The Terrifying Nature of an Indifferent Universe
Erin Cunningham
Apr 27, 2018·2 min read
“The most terrifying fact about the universe is not that it is hostile but that it is indifferent…” Stanley Kubrick
If the universe cares not one whit for us, what does that mean for the significance of our existence?
The main character of our own story
We are always the center of our own story, with the world arrayed to either help or harm us. Regardless of motivation, the universe is still focused on us. We have significance in the world because the world is motivated to action because of us.
Human beings are significantly externally motivated. We measure the significance of our existence by the impact we have on others. Meaning and purpose are central to our lives, but these are also defined as they relate to others.
What significance do our lives have if no one cares about them at all? If meaning is derived by the opinion of others, then a lack of any opinion strips our existence of purpose. We might as well not exist at all.
“There is only one thing in life worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.” Oscar Wilde
Humans like to portray our struggles as tests set for us to overcome. An indifferent universe isn’t setting tests for us. Our struggles are just random confluences of events. The outcome does not matter to anyone besides us.
If a tree falls in the woods…
Our fear of an indifferent universe is a macro example of our fear of being ignored in our everyday lives. Do we exist if no one notices? The whole of human existence has been a blip of cosmic time on a single planet in a vast universe. What significance does the whole history of our species have if the universe cares not for us?
This then is our fear. That the universe sees nothing of value in us and therefore does not care what happen to us. We fear our own insignificance.
What is the only thing worse than an indifferent universe, more terrifying? An entirely oblivious universe that has not even noticed our existence at all.
I am interested in, and write about, a variety of subjects including personal finance, health and wellness, simple living, and the nature of being alive.
