Just want to know if you truly understand this:

one drop of water is very insignificant as well as one grain of sand. what they have in common is being connected and together they make the ocean and the Sahara desert.

Originally posted by jiggerjIf our planet is like a grain of sand in a desert, then what does that make us humans?

Bacteria.

I really just wanted to answer this question that you present, but need 2 lines.

Edit: Actually I've often wondered what kind of conciousness a bacteria/virus has, what kind of thoughts, and how fulfilling of an existence they have.

Originally posted by NorEaster
To be honest, I don't care what the rest of the universe thinks is important. Hell, the rest of this universe isn't important to me. As far as I'm concerned, the rest of this mess can go blow itself. I mean, seriously, why do I have to be pestered with what anything or anyone else thinks is significant?

Because some guy on a messageboard told me I have to see things that way? Ha!

What I'm interested in is what lies ahead for me, and the size and scale of the universe has absolutely nothing at all to do with that. Nothing at all.

You are 100% right. And what if we waste our lives looking for a road that doesn't even exist? What a waste of our insignificant lives!

reply to post by hawkiye


I think you're wrong...

Science has shown that other animals on this planet have individuality as well -- specifically other primates and dolphins.

www.life.umd.edu...

Humans are not unique snowflakes.

Originally posted by jiggerj

Originally posted by NorEaster
The only place where size equals value and significance is at Costco and Sam's Club.

That kind of measure isn't relevant in reality. Stars don't think. Planets don't ponder the nature of reality. Open space is vast, but it's pretty much a non-actor in the game of dynamic existence.

Your point of view is pretty interesting.

If size and value don't matter, then what does human intelligence have to do with anything. We are able to think deep thoughts. Okay, so what?

If size doesn't matter, then how do you measure a "deep" thought?

Originally posted by jiggerj

Originally posted by NorEaster
To be honest, I don't care what the rest of the universe thinks is important. Hell, the rest of this universe isn't important to me. As far as I'm concerned, the rest of this mess can go blow itself. I mean, seriously, why do I have to be pestered with what anything or anyone else thinks is significant?

Because some guy on a messageboard told me I have to see things that way? Ha!

What I'm interested in is what lies ahead for me, and the size and scale of the universe has absolutely nothing at all to do with that. Nothing at all.

You are 100% right. And what if we waste our lives looking for a road that doesn't even exist? What a waste of our insignificant lives!

Learning as much as you can about what's real and logically discernible is probably a good idea if you're trying to prepare for the possibility of an afterlife. That seems like the most prudent course of action to take.

Originally posted by jiggerj

Originally posted by NorEaster
To be honest, I don't care what the rest of the universe thinks is important. Hell, the rest of this universe isn't important to me. As far as I'm concerned, the rest of this mess can go blow itself. I mean, seriously, why do I have to be pestered with what anything or anyone else thinks is significant?

Because some guy on a messageboard told me I have to see things that way? Ha!

What I'm interested in is what lies ahead for me, and the size and scale of the universe has absolutely nothing at all to do with that. Nothing at all.

You are 100% right. And what if we waste our lives looking for a road that doesn't even exist? What a waste of our insignificant lives!

life is significant,,, for without it we would not live,, we wouldnt be able to be ourselves and do what we can do.... if life only asks that we eat and reproduce,,, what to you, would be not a waste of life... what is worthwhile,, and should we strive to become significant/feel significant.... should we ignore significance,,, or you believe what we are insignificant?

Originally posted by jiggerj


Ya know, I've always had this question, but never asked: Are we made of light? I don't mean in a metaphysical sense. Our bodies, and the trees and water,,,are they made of light?

Everything is a by-product of fusion/fission;
structure of atom

It was later realized the only thing that can produce gold is a super nova.

I can only represent my thoughts, b/c I don't actually know anything about it really. But yeah, I'd say that we are by-products of light. Or daughters if we use nuclear physics lingo.

We used to use science to learn how the universe worked. To day we use science with the goal of being able to run the universe.

We humans used to live with and of nature; to day humans just want to control nature.

There is nothing natural about our way of life.

reply to post by spy66


what is natural, and what isnt?

