--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Immortality didn’t turn you into a…" description: "\"“Immortality didn’t turn you into a monster. It merely showed you what kind of monster you already were.”\" — Yoon Ha Lee" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/304/yoon-ha-lee-25466_death_immortality-didn-t-turn-you-into-a-monst_258906.jpg" --- # Immortality didn’t turn you into a monster. It merely… ![“Immortality didn’t turn you into a monster. It merely showed you what kind of monster you already were.” quote by Yoon Ha Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/304/yoon-ha-lee-25466_death_immortality-didn-t-turn-you-into-a-monst_258906.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/304/yoon-ha-lee-25466_death_immortality-didn-t-turn-you-into-a-monst_258906.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/304/yoon-ha-lee-25466_death_immortality-didn-t-turn-you-into-a-monst_258906.jpg) > ““Immortality didn’t turn you into a monster. It merely showed you what kind of monster you already were.”” [Yoon Ha Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoon-ha-lee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Power reveals true character; immortality exposes existing flaws rather than creating new ones. **In simple terms:** Immortality shows your true self. Key Takeaway Reflect on your inner nature. Themes identity power self-awareness Mood contemplative serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - leadership - personal growth - ethical decisions - legacy planning Key Concepts existentialism psychology Questions to Reflect On - What aspects of yourself do you fear to discover? - How does knowing your true nature change your actions? A Different Perspective Immortality may also bring isolation and stagnation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Immortality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immortality/) ## Related quotes > [These bright lights turn me to a monster!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyga/these-bright-lights-turn-me-to-a-monster/) [Tyga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyga/) > [“Never let the evil people do to you turn you to monster. It can't be all that's left of you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darmie-orem/never-let-the-evil-people-do-to-you-turn-you-to-monster-it-can-t-be/) [Darmie Orem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darmie-orem/) > [“Sure, you can live out your dreams, but it’ll only turn you into a monster.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-grossman/sure-you-can-live-out-your-dreams-but-it-ll-only-turn-you-into-a/) [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) > [Some men have a silly theory about beautiful women - that somewhere along the line they'll turn into a monster. That movie gave them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salma-hayek/some-men-have-a-silly-theory-about-beautiful-women-that-somewhere/) [Salma Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salma-hayek/) > [At what point does a man turn into a monster? I don’t believe that it’s when he does horrible things, but when he accepts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/at-what-point-does-a-man-turn-into-a-monster-i-don-t-believe-that-it/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [“Do you know how to turn someone into a monster?” “I’m not sure. No.” “Let him be himself without restraint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-james/do-you-know-how-to-turn-someone-into-a-monster-i-m-not-sure-no-let/) [Steven James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-james/) > [Well, Im sorry I cant be the right kind of monster for you, Bella.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-black/well-im-sorry-i-cant-be-the-right-kind-of-monster-for-you-bella/) [Jacob Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-black/) > ['Some Kind of Monster' is a challenge, and 'Through the Never' is an extension of that. Even the album we made with Lou Reed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-trujillo/some-kind-of-monster-is-a-challenge-and-through-the-never-is-an/) [Robert Trujillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-trujillo/) > [“I don’t want them to change me in there. Turn me into some kind of monster that I’m not.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/i-don-t-want-them-to-change-me-in-there-turn-me-into-some-kind-of/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [Well, I'm so sorry that I can't be the right kind of monster for you, Bella.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/well-i-m-so-sorry-that-i-can-t-be-the-right-kind-of-monster-for-you/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [You will always be a monster - there is no turning back from it. But what kind of monster you become is entirely up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-kagawa/you-will-always-be-a-monster-there-is-no-turning-back-from-it-but/) [Julie Kagawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-kagawa/) > [“This was how normal people survived their own fairy tales. They became their own kind of monster.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-lloyd-jones/this-was-how-normal-people-survived-their-own-fairy-tales-they-became/) [Emily Lloyd-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-lloyd-jones/) > [People have this idea of me being some kind of monster, and that's the complete opposite of who I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pj-harvey/people-have-this-idea-of-me-being-some-kind-of-monster-and-that-s-the/) [PJ Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pj-harvey/) > [“It’s most unfair. Once people find out you’re a vampire they act as if you’re some kind of monster.