a Martian (who, we'll imagine, never dies except by accident) came to Earth and saw this peculiar race of creatures - these humans who live about seventy or eighty years, knowing that death is going to come - it would look to him like a terrible problem of psychology to live under those circumstances, knowing that life is only temporary. Well, we humans somehow figure out how to live despite this problem: we laugh, we joke, we live.”” [Richard Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-feynman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humans confront mortality by creating humor and joy despite life's fleeting nature. **In simple terms:** We laugh to cope with death. Key Takeaway Embrace humor in the face of impermanence. Themes mortality humor resilience Mood thoughtful lighthearted Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - grief counseling - team building - creative workshops - personal reflection Key Concepts existential psychology coping mechanisms philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What brings you joy when aware of life's limits? - Can laughter change your perspective on death? A Different Perspective Humor may not soothe all suffering. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Martian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/martian/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) ## Related quotes > [“I took a little walk outside for a while. I was surprised that I wasn't feeling what I thought people were supposed to feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-feynman/i-took-a-little-walk-outside-for-a-while-i-was-surprised-that-i-wasn/) [Richard Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-feynman/) > [If the world were really right, humans would live life backward and do the first part last. They'd be all knowing in the beginning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-johnson/if-the-world-were-really-right-humans-would-live-life-backward-and-do/) [Angela Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-johnson/) > [Humans live through their myths and only endure their realities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-anton-wilson/humans-live-through-their-myths-and-only-endure-their-realities/) [Robert Anton Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-anton-wilson/) > [Aren't We All Humans Then Why Can't We Live in Peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ismail/aren-t-we-all-humans-then-why-can-t-we-live-in-peace/) [Ismail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ismail/) > [Humans live best when each has his place, when each knows where he belongs in the scheme of things. Destroy the place and destroy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/humans-live-best-when-each-has-his-place-when-each-knows-where-he/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [“Others consider us superior because of our cultured ways and intellectual tendencies; our technology lets us drive cars, use word processors and travel great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lovelock/others-consider-us-superior-because-of-our-cultured-ways-and/) [James Lovelock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lovelock/) > [For the most part we humans live with the false impression of security and a feeling of being at home in a seemingly familiar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/for-the-most-part-we-humans-live-with-the-false-impression-of/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [“If humans can live for 100 years, why do companies die so young.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sukant-ratnakar/if-humans-can-live-for-100-years-why-do-companies-die-so-young/) [Sukant Ratnakar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sukant-ratnakar/) > [“humans live in a world where it’s words and not deeds that have power, where the ultimate skill is mastery of language.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/humans-live-in-a-world-where-it-s-words-and-not-deeds-that-have-power/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) > [“Words have to die if humans are to live.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/words-have-to-die-if-humans-are-to-live/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [Religions,languages,history's was made by humans to live with peace, comfort and prosperity not to fight and kill eachother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manjulavanya-ch/religions-languages-history-s-was-made-by-humans-to-live-with-peace/) Manjulavanya Ch > [Perhaps we humans are cosmic dwarfs; perhaps we are molecular giants. But there is no denying our mid-scale complexity. We humans live neither at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holmes-rolston-iii/perhaps-we-humans-are-cosmic-dwarfs-perhaps-we-are-molecular-giants/) [Holmes Rolston III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holmes-rolston-iii/) > [God designed humans to live in community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-metaxas/god-designed-humans-to-live-in-community/) [Eric Metaxas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-metaxas/) > [“Many humans live their entire lives without questioning the ‘truths’ they’ve been told.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-reilly/many-humans-live-their-entire-lives-without-questioning-the-truths/) [Matthew Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-reilly/) > [Humans live a lot longer than dogs, and we don't suffer any penalty that I can see. We're superior in almost every way -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-kenyon/humans-live-a-lot-longer-than-dogs-and-we-don-t-suffer-any-penalty/) [Cynthia Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-kenyon/) ## More by Richard Feynman > [“From a long view of the history of mankind-seen from, say, ten thousand years from now-there can be little doubt that the most significant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-feynman/from-a-long-view-of-the-history-of-mankind-seen-from-say-ten-thousand/) [Richard Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-feynman/) > [“Everything is interesting if you go into it deeply enough”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-feynman/everything-is-interesting-if-you-go-into-it-deeply-enough/) [Richard Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-feynman/) > [“All of our ideas in physics require a certain amount of common sense in their application; they are not purely mathematical or abstract ideas.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-feynman/all-of-our-ideas-in-physics-require-a-certain-amount-of-common-sense/) [Richard Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-feynman/) > [“I was an ordinary person who studied hard. There are no miracle people. It happens they get interested in this thing and they learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-feynman/i-was-an-ordinary-person-who-studied-hard-there-are-no-miracle-people/) [Richard Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-feynman/) > [“If u think u can u may if u think u can't u r right”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-feynman/if-u-think-u-can-u-may-if-u-think-u-can-t-u-r-right/) [Richard Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-feynman/) > [“The guy says, “Buddy, the housing situation in Ithaca is tough. In fact, it’s so tough that, believe it or not, a professor had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-feynman/the-guy-says-buddy-the-housing-situation-in-ithaca-is-tough-in-fact/) [Richard Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-feynman/) > [“It doesn't matter how beautiful your theory is ... If it doesn't agree with experiment, it's wrong.