Originally posted by jiggerj
Do people really REALLY understand just how tiny and insignifcant we are when compared to the vast universe? Of the billions and billions of galaxies, each with billions of stars and planets, and we are significant?

What does size have to do with significance? And to whom or what are we insignificant? Significance is a subjective term. For example, if you are a living being then water is significant, but if you are a rock, it has no significance. Significance and meaning is all about perspective.

Originally posted by jiggerj
If our planet is like a grain of sand in a desert, then what does that make us humans? If we do have a role to play in the great scheme of things, then by comparison, that role is less important than a termite fart.

Important to whom or what? The life of a termite is self-significant (its life is meaningful to itself and so it tries to survive), and it may be significant to other beings that wants to eat it.

You are using importance to define importance which is really redundant.

Originally posted by jiggerj
I mean, really, we are sooo tiny in this universe. We aren't even microscopic. If a god is looking over us in this infinite universe I can see him looking away for just a second, and then saying, "Crap, I lost them! Where are they?!"

So if you are microscopic to a god your life must not be important? Important is a subjective term. It puts focus on something for a goal or means.

Originally posted by jiggerj
Can you even fathom that if there is intelligent life elsewhere in the universe, they might not even know that our galaxy exists, much less know that WE exist. That's how infinitesimal we are.

So what is your point?

Originally posted by jiggerj
We started on this road of enlightenment when we figured out that we are not the center of the universe. Then we discovered that we are way out in left field in our own galaxy, and that ours is not the only galaxy. Just how important can people think we humans are when our own planet couldn't quailify as a subatomic particle if all the material in the universe was clumped together.

We are truly nothing. Zip. Zero. Zilch. We need to accept it, and get over it.

If your opinion is that importance is determined by whether something is microscopic or not, then that is your opinion. That is all it is, an opinion.

Maybe there are beings out there that believe that microscopic beings are of MORE significance than larger ones.

Or maybe we can give importance to ourselves.

It doesn't really matter because importance is not an absolute objective, it is a subjective perspective.

reply to post by jiggerj


we contain universes within

so we're like TARDISes
[infinitely?]bigger on the inside

Originally posted by Evil_Santa

Originally posted by jiggerj

Originally posted by NorEaster
The only place where size equals value and significance is at Costco and Sam's Club.

That kind of measure isn't relevant in reality. Stars don't think. Planets don't ponder the nature of reality. Open space is vast, but it's pretty much a non-actor in the game of dynamic existence.

Your point of view is pretty interesting.

If size and value don't matter, then what does human intelligence have to do with anything. We are able to think deep thoughts. Okay, so what?

If size doesn't matter, then how do you measure a "deep" thought?

Oh that's DEEP! LOL

Originally posted by NorEaster

Originally posted by jiggerj

Originally posted by NorEaster
The only place where size equals value and significance is at Costco and Sam's Club.

That kind of measure isn't relevant in reality. Stars don't think. Planets don't ponder the nature of reality. Open space is vast, but it's pretty much a non-actor in the game of dynamic existence.

Your point of view is pretty interesting.

If size and value don't matter, then what does human intelligence have to do with anything. We are able to think deep thoughts. Okay, so what?

You go ahead and sh*t all over yourself if it makes you feel brilliant. Enjoy. I've done a sh*tload of due diligence in my effort to logically establish what can be known about the impact of "thinking deep thoughts", and your ignorance in this matter means nothing to what is and isn't concerning the value and significance of anything that exists. It's out of your hands and it's out of my hands. It is what it is.

First, I don't know why you're being nasty. Your comments have been great. If you don't like the subject, just stop reading. Okay?

As for your response, I find it amazing that you can say it is what it is (I'm assuming you mean whatever metaphysical possibilities you think exist) while I'm saying the same thing about life. We're here, we die, it is what it is.

Originally posted by MESSAGEFROMTHESTARS

Originally posted by NorEaster
To be honest, I don't care what the rest of the universe thinks is important. Hell, the rest of this universe isn't important to me. As far as I'm concerned, the rest of this mess can go blow itself. I mean, seriously, why do I have to be pestered with what anything or anyone else thinks is significant?

Because some guy on a messageboard told me I have to see things that way? Ha!

What I'm interested in is what lies ahead for me, and the size and scale of the universe has absolutely nothing at all to do with that. Nothing at all.