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-s-most-unfair-once-people-find-out-you-re-a-vampire-they-act-as-if/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Is my son turning into some kind of monster?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-holt/is-my-son-turning-into-some-kind-of-monster/) [Simon Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-holt/) ## More by Yoon Ha Lee > [“There’s no honor,” she said. “Only duty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoon-ha-lee/there-s-no-honor-she-said-only-duty/) [Yoon Ha Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoon-ha-lee/) > [“I do my job,” Mikodez said, “because after all the trouble I went to get it, it would be irresponsible not to.” He”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoon-ha-lee/i-do-my-job-mikodez-said-because-after-all-the-trouble-i-went-to-get/) [Yoon Ha Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoon-ha-lee/) > [“the value of a game is in abstraction. Many Nirai go in for simulationist approaches, a tendency you share, but sometimes you learn more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoon-ha-lee/the-value-of-a-game-is-in-abstraction-many-nirai-go-in-for/) [Yoon Ha Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoon-ha-lee/) > [“But then, war is about taking the future away from people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoon-ha-lee/but-then-war-is-about-taking-the-future-away-from-people/) [Yoon Ha Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoon-ha-lee/) > [“When he sounds sane and the rest of the world doesn’t, you know it’s time to pull the trigger.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoon-ha-lee/when-he-sounds-sane-and-the-rest-of-the-world-doesn-t-you-know-it-s/) [Yoon Ha Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoon-ha-lee/) > [“Blue stands for many things at the end of time: for the forgotten, blazing blue stars of aeons past; the antithesis of redshift, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoon-ha-lee/blue-stands-for-many-things-at-the-end-of-time-for-the-forgotten/) [Yoon Ha Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoon-ha-lee/) > [“How in the name of ash and talon did that fucking Vidona fit a fucking fungal canister on a fucking bannermoth?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoon-ha-lee/how-in-the-name-of-ash-and-talon-did-that-fucking-vidona-fit-a/) [Yoon Ha Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoon-ha-lee/) > [“(Cabbages were a Kel idiosyncrasy. They were adamant about their spiced cabbage pickles.) Appearance-wise”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoon-ha-lee/cabbages-were-a-kel-idiosyncrasy-they-were-adamant-about-their-spiced/) [Yoon Ha Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoon-ha-lee/) > [“Never ascribe to irrational benevolence what selfishness will explain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoon-ha-lee/never-ascribe-to-irrational-benevolence-what-selfishness-will-explain/) [Yoon Ha Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoon-ha-lee/) > [“Some of the soldiers made disparaging comments about the fact that he was a womanform when they thought he couldn’t hear them. But his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoon-ha-lee/some-of-the-soldiers-made-disparaging-comments-about-the-fact-that-he/) [Yoon Ha Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoon-ha-lee/) > [“The point of war is to rig the deck, drug the opponent, and threaten to kneecap their family if they don’t fold,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoon-ha-lee/the-point-of-war-is-to-rig-the-deck-drug-the-opponent-and-threaten-to/) [Yoon Ha Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoon-ha-lee/) > [“I’m not a linguist, but do you ever think there’s something wrong with the things we do and don’t have words for?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoon-ha-lee/i-m-not-a-linguist-but-do-you-ever-think-there-s-something-wrong-with/) [Yoon Ha Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoon-ha-lee/) > [“One day the rotting remains of their libraries will disintegrate so completely that they will be indistinguishable from the world’s wrack of stray eddies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoon-ha-lee/one-day-the-rotting-remains-of-their-libraries-will-disintegrate-so/) [Yoon Ha Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoon-ha-lee/) > [“History forgives the winner a lot of things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoon-ha-lee/history-forgives-the-winner-a-lot-of-things/) [Yoon Ha Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoon-ha-lee/) > [“I have always believed that a properly guided bureaucracy is deadlier than any bomb.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoon-ha-lee/i-have-always-believed-that-a-properly-guided-bureaucracy-is-deadlier/) [Yoon Ha Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoon-ha-lee/) [Explore all 23 Yoon Ha Lee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoon-ha-lee/) ## 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. 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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": "“Immortality didn’t turn you into a monster. 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