Any reasonable person must admit that from the cosmic perspective, we have no significance. It's absurd to even think we do. We live on a tiny planet orbiting a star in a galaxy made up of billions of stars. That galaxy is one of billions of galaxies which in turn are made up of billions of stars. We live in a universe billions of years old and our species has existed for only a moment in comparison.
It makes no sense for us to celebrate our triviality or wallow in it. Nor is there any reason to despair over it. We can live morally and intelligently within our limits in the world in which we live and act.
What we should understand, however, is that there's no reason for us to have any pretensions to being of special importance to the universe, or the reason why it exists. It would be at best silly to think so; at worst insane.
The fact that many of us believe the universe was created so that we may exist is baffling under the circumstances. So is the prevalence of the belief that we're the special concern of the creator of the universe.
We have every reason to think there's something profoundly wrong with us because we cherish these beliefs. There was a time when we could claim ignorance of the vastness of the universe and our minute status in it, but those days are long gone. We can't simply ignore our paltriness based on writings we made when we thought our world the center of all things.
The megalomania that's characteristic of many of our leaders is shown to be something to be expected when we as a species are so delusional about our worth and status. Also to be expected are our efforts at self-glorification. We must recognize that we aren't likely to be considered important by any informed observer.
Are there any benefits which might result from the recognition of our insignificance? It may encourage us to make a better world if we become aware that we have only our lives to live and have no claim to a better life than others, and all our pride is for nought.
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