Forums → WEPR → The Idea Of Insignificance

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MusicMan102
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MusicMan102
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Nomad

I know a lot of people consider humans to be insignificant in comparison to the infinitely large universe we exist in. They say that because we cannot even begin to fathom, within the parameters of our mind, the true size of the universe we live in, and because of that we are considered immensely "small". But my question is about "Why size matters?". We each have our own life and isn't a life an incomprehensible phenomena that no one can explain perfectly? The life we live, the joy we feel, the people we love, the pain we go through, etc. ; is all that really not important at all? Do we and all we feel and do mean that little? Can you really say that you mean close to nothing when you know/feel/experience all these things in your life?

I want to here everyones opinion on this and please don't spam.

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iMogwai
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iMogwai
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Peasant

To be insignificant doesn't mean to be pointless. Sure, you might experience some amazing things in your life, and you might be important to those around you, but in the big picture, you don't make a very big difference, and in a two hundred years, no one will remember you.

Every person is insignificant in the big picture. Insignificant means unimportant, not pointless.

MusicMan102
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MusicMan102
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Nomad

Insignificant means unimportant, not pointless.


I never said pointless, and the "big picture" mainly depends on what you think it is. My big picture is my life and once its over, thats it. The way you put it basically means no matter how great you are and however high your achievements go they are "unimportant" to the "big picture", and that would mean life has no reason whatsoever and every human could kill themselves right now and it wouldn't really matter.

Every person is insignificant in the big picture.


Your words basically say that "life" in itself is unimportant, and wouldn't that mean that you are unimportant? Can you really accept that everything you do will mean nothing at some point in the future?
Graham
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Graham
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Nomad

/Here would be something fun to do (at least I'd do it): ask them how they would know it's an infinitely large universe, or how they know there's something bigger out there that they are incapable of perceiving at the time./

Continue nihilism'ing.

MusicMan102
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MusicMan102
314 posts
Nomad

/Here would be something fun to do (at least I'd do it): ask them how they would know it's an infinitely large universe, or how they know there's something bigger out there that they are incapable of perceiving at the time./


I've also pondered that, but it usually leads into a big rant and other topics. Right now I'm just trying to zero in on "Insignificance". (Maybe I'll make a thread on that at another time.)
iMogwai
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iMogwai
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Peasant

Can you really accept that everything you do will mean nothing at some point in the future?


It is possible to leave a mark by contributing to mankind through scientific discoveries or fancy inventions, but if you've got an ordinary job and live an ordinary life, your affect will have have no effect on mankind as a whole. With the phrase "the big picture" I referred to the whole mankind, in the past present and the future, and let's face it, a person who lives two hundred years from now wont care about what you did, unless you're one of those few people who make life-changing discoveries, like discovering electricity.

My big picture is my life and once its over, thats it.


You're one person of over six billions. You live for less than a century, and humans have been around for many, many millennia (spelling?), and the world itself for billions of years. Unless you make a discovery that will change the lives of future generations, what you do today will not matter.

and that would mean life has no reason whatsoever and every human could kill themselves right now and it wouldn't really matter.


If every human killed himself or herself, the entire species would die out, and it would make a difference in the big picture.
If any human killed himself or herself, it would only affect him/her and those around him/her, not the big picture.

Killing yourself would be quite unnecessary, though. Think of it is a roller coaster. You get on, you have fun, but when it's over you're back right where you started. Does that mean that you shouldn't get on the roller coaster in the first place?
GhostOfMatrix
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GhostOfMatrix
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Herald

Comparison to other planets/stars.
http://www.mathfail.com/insignificant.jpg
In the universe we are insignificant. On this planet though it will differ.
If you made a great invention/discovery that will benefit the other inhabitants then you'll be known more throughout the world and will be considered what they call 'significant'. Look at Thomas Edison, Benjamin Franklin, Albert Einstein etc.. they are known, but in a larger sense of things, say the universe we can't think highly of ourselves since we are so small compared to the other planets and stars.
Of course we are a smart race of individuals and our evolution has prospered, we still shouldn't think so highly of ourselves. There could very well be more life out there to discover. Just because we say there isn't doesn't mean there aren't.
We have to abide by the facts for now though and think/say there aren't any other lifeforms out there until we are proven wrong.

