There is nothing insignificant about the human race

“We are insignificant in the grand scheme of things.” - A. Pessimist

Is the above really true?

Where does this mentality come from?

How difficult is it to actually stop and think for a moment?

Incredible videos like this one often induce 'humbling' -



People often forget that we’re all powered by the single most complicated piece of machinery in known reality. Utilising this ‘tool’ we have developed the technology to figure out much of what is going on around us. The video above was also put together by this 'thing'.

What is this ‘thing’?

The human brain!



As far as I’m concerned, we needn’t look high and above to witness something extraordinary – just tap the side of your head, for what is in there is just as incredible and enigmatic as every planet, star, solar system and galaxy.

The added bonus of the human brain of course is that we all have one! Wouldn’t it be great if more of us actually used our brains?

Those who marvel at the stars above often forget than it’s because of the human brain that they are able to SEE the stars.

This complex organ sitting behind a wall of flesh and bone grants us the gift of comprehension, and the ability to appreciate everything that exists. One might even argue that the human brain is directly responsible for the nature of reality itself. Who knows?

Though I love to gaze above and dream about what may lie beyond the bounds of our solar system, I’m always thankful for what I have sitting upstairs.

It’s easy, spare a thought for your brain every day. It’ll put a smile on your face.

Ironic isn’t it?

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fixed vid


[edit on 19/2/10 by masqua]

I don't have the attention span right now to read your post but I did always wonder why people say we are insignificant, especially those that explore the universe like astronomers.

I look at it the other way around and I think we are highly significant.

I think the human brain is indistinguishable from a advanced form of organic computing.

Hell, our entire body (or that of any Earth creatures) could be built in a laboratory, indicating that we are indeed some form of organic robot.

Rather than the metallic or plastic robots depicted in modern culture, organic constructs are capable of several important things that a bucket of bolts simply is not capable of. Organic constructs can grow, and even repair themselves or fight off microscopic invaders through nano-technology (white blood cells, etc).

What I want to know is, who created us?

Hell, from this vantage point, I could rephrase the question a little better.

Who created this life on Earth? Is it evolution, aliens, or something else?
Or is it a combination of these things?

Did advanced aliens create all life on Earth? Or did they only recently show up and create humans based on hybridization with local primates?

Or did we, and the rest of Earth life, evolve naturally?

If you want to say "God" did it, I file this under "Aliens" because a super advanced alien race would look just like "God" to us. But this is simply a misunderstanding of the word "God".

So we have two basic choices.

Who created the Human Brain?
1) Alien entity
or
2) Natural evolution

I honestly lead towards the #1 Alien entity behind it all. There is simply too many coincidences and bizarre anomalies to discount this.

And there are still many insanely perplexing and complicated questions that Evolution has still not answered very well.

So with these things considered, I would call the human brain a "Organic Computerized System" because it is, no matter who created it.

This technology (human brain) is extremely advanced if aliens were behind it.

Extremely advanced. Possibly several million years advanced from current human technology. It is simply to hard to tell, I would have to ask an alien personally for their take on these questions.

reply to post by thebox


I agree. We are an amazing, frustrating race.

But we are also very small:


[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/314171be9b5a.png[/atsimg]

The famous "Pale Blue Dot" photograph of Earth taken from 3.7 billion miles away.

If that doesn't make you feel insignificant in the grand scheme of things - whatever they may be - nothing will.

“We are insignificant in the grand scheme of things.” - A. Pessimist

Is the above really true? Where does this mentality come from?

I don't know where it comes from, but a lot of it lives here on ATS. I've seen hundreds of variations of the 'we're worthless/ insignificant/ just ants' etc. I'd never thought of it as pessimistic, but I will now. :

Of course we're significant! In endless ways we make a difference every day.

#We're the only known life in the Solar System...significant!
#We might be the only life in this arm of the Galaxy....very significant.
#We might be alone in the Universe....highly significant!
#We have the means to nullify our existence...significant to all life on Earth.

I can go out right now and do mortal harm to someone...that makes me significant to that person's existence. I can go out and do an act of kindness for a stranger...again significant. Chaos theory and butterflies....I love 'em....

SnF in the vain hope one of the doomsayers pops by and changes their outlook a little

[edit on 19-2-2010 by Kandinsky]

Though I love to gaze above and dream about what may lie beyond the bounds of our solar system, I’m always thankful for what I have sitting upstairs.

Then we've got something in common. I agree our brains and even our own body is something of a feat.

The universe appears to be working in accordance with laws. In the human society, we have a government which installs these laws – so who installed the laws of the universe? Could be aliens, could be gods or could be something that we can’t even imagine.

Originally posted by muzzleflash
Who created this life on Earth? Is it evolution, aliens, or something else?
Or is it a combination of these things?

This is the ultimate question. Again, maybe our own brains have the answer? We use such a small percentage.

If we were able to harness all of its power, would we be able to answer these mammoth questions?

Originally posted by Beamish
The famous "Pale Blue Dot" photograph of Earth taken from 3.7 billion miles away.

If that doesn't make you feel insignificant in the grand scheme of things - whatever they may be - nothing will.

Small, yes! But -

Take another look at this brain cell / universe comparison -

sprott.physics.wisc.edu...

Big or small, everything is equally significant.

