The fact that we live at the bottom of a deep gravity well, on the surface of a gas covered planet going around a nuclear fireball 90 million miles away and think this to be normal is obviously some indication of how skewed our perspective tends to be.
Douglas Adams
Perspective, Astronomy, Human Nature, Normality, Cosmic Scale
Douglas Adams’s Quotes On Topics
Society | Pride | Future | Physicists | Empire | Absurdity | Values | Trees | Realization | Problem-solving | Self-improvement | Occupation | Coolness | Progress | Primitive Technology | Robots | Familiarity | Casual Tone | Politics | Hypothetical | More
More Douglas Adams Quotes
“Space is really big— REALLY big.” Douglas Adams
Space, Vastness, Understatement, Humor, Perspective
Douglas Adams Space, Vastness, Understatement, Humor, Perspective“There is a piece of me that likes to fondly imagine my maverick and rebellious nature. But, more accurately, I like to have a nice and cosy institution that I can rub up against a little bit.” Douglas Adams
Self-perception, Rebellion, Conformity, Institutions, Contradiction
Douglas Adams Self-perception, Rebellion, Conformity, Institutions, Contradiction“It can be very dangerous to see things from somebody else's point of view without the proper training.” Douglas Adams
Perspective, Empathy, Danger, Understanding, Training
Douglas Adams Perspective, Empathy, Danger, Understanding, Training“Usually it's very relaxing to be with someone who's so self-absorbed, because it doesn't make any demands on you.” Douglas Adams
Relationships, Self-absorption, Relaxation, Humor, Social Observation
Douglas Adams Relationships, Self-absorption, Relaxation, Humor, Social Observation“Very strange people, physicists – in my experience the ones who aren't dead are in some way very ill.” Douglas Adams
Physicists, Humor, Observation, Health, Eccentricity
Douglas Adams Physicists, Humor, Observation, Health, Eccentricity“Ah. Now there you're asking. The complexities of cause and effect defy analysis. Not only is the continuum like a human body, it is also very like a piece of badly put up wallpaper. Push down a bubble somewhere, another one pops up somewhere else. There are no more dodos because of my interference. In the end I imposed the rule on myself because I simply couldn't bear it any more. The only thing that really gets hurt when you try and change time is yourself." He smiled bleakly and looked away.” Douglas Adams
Time Travel, Causality, Consequences, Regret, Complexity
Douglas Adams Time Travel, Causality, Consequences, Regret, Complexity“You can't possibly be a scientist if you mind people thinking that you're a fool.” Douglas Adams
Science, Perception, Reputation, Humor, Wisdom
Douglas Adams Science, Perception, Reputation, Humor, Wisdom“Years and years ago, I did a game based on 'Hitchhiker's Guide' with a company called Infocom, which was a great company. They were doing witty, intelligent, literate games based on text.” Douglas Adams
Technology, Games, Writing, Adaptation, Nostalgia
Douglas Adams Technology, Games, Writing, Adaptation, Nostalgia“The bowler approached the wicket at a lope, a trot, and then a run. He suddenly exploded in a flurry of arms and legs, out of which flew a ball.” Douglas Adams
Cricket, Sports, Description, Humor, Movement
Douglas Adams Cricket, Sports, Description, Humor, Movement“If it could not possibly be done, then obviously it had been done impossibly. The question was how?” Douglas Adams
Logic, Impossibility, Problem-solving, Humor, Paradox
Douglas Adams Logic, Impossibility, Problem-solving, Humor, Paradox“The difficulty with this conversation is that it's very different from most of the ones I've had of late. Which, as I explained, have mostly been with trees.” Douglas Adams
Conversation, Absurdity, Trees, Humor, Isolation
Douglas Adams Conversation, Absurdity, Trees, Humor, Isolation“There was one planet off in the seventh dimension that got used as a ball in a game of intergalactic bar billiards. Got potted straight into a black hole.” Douglas Adams
Science Fiction, Humor, Space, Games, Black Holes
Douglas Adams Science Fiction, Humor, Space, Games, Black Holes“Deep in the fundamental heart of mind and Universe there is a reason.” Douglas Adams
Reason, Universe, Mind, Philosophy, Meaning
Douglas Adams Reason, Universe, Mind, Philosophy, Meaning“See first, think later, then test. But always see first. Otherwise, you will only see what you were expecting. Most scientists forget that.” Douglas Adams
Science, Observation, Methodology, Expectations, Advice
Douglas Adams Science, Observation, Methodology, Expectations, Advice“There was a distinct absence of anything female in the room – the same sort of absence that a missing picture leaves behind it on a wall.” Douglas Adams
Description, Absence, Gender, Observation, Comparison
Douglas Adams Description, Absence, Gender, Observation, Comparison“Paradoxes are just the scar tissue. Time and space heal themselves up around them and people simply remember a version of events which makes as much sense as they require it to make.” Douglas Adams
Paradox, Time, Space, Memory, Perception
Douglas Adams Paradox, Time, Space, Memory, Perception“There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory, which states that this has already happened.” Douglas Adams
Universe, Purpose, Humor, Philosophy, Theories
Douglas Adams Universe, Purpose, Humor, Philosophy, Theories“Gordon Way, brother of Susan, employer of Richard MacDuff, was a rich man, the founder and owner of WayForward Technologies II. WayForward Technologies itself had of course gone bust, for the usual reason, taking his entire first fortune with it.” Douglas Adams
Business, Technology, Failure, Wealth, Entrepreneurship
Douglas Adams Business, Technology, Failure, Wealth, Entrepreneurship