Life : A Question

"Mankind was born on Earth. It was never meant to die here."

-   Christopher Nolan      

[Interstellar (2014)]   

Through Science and common sense, we know that the Earth is not meant to last forever. Nor will mankind or life as a whole survive till eternity. An optimist would say, "That's not at all an excuse to give up on life! How else would life survive if not by hope?" While a pessimist would say, "What's the point of existing if everything is meant to perish anyway?" Well, here are my questions: Who are we? Why are we here? Where are we going?

There is a certain seduction in these questions/ideas that still lure humans into the maze and will undoubtedly continue to do so in the future. There must be a reason behind this perfect coincidence that created a system simple and complex enough to harbor life (for as long as it can). How can one never wonder what that might be?

"I think it's quite likely that we are the only civilization within several hundred light years; otherwise we would have heard radio waves. The alternative is that civilizations don't last very long, but destroy themselves."

    -  Stephen William Hawking   

 

If we are the most advanced creatures on this planet, why are we the sole reason responsible for accelerating its destruction? 

If we are at the apex of the ecosystem's pyramid, why is our existence threatened by the rapidly extinguishing natural resources and extinction of other species?

If we are the only species gifted with the ability to perceive and interpret the Universe, why do we betray humanity to satisfy our insatiable greed and Satanic desires?

Homo sapiens sapiens (modern humans) appeared around 25,000 years ago. They started spreading in the region around Caspian and Mediterranean Seas around 10,000-11,000 years ago. They further migrated across all directions forming the present-day white or Caucasoid, Mongoloid and black or Negroid races. 

So it's pretty evident that our tendency to divide and discriminate among ourselves began from the time we got here. In fact, the problem didn't even lie solely in the formation of different "races" but in the act of excluding, isolating and ill-treating the so-called "inferior races" - the act of racism. Of course, that was just ONE of the volumes of other mistakes we made, intentionally and unintentionally.

In an attempt to dominate Earth, we ended up destroying it. 

I think the root of this entire problem is buried deep in our intentions. True intentions. Think about it, what is usually our first concern when we think about the benefits of our actions? Humans. Ourselves. Majority of our technology and all other developments basically revolve around our own needs. We are preoccupied with the growth and welfare of humans, regardless of the cost that we make our planet pay. 

Lot of people (not all) support the motto "Save Earth" because they see their own survival at stake in the end, rather than the survival of Earth along with all other biotic and abiotic elements of Nature (that obviously includes humans too)! That, dear reader, is the difference. We might be good enough to work for the betterment and safety of our planet, but not all do it for the same reason. Everyone might do the right thing together but we cannot expect everyone to have the same right intention behind it. 

That is why, I think, perspective matters. It's like the secret ingredient that governs what each and every one of us do in a lifetime, or how each and every one of us live our lives, simultaneously affecting those of others. 

So what's the point I'm trying to make? We've made mistakes (as humans) and we continue to commit them as if that's what makes us human. Despite being educated or at least aware of it, we always put our lives ahead of others' (plants, animals, everything in between and beyond). Even if we do consider them, we do not prioritize all the elements equally. More often than not, humans put themselves at the top of the priority list. We need to realize that humans are a part of Earth/Life just as much as the others are. That's my point. 

We mustn't get used to the crimes we learn about everyday - regardless of what or who those crimes are against. More than focusing on our reaction  and expression of our opinions about the crime, we should focus on contributing to make a difference by action - regardless of how big or small the action is and how we take it. More than talking about the crime itself, we should discuss about reaching a proper conclusion that gives us a permanent solution to strictly prevent similar crimes from happening ever again! If they do, there should be fatally brutal consequences. 

We must understand that demanding justice is NOT enough! It won't solve the problems at all, let alone permanently. Demanding justice won't compensate the losses, even if it might merely satisfy us or the people who were not directly involved in the situation, temporarily. We must not need or wait for something to happen that opens our eyes so that we initiate campaigns and protests demanding justice after the damage has been done.

This is about life. The biggest question that Earth faces now and will face more directly as we make our way into the future. 

Who are we? We are the ones who gave God a human figure. When in reality, God is the Universe. 

Why are we here? We are here to experience an infinitesimally small fraction of the Universe's timeline that we call 'life'. In terms of the Universe, time has just begun now.

Where are we going? That, my friend, is yours to answer.