Originally posted by Kandinsky
SnF in the vain hope one of the doomsayers pops by and changes their outlook a little

We live in hope!

Originally posted by BlackPoison94
Then we've got something in common. I agree our brains and even our own body is something of a feat.

In the end, much of us share the same thoughts and feelings. It's a pity we as nations allow so many trivialities to separate us.

Thanks for the comments everyone.

Call me stupid but I think there is significance to the very fact that we exist.

There are a lot of people on this forum who belittle the achievements of the human race. Any great accomplishment, be it the Pyramids or advanced technologies immediately get explained away as the work of aliens. Apparently we are just stupid bags of skin waiting to be saved by the aforementioned.

I don't understand these pessimistic/bleak people. Perhaps they are merely reflecting the belief that everyone is an under achiever because they are themselves.

IRM

I think one measure of the significance of an intelligent species is its ability to engineer its environment to ensure its continued survival. We're headed that way but still have along way to go. A big rock hitting the Earth could still extinguish our life form in a decade, so I will be more impressed with our significance when we colonize another planet to ensure the survival of our species after such a planet-killer impact.

Longer term our sun will burn up the Earth so we need to colonize other solar systems before that happens.

Unfortunately I feel like I'm in the minority believing we need to colonize other parts of the universe. We're making an unsustainably large supply of new babies globally every year and then we have so many mouths to feed we say it's a bigger priority to feed all those mouths. I'm not in favor of starvation, nobody is I'm sure, but I just don't think we've advanced enough to realize how fragile our life here is and how it can be wiped out in an instant. Since we landed on the moon in 1969 it seems like we should have colonized Mars by now, I suspect that we could have if we really wanted to.

Once we colonize Mars (or somewhere life can be sustained besides Earth), I think our significance will be increased dramatically, as we will be the first species we know of to be able to avoid our own extinction by natural forces.

[edit on 19-2-2010 by Arbitrageur]

Originally posted by InfaRedMan
Call me stupid but I think there is significance to the very fact that we exist.

There are a lot of people on this forum who belittle the achievements of the human race. Any great accomplishment, be it the Pyramids or advanced technologies immediately get explained away as the work of aliens. Apparently we are just stupid bags of skin waiting to be saved by the aforementioned.

I don't think that we're here for nothing. I believe that everything has a purpose but what do you think that our purpose is? Is it to colonize other solar systems, like Arbitrageur said (which for our survival, we'll definitely have to move away from this planet)? I have no idea to be honest but everyone, in my opinion was born has a part to play in this life.

I don't think aliens would have created things like the Pyramids and such, what would they achieve by doing this?I do believe that there were advanced civilisations and maybe, they could have built them to show reign or something. Getting to the point, I agree with that we’re not bags of kin () but we do have a lot that we should regret for.

Not being HIGHLY significant isn't the same as being insignificant. Living on a planet in the dark (emphasize DARK, especially figuratively/sociologically) outer rim hinterlands of a nondescript galaxy doesn't allow for a special status, but that doesn't mean there's no purpose for humanity's existence. It's just impossible for me to believe, for example, that a Single Creator of the entire infinite, incomprehensible universe, IF truly applicable, would have an "Only Begotten Son" born on this backwater of a violence and ignorance-infested sty.

You are all significant when considered relevant to your lives & place in the universe,

You may be insignificant when compared to a whole other galaxy & the species which dwell within that galaxy,

But in your own you are very much significant,

You are also the most significant life form on your planet (no small feat when thought about carefully)

Like one of your greatest minds said "it's all relative"

(1) life on Earth depends on just a few basic molecules;
(2) the elements that make up these molecules are (to a greater or lesser extent) common to all stars, and
(3) the laws of science we know apply to the entire universe (and there is no reason to assume that they do not),
(Conclusion) then – given sufficient time – life must have originated elsewhere in the cosmos.

Just because we are the only known life in our Solar System does not mean there is a reason/purpose we are here. Earth and Life or earth do not seem to have anything overly special about them. (imo)

obviously we are significant to Earth its self.



[edit on 19-2-2010 by nophun]

Wow, I'm kind of offended by being called a pessimist. I'm totally an optimist; I love people, I love humanity, and I think that things will work out if we pull ourselves together.

And yet, I deeply and truly believe that we are insignificant in the grand scheme of things; the universe at large finds us irrelavent, and even if we spread out into outerspace, there's going to be a hell of a lot left that we wont' encounter. We could become significant to the universe at large, but even then, even then, heat death will eventually occur and we won't have made a difference to what comes after, whatever it is.

And yet, that does not diminish our immediate importance. Human culture is so cool. We are powerhouses of making things that mean things. We are important to each other. My friends are really deeply important to me. I (hope I) am important to them. I want to write and leave something for future generations. We are important immediately; we are important, we are significant, we are so fascinating. Who cares if we disappear someday? We're here now, and that's effing awesome.

Plenty of animals had the capability of thought way before humans. Plenty of other primate species (now extinct) could have lucked out and ruled over the world. So I agree with the notion that humans have an insignificance about them.

Speaking comparably, I’m suggesting that the human brain is on par with the known universe on a relative scale with regards to complexity and ambiguity.

I'm not saying the human brain is superior, I just refuse to believe that it is less significant than the universe itself - or any brain for that matter - let's not forget the dolphins!