Does human existence really matter?
Significantly insignificant or not?
Does Our Existence Really Matter On The Cosmic Scale?
A few decades ago, we humans thought that our home-planet earth was the center of the universe. This narcissistic theory was shattered with a reality check — the universe (quite literally) does not revolve around us (or our planet). We now know that in the grand scheme of the universe, we humans occupy a very, very small space. We, Homo sapiens, are just 1 out of the 8.7 million species on Earth. Earth is just 1 of the 100 billion planets in the Milky Way galaxy. And the Milky Way galaxy is just 1 of the 2 trillion galaxies in the observable universe. And the observable universe is just a part of the entire universe (which is always expanding!). As humans, we may find it hard to look at things from a perspective other than our own, but it cannot be denied that for the universe, our earth is just a tiny pale blue dot.
Puny, Not So Puny Humans
Let’s come back to Earth. We all live somewhere on this planet. Everyone we love and hate and know lives on this planet too (unless they’re dead, imaginary, or astronauts living in the Space Station). The Earth is all we have ever truly known, but for the Earth, we are merely the new tenets. To get a clear idea, if the Earth formed at midnight and the present moment is the next midnight, 24 hours later, modern humans have been around since 11:59:59 p.m. — just 1 second. So not only do we occupy an infinitesimally small space in the universe, we occupy a very small space in time as well. This makes us realize how huge the earth and our universe is, and how insignificant our problems, and maybe even our existence is on the cosmic scale. While this is true for humans, it is not untrue for other species on the planet (and if I dare say — on other planets).
The End Of Greed, Or The End Of Humanity?
Despite our brief history on earth and in the cosmos, we have managed to wreak havoc on the planet. Since the last 50 years, we have been in an ‘ecological overshoot’. The rate at which our demand for earth’s finite resources is increasing far exceeds the rate at which the supply is being replenished. We are taking up resources at an alarmingly high rate of 160%. This means that we are consuming 60% more than the quantity we are sanctioned to use. This entails an inevitable crisis because of acute resource shortage. At this rate, humanity will go down as a brief and rather unfortunate blip in the history of earth and the universe. That is, unless we commit to sustainable development. The earth does not need humans. In fact, it would flourish without us. But we need the earth. If we take only that which the earth can give, not only do we save ourselves and the planet, but we also ensure a safe home for our future generations. Only we can decide if we are worth saving.