MusicMan102
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MusicMan102
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Nomad

we still shouldn't think so highly of ourselves. There could very well be more life out there to discover. Just because we say there isn't doesn't mean there aren't.


I don't think particularly high about us but I don't think that we are close to nothing because we have something that cannot be made artificially made in a lab or some other facility. We have life, and isn't that such an amazing thing? We know exactly what a human body is made of down to the simplest elements but no scientist can create a life like a mother can. Doesn't that seem the least bit amazing to you?

@ iMogwai

I guess the whole argument there stems for each persons personal belief on "the big picture" and I don't think we will reach a particular solution that everyone can agree on if we continue from that point of view... :s (quite a confuzzling matter isn't it?)
loloynage2
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loloynage2
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Peasant

I think what i live is important to me and no one else. Also:

"You have no idea how insignificant my caring about my insignificance is." -loloynage

An other great quote by me

MusicMan102
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MusicMan102
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Nomad

@Matrix

I do believe that there has to be other life forms somewhere out there. We aren't so special that we could be the only ones I think (not insignificant though). And all these Sci-Fi movies about them being amazing past us in technology and what not, couldn't they also be amazingly beneath us? Like a planet of worm creatures that eat each other for survival (random example, means nothing). So, I do believe in "aliens", but I have no opinion on if they are above or below us technologically. (If they were above us, why would they care enough to come to our planet like in movies? we would seem below them and they would have no need to come here, Sci-Fi alien movies Fail.)

@loloynage2

Interesting quote...that means you believe we are insignificant....so far its me against 3 others.

MusicMan102
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MusicMan102
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Nomad

we might as well have fun while we can


Yes we will all die eventually and I do believe that we should make the most of what little time we have.

To be honest, I feel as if nothing anyone will ever do ever will matter. In the end, the universe will cease to exist, and all life will be destroyed, along with any achievements said life has done.


Well aren't you quite a downer(doesn't match your name...).....but i do understand your viewpoint to a certain degree. That may be true that once it gets to that point it will all be for naught, but doesn't that mean that nothing at al matters at all? Doesn't that make it so that size doesn't matter and that no matter what it is then it is insignificant? You are implying that the whole universe is insignificant.
Einfach
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Einfach
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Nomad

I don't see it as insignificance - it's very hopeful and inspiring.

MusicMan102
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MusicMan102
314 posts
Nomad

@Einfach

When you say "it" what exactly are you refering to?

And just to bring in another random idea, if we are insignificant(each one of us) and we make up the planet, does that make the planet insignificant? And if the the universe is made of a multitude of insignificant planets does that make the universe insignificant?

Einfach
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Einfach
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Nomad

When you say "it" what exactly are you refering to?


"It" refers to the idea that we are insignificant.

And if the the universe is made of a multitude of insignificant planets does that make the universe insignificant?


This is fallacious - that's like saying atoms can't be seen. We're made of atoms. We can't be seen.
Sonatavarius
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Sonatavarius
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Farmer

hmmmmmm......... what if you look at things a different way.... if life (as we know it) can only exist w/in a certain range of distance from a sun.... then even if we're not the only life forms out there, I would suggest that the commonality of life compared to all of the area of inhospitable universe would be very small....... Rarities here on earth are usually somewhat significant... If we're the only planet (or one of very few) that has intelligent life (or any life at all for that matter) inhabiting it then we as living/sentient creatures would be very rare... If happening upon a rarity is significant, then we might just be the most significant spec in the universe (individually and/or collectively...)

if our planet has the most diverse array of life then it might be the most significant in the universe

MusicMan102
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MusicMan102
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Nomad

@E1337

One picture....just like one word that is basically spam. I get that you think we are insignificant from that picture, but you have no words on why you think that. Give me a good, well thought out post or just don't post at all.(sorry if i sound blunt but that show it is)

@Sonatavarius

That would make our planet significant in a way....but my question was more about each and everyone of us. Do you think of yourself as insignificant?

@Einfach

Atoms can be seen under an electron microscope(fuzzy though), and just like an atom can't be seen in us, we can't necessarily be seen from the universe(like E1337's pic) it all kinda depends on your vantage point. Also like DoubleRainbowDude said, it's hard to compare an idea(non-existant in any physical way) to real things such as senses and size.

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