What the...?

Size and scale has nothing to do with our future? Don't let Einstein know that you just tossed out all notions of frame of reference, and the significance in which it implies. What lies ahead of you is a construct of the very notion of time, scale, and size... HAHAHAHA

Who's telling you 'have to' see anything in any way?
If someone tells me that I have to see something a certain way, that by no means registers as an absolute. Most people aren't that impressionable after maturity...

Ahhh man... sometimes, I swear ATS!

Thank you. If I've come across as sarcastic, I apologize. But, believe me, I'm only trying to emphasize my point, and not attempting to force anyone to bend to my train of thought.

Originally posted by LittleBlackEagle
one drop of water is very insignificant as well as one grain of sand. what they have in common is being connected and together they make the ocean and the Sahara desert.

Well, there you go! If we did have a purpose in the overall scheme of things, our role is sooo miniscule that we would be that one drop of water in the ocean.

reply to post by jiggerj


Well the inverse is also true.

Think about how massively huge we are, compared to cells, compared to molecules, compared to atoms and particles, and the even smaller things we haven't yet discovered because we can't see them, even with the most powerful microscopes around. We are HUGELY massive. Infinitely so.

It's easy to lean to one side of this perspective, and dwell solely on how small we are. And compared to the universe out there, we are insanely small. Compared to the universe inside, we are infinitely huge.

It's all relative to your perception, see? You are infinitely small and infinitely huge at the same time. Size doesn't really matter after all, because it's just an illusion relative to perspective.

So while I enjoyed your post, it did seem overly negative and leaning towards one side of this view point. Let's take both into account. In your reality, you are the center of the universe, literally. Outside of your physical body, the universe extends infinitely making you seem so small. Going inside, everything gets soooooo small, making you seem so huge.

What if inside of atoms are just more physical universe comprised of more atoms that contain more galaxies and star systems and planets and it just continues both infinitely. And we are just inside of one tiny tiny atom that is inside of a bigger physical universe which is just an atom inside of an even bigger universe? And it just goes infinitely like that in both directions. Life supporting more life. You can't really say we are tiny. You can't say we are huge. We are the center of our own experience, and we just are.

Look at both sides of this!

Originally posted by ImaFungi

Originally posted by jiggerj

Originally posted by NorEaster
To be honest, I don't care what the rest of the universe thinks is important. Hell, the rest of this universe isn't important to me. As far as I'm concerned, the rest of this mess can go blow itself. I mean, seriously, why do I have to be pestered with what anything or anyone else thinks is significant?

Because some guy on a messageboard told me I have to see things that way? Ha!

What I'm interested in is what lies ahead for me, and the size and scale of the universe has absolutely nothing at all to do with that. Nothing at all.

You are 100% right. And what if we waste our lives looking for a road that doesn't even exist? What a waste of our insignificant lives!

life is significant,,, for without it we would not live,, we wouldnt be able to be ourselves and do what we can do.... if life only asks that we eat and reproduce,,, what to you, would be not a waste of life... what is worthwhile,, and should we strive to become significant/feel significant.... should we ignore significance,,, or you believe what we are insignificant?

edit on 16-4-2012 by ImaFungi because: (no reason given)

If life is significant, then my question is: Is human life more significant than a cockroach? If so, why? What makes us more important to the earth, to the universe, to a god?

any one change in math equation will change the total/result.

the lesson that you should have learned from this realization is that no matter how small we all play an equal role in the totality.

we should all wake up to that.

But, you bring up a good point for the other side of the coin. We are small compared to the known universe. So the question you have to ask, "what is a king to a god?"

peace

Originally posted by Evil_Santa

Originally posted by jiggerjIf our planet is like a grain of sand in a desert, then what does that make us humans?

Bacteria.

I really just wanted to answer this question that you present, but need 2 lines.

Edit: Actually I've often wondered what kind of conciousness a bacteria/virus has, what kind of thoughts, and how fulfilling of an existence they have.

edit on 16-4-2012 by Evil_Santa because: (no reason given)

And I've wondered, seeing as the longest a fly can live is about a month, if a fly could talk, nearing the end of its life, would it say, "Well, I've had a good long life."?