--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But if we begin thinking about the world…" description: "\"But if we begin thinking about the world being over 100 million years old, then it's absolutely by chance that you and I are sitting here alive today, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e0/thor-heyerdahl-18316_alive_but-if-we-begin-thinking-about-the-world_1479573.jpg" --- # But if we begin thinking about the world being over 100… ![“But if we begin thinking about the world being over 100 million years old, then it's absolutely by chance that you and I are sitting here alive today, while all the others are dead or have never been born.” quote by Thor Heyerdahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e0/thor-heyerdahl-18316_alive_but-if-we-begin-thinking-about-the-world_1479573.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e0/thor-heyerdahl-18316_alive_but-if-we-begin-thinking-about-the-world_1479573.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e0/thor-heyerdahl-18316_alive_but-if-we-begin-thinking-about-the-world_1479573.jpg) > “But if we begin thinking about the world being over 100 million years old, then it's absolutely by chance that you and I are sitting here alive today, while all the others are dead or have never been born.” [Thor Heyerdahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thor-heyerdahl/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Recognizing Earth's vast age highlights the randomness of individual existence and the fleeting nature of life **In simple terms:** Life is a brief chance in a long history Key Takeaway Appreciate the present and act responsibly Themes existence humility time Mood thoughtful humble Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - environmental activism - personal legacy - historical perspective - ethical decision‑making Key Concepts anthropology cosmology probability Questions to Reflect On - What does this perspective change about your daily choices? - How can you honor those who came before? A Different Perspective Randomness does not excuse moral responsibility ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absolutely Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absolutely-chance-5389524/) [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Alive Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive-today/) [Born](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/born/) [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Million years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/million-years/) [Old Absolutely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-absolutely-5389523/) [Sitting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sitting/) [Sitting Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sitting-alive-5389522/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [If Jovan Belcher didn't possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-costas/if-jovan-belcher-didn-t-possess-a-gun-he-and-kasandra-perkins-would/) [Bob Costas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-costas/) > [It's a miracle that David Bowie, Lou Reed and Iggy Pop are actually still alive today, given how hard they lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-rock/it-s-a-miracle-that-david-bowie-lou-reed-and-iggy-pop-are-actually/) [Mick Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-rock/) > [“Run, leap and celebrate for you are alive today!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/run-leap-and-celebrate-for-you-are-alive-today/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [Fashion is not frivolous. 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We must train young people to get another vision of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thor-heyerdahl/we-are-not-talking-about-esthetics-we-are-talking-about-life-survival/) [Thor Heyerdahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thor-heyerdahl/) > [“Progress can today be defined as man's ability to complicate simplicity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thor-heyerdahl/progress-can-today-be-defined-as-man-s-ability-to-complicate/) [Thor Heyerdahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thor-heyerdahl/) > [I have never been able to grasp the meaning of time. I don't believe it exists. I've felt this again and again, when alone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thor-heyerdahl/i-have-never-been-able-to-grasp-the-meaning-of-time-i-don-t-believe/) [Thor Heyerdahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thor-heyerdahl/) > [It says in the Bible, in plain words, that God made a self-portrait. 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The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thor-heyerdahl/any-scientist-can-testify-that-a-dead-ocean-means-a-dead-planet-no/) [Thor Heyerdahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thor-heyerdahl/) > [“It was a great moment on board when two large boobies were spotted above the horizon to westward”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thor-heyerdahl/it-was-a-great-moment-on-board-when-two-large-boobies-were-spotted/) [Thor Heyerdahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thor-heyerdahl/) > [Man invents the most inhuman armaments to assault others so like himself that uniforms are needed to distinguish between friend and foe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thor-heyerdahl/man-invents-the-most-inhuman-armaments-to-assault-others-so-like/) [Thor Heyerdahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thor-heyerdahl/) > [It is also rarer to find happiness in a man surrounded by the miracles of technology than among people living in the desert of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thor-heyerdahl/it-is-also-rarer-to-find-happiness-in-a-man-surrounded-by-the/) [Thor Heyerdahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thor-heyerdahl/) > [Surrounded by military airplanes and warships from the world's most civilized and developed nations, we have been denied permission by friendly governments, for reasons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thor-heyerdahl/surrounded-by-military-airplanes-and-warships-from-the-world-s-most/) [Thor Heyerdahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thor-heyerdahl/) > [It is progress when a centuries-old oak is cut down to give space for a road sign.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thor-heyerdahl/it-is-progress-when-a-centuries-old-oak-is-cut-down-to-give-space-for/) [Thor Heyerdahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thor-heyerdahl/) > [In fighting nature, man can win every battle except the last. 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And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) [Adam Ant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ant/) > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [We must master our egoism, and through this mastery, step outside ourselves and educate ourselves in giving. 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