Human existence is scary and confusing. A few
million years ago we became conscious and found ourselves in a beautiful place.
It was filled with other beings;we could eat some, some could eat us. The
daytime sky had a great yellow ball that warmed our skin. The night sky had
beautiful lights. As we evolved, we found out that the universe did not exist
just for us. The rain, the warmth, all natural things, did not happen because
we needed it to. We slowly learned that we are just temporary state of life, and we are
inconsequential compared to the sheer overwhelming size of what we now call the
universe.
We learned that we reside on a speck of dust
which orbits a medium sized star, which is a tiny part of a galaxy group that
we will never leave. The universe might be a million times bigger than what we
can observe, but we will never know.
If we do not remember the billions of years
that passed before us, it is likely that the billions of years after us will
pass in no time once we are gone. From the little we know, the universe itself
will die and nothing will be left. This might induce existential dread in some
people, and I want to offer a different view on things - a subjective,
philosophical view.
Please take it with a pinch of salt; I don’t
know any more about the universe than you do.
I counter existential dread with optimistic
nihilism.
What does this mean? Well, to summarise, it’s
unlikely that gazillions of stars have all been made for us. If the universe
ends with a black hole, every humiliation that you have suffered, every mistake
you have made will be forgotten. We have only one shot at life, which is scary,
but it also sets you free. If life is all we get to experience, then we must
take advantage of it. We must fill it with good things, like food,
books,sunsets and pleasant company. If a nightingale can sing her joyous song
everyday, there’s no reason not to enjoy life.
We are free in a universe sized field, so we
must try to build a utopia with each other. There are so many things to do;
stars to discover, video games to play, schoolwork to finish.
In conclusion, if this is our one shot at life,
there is no reason not to be as happy as possible, and to make other people
just as happy. Bonus points if you help build a human-alien galactic empire.