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-feynman/it-doesn-t-matter-how-beautiful-your-theory-is-if-it-doesn-t-agree/) [Richard Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-feynman/) > [“Although my mother didn't know anything about science, she had a great influence on me as well. In particular, she had a wonderful sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-feynman/although-my-mother-didn-t-know-anything-about-science-she-had-a-great/) [Richard Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-feynman/) > [“Take this neat little equation here. It tells me all the ways an electron can make itself comfortable in or around an atom. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-feynman/take-this-neat-little-equation-here-it-tells-me-all-the-ways-an/) [Richard Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-feynman/) > [“To every man is given the key to the gates of heaven. The same key opens the gates of hell. And so it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-feynman/to-every-man-is-given-the-key-to-the-gates-of-heaven-the-same-key/) [Richard Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-feynman/) > [“But wait,” he said. “Let’s suppose it returns by advanced waves—reactions backward in time—so it comes back at the right time. We saw the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-feynman/but-wait-he-said-let-s-suppose-it-returns-by-advanced-waves-reactions/) [Richard Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-feynman/) > [“I believe there's nothing in hallucinations that has anything to do with anything external to the internal psychological state of the person who's got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-feynman/i-believe-there-s-nothing-in-hallucinations-that-has-anything-to-do/) [Richard Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-feynman/) > [“My father had the spirit and integrity of a scientist, but he was a salesman. I remember asking him the question "How can a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-feynman/my-father-had-the-spirit-and-integrity-of-a-scientist-but-he-was-a/) [Richard Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-feynman/) > [“I started to walk into the bar, and I suddenly thought to myself, “Wait a minute! It’s the middle of the afternoon. There’s nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-feynman/i-started-to-walk-into-the-bar-and-i-suddenly-thought-to-myself-wait/) [Richard Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-feynman/) > [“People’s hands smell very different—that’s why dogs can identify people; you have to try it! All hands have a sort of moist smell, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-feynman/people-s-hands-smell-very-different-that-s-why-dogs-can-identify/) [Richard Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-feynman/) [Explore all 54 Richard Feynman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-feynman/) ## More Death quotes > [“He wondered how it was fair that your dying should depend so much on when you were born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-wondered-how-it-was-fair-that-your-dying-should-depend-so-much-on/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [I do not want to live at the cost of the life even of a snake. I should let him bite me to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-to-live-at-the-cost-of-the-life-even-of-a-snake-i/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“It was beautiful. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life; that, having seen it, he could die content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/it-was-beautiful-he-thought-he-had-never-seen-anything-so-beautiful/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [Retirement? You're talking about death, right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/retirement-you-re-talking-about-death-right/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [With multiplayer, permanent death, and an ever-changing world to explore and conquer, 'A Valley Without Wind' might be the place you're looking for if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-manuel/with-multiplayer-permanent-death-and-an-ever-changing-world-to/) [Rob Manuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-manuel/) > [“What did you see?” she asked gently. His brow furrowed, as if he could not understand the question. Then his eyes turned to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-anthony-torino/what-did-you-see-she-asked-gently-his-brow-furrowed-as-if-he-could/) J. Anthony Torino > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [“I practice Dying--every night-- But have not learned to, still-- Though Talented--by Mortal bones-- For such a common Skill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-powers/i-practice-dying-every-night-but-have-not-learned-to-still-though/) Alan W. Powers > [“You must understand the pain and grief of losing someone is nothing more than a function of survival.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-cooper/you-must-understand-the-pain-and-grief-of-losing-someone-is-nothing/) [Steven Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-cooper/) > [I am not a depressive person at all, but I reflect a lot on my life, and life in general, from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-am-not-a-depressive-person-at-all-but-i-reflect-a-lot-on-my-life/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [“Death is a reality that calls the rest of life and all of our assorted strivings into sharp relief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/death-is-a-reality-that-calls-the-rest-of-life-and-all-of-our/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [I love life. I love life to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-riva/i-love-life-i-love-life-to-death/) [Emmanuelle Riva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-riva/) > [I think when you’re dying you start looking for important things in the corners. You can’t let anything that seems even semi-important pass, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-crutcher/i-think-when-you-re-dying-you-start-looking-for-important-things-in/) [Chris Crutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-crutcher/) [Browse all 39,127 Death quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If a Martian (who, we'll imagine, never dies except by accident) came to Earth and saw this peculiar race of creatures - these humans who live about seventy or eighty years, knowing that death is going to come - it would look to him like a terrible problem of psychology to live under those circumstances, knowing that life is only temporary. Well, we humans somehow figure out how to live despite this problem: we laugh, we joke, we live.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Richard Feynman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-feynman/if-a-martian-who-we-ll-imagine-never-dies-except-by-accident-came-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Death" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-feynman/if-a-martian-who-we-ll-imagine-never-dies-except-by-accident-came-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1b/richard-feynman-12444_death_if-a-martian-who-we-ll-imagine-never-die_239932.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1b/richard-feynman-12444_death_if-a-martian-who-we-ll-imagine-never-die_239932.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1b/richard-feynman-12444_death_if-a-martian-who-we-ll-imagine-never-die_239932.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If a Martian (who, we'll imagine, never dies except by accident) came to Earth and saw this peculiar race of…” — Richard Feynman", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Richard Feynman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-feynman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“If a Martian (who, we'll imagine,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-feynman/if-a-martian-who-we-ll-imagine-never-dies-except-by-accident-came-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-feynman/if-a-martian-who-we-ll-imagine-never-dies-except-by-accident-came-to/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```