On Where We Stand

Nope, this isn’t about where we stand in the society, as an individual, our position in the world, no, none of that. This is about where we stand as a species. About where the collective mankind stands in this world. And probably even beyond.

Here’s one thing before we begin. When I say humanity, I am not referring to the humanly nature in us. Instead, I’m referring to the humankind as a whole.

We currently stand in a position where we seem to have the world figured out. Not just that, we know and shape how it works by our actions.

Humanity has been around for so long that we’ve even dated back to our origin. How the living came into existence, how it’s been so far, how the world works. What our needs are, what our potential is, what our challenges are. Where we stand in the world of the living, in the universe, explorations to the beyond.

So many spheres, all conquered by mankind.

All along in or journey to figure out the world so far, our minds and observations made by it have supported us. That is partly how science came into being. And the rest was the incurable curiosity of our minds which always need something unexplored to fiddle with, to explain it, to find a reason within. And no, even if we may seem to think we’ve figured out the world, in truth, we haven’t.

How do I know this? It comes from one of my favourite sayings I read in a book by Carl Sagan. Here goes..

 “The time will come when diligent research over long periods will bring to light things which now lie hidden. A single lifetime, even though entirely devoted to the sky, would not be enough for the investigation of so vast a subject... And so this knowledge will be unfolded only through long successive ages. There will come a time when our descendants will be amazed that we did not know things that are so plain to them... Many discoveries are reserved for ages still to come, when memory of us will have been effaced….Our universe is a sorry little affair unless it has in it something for every age to investigate… Nature does not reveal her mysteries once and for all.”

― Seneca, Natural Questions.

There are various parts about this saying which I love. Time will bring to light things which now lie hidden. Many discoveries are reserved for ages still to come. Our universe is a sorry little affair? I mean, the vastest thing we’ve ever known.. somebody called it a sorry little affair? Capabilities of mankind fascinate me. And the last spell-casting line, nature doesn’t reveal her mysteries once and 

for all.

It’s like a snap into a broader picture of reality. As harsh as it sounds, it’s the truth. Something which, very few of us can confront realistically. No, we don’t live in fiction, no, miracles don’t happen for all. This is the truth. Welcome to reality.

But, I mean, who knows? We’re the most unpredictable species with minds of our own and have invented space travel, we’re venturing beyond but at the same time inhabiting the same tiny planet which has been revolving around a star since centuries!

You know, when I put it that way, it sounds crazier than the world ever could.

But we know this, that a thing as miniscule and practically invisible as an atom is equally integral for the working of life as much as the rotation and revolution of something as huge as our beloved planet.

We also know about the amount of elements, or, chemicals, as we put it, that we’re surrounded with at all times, it seems as if everything is chemicals. Apparently, it’s not. But, even though everything around us isn’t chemicals, it’s still energy, in different forms. Forms which we’re using, knowingly or unknowingly, to make stuff since time immemorial.

Sometimes I like to think, what if, one day we wake up to find out that everything we’ve figured out about the world is a lie. Like, some ground-breaking revelation which completely turns the world upside down. How haphazard would the world become, how unstable.

And how will our species, which apparently claims to be the superior one amongst all, deal with the chaos?

Keeping aside the claims of our superiority, here are few things that are undeniably true. We might have the brains, but our lives are still influenced by external happenings, other people, events from all around the world, etcetera. We can build things but we still bow to the forces of nature which can destroy the most prized, most powerful things we ever build. And ultimately, we’re mortals after all. So there’s absolutely no scope of permanence at the moment (there could be if scientists figure out immortality, but not in the present at least.)

Oh come on, what’s a story without some unbeatable limitations. After all, it's a story, right?

Despite all the cons, despite the fact that humans are the most monstrous creatures that ever walked the surface of earth because they got the power to make others’ lives both better and miserable, they still choose the latter, there’s one thing I love about us as species. That is, we may be all kinds of stubborn, we may not be invincible but, we are unstoppable.