Given that we are all insignificant, we do we need to be special? Please read on...?

Question

Compared to even our own planet we are utterly insignificant, so in this vast universe why do we consider ourselves to be so special?

Consider this,
There are billions of galaxies some much larger and more densely packed with stars than our own,
Within our own galaxy there are trillions of stars some much older,
Our planet is a mere spec compared to our own star,
When our planet is viewed from space we are not even visible on the surface except from low orbit with exceptional optical gear.

Taking all this into account we do we continue to fight and squabble over ideologies and resources, when in the grand scheme of things it means very little to nothing? Why do we need to be right and other wrong, especially when in a hundred years time no one will care about our struggle for supremacy?

Why do we consider ourselves to be specially choosen while another group isn't and is condemed for it?

Please explain your answers.

Thanks.

Answer 1

A highly significant question!!

A question I have myself raised several times to myself.... one of the reasons why I call myself 'small' is to keep reminding myself of this insignificance of our entity in the grand scheme of things.

Yes, I need reminding myself every now and then how small and minuscule I am. Even though I know this for a fact as aptly explained in your question, the trouble is that it is difficult to feel insignificant..... at the level of intellect, all of us can realize the truth of our insignificance apropos the great universe and its vast timespan, of which we and our life are but a spec of a part... but at the level of instinct and emotion it seems difficult to hold on to it. Our emotions are so powerful...... we become incapacitated to see the big picture when we get gripped with emotion. Emotions come from ego and ego makes us see everything from our own point of view.... this view is so limited, biased and corrupted that we fail to see or notice or realize anything other than our own self and its limited relationships with other people and things. This being the be all and end all of our view, we seem to assume great self-importance as though we are really special. Once we draw a small virtuous circle around us, the bigger picture disappears and we look fairly or quite significant within that circle... after all relativity is the grand principle of this universe.

I believe that feeling significant or special as such does not do us much harm..... it is the arrogance and prerogative that our ego then produces which create all the problems. If we can keep our arrogant and demanding ego in check, our feeling of significance should only result in our doing something good rather than the narrow and mean selfish outlook we succumb to otherwise.

I am trying, with limited success though, to remind myself of my insignificance in order to rein in the rogue ego which is clearly at the root of all our evil ways and narrow outlook...... which then collectively account for various ills and strife we have to face in our world. This is further being accentuated by erosion of our old values and our current emphasis on quantity rather than quality and short-term rather than the long-term.

Hope this makes sense.

Answer 2

We are special and insignificant because it's how God wants us to be. God created the world and he is the only person who knows why we are insignificant and special.

In science and economics, the earth is defined as a nature and it starts with a man and a woman who live in nature long time ago, and then it goes to where we are right now. Yes, there are other planets and stars which are beautiful than the earth but the earth is the only one planet who have oxygen and food for the human beings. We cannot judge why the humans are insignificant and special, yet God is the only one who know the miracle about the world where we currently live in.

Remember, there's no perfect things in the world and if there'll be then we can't be so happy and complete at all. Every things in life including our families, friends, career, etc are the ones that will make us complete individual but above all it is God who gave that to us, it is God why we are living now.

Answer 3

Your first mistake is believing that "we are all insignificant". As a matter of fact we are not insignificant, we are probably THE most significant thing on this planet and maybe even the universe.

I speak of this as a whole group, as humans. Not Christians, muslims, black or white.

We are not perfect beings, and others feel that the only way to a higher plain of existance is on the backs of others. Free will gives us the ability to determine how we will interact with others. We can choose to either do good or do evil and their are consequences for each path that is chosen.

Answer 4

You have it backwards... the only things that are special ARE human beings. Stars and galaxies are mere rock, as are meteors that cut across a night sky as comets.

Humans are relationships, family, loved one who can never be replaced in a trillion lifetimes.

As for specially chosen, I suppose that's a matter of opinion. I'm not saying any one ideology is of paramount importance over another, just that cultures and galaxies come and go, but there will always be only ONE of each of us.

Answer 5

This isn't what you're looking for, but I can't think of anything more significant and special than being a good parent -- in my case a good dad.

In my opinion, vast universes light years away that dwarf our planet, doesn't measure up to the importance of a child with loving and devoted parents.

Just my opinion from a guy with 4 daughters.

Answer 6

As Angel stated ". . . there will always be only ONE of us . . ." Simultaneously, each of us is only ONE. Omni. Human Life is a series of thoughts, thoughts become feelings, feelings compel actions. All this requires a source of Energy. The significance in the Human Experience is in the choices we make . . . how we 'spend' our energy. Our very own, unique human life experience guides of very choices. We create our own reality, simultaneously creating vibrionic energy waves rippling amongst the hemisphere, having an impact on all.

All is significant. Simultaneous all is non-significant.
Alpha and Omega. Omni. Om.

Answer 7

Yes, very nice view of things, i get similar thoughts. It also makes me feel insignificant when I think that im just a tiny tiny speck. This perspective needs humility.

I think we have egos ,selfish, competitive. We under value different perspectives because we have not expeienced them ourselves or because we just dont want to admit defeat. Thats why we fight for ideologies, things like that.

Answer 8

All of what you say about the universe is true. So what? Our relationship to the universe is called "cosmology." Rational cosmology, Christian cosmology, and others understand that the cosmos has no rationality of its own, it just exists without thinking about it. We think. That is what makes us special. The cosmos does not contemplate us; we contemplate the cosmos. That makes us very significant. Compared to the "non-life" of the cosmos, any life is more significant.

Answer 9

The only explanation I have is that "it is the nature of the beast".