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Center of the Universe -- Writer's Poke #189

Human beings are a funny lot.

For most of our history, we believed that we were the center of the universe, and that everything revolved around us. Guess what? Even though now we seemingly know better -- that the Earth revolves around the sun, that our sun is just one of billions of suns in billions of galaxies -- we don't. Most people simply don't sit around and contemplate how small and insignificant we -- and our planet, and our place in the universe -- really are.

What we lack, in other words, is perspective. And maybe that's a built-in defense mechanism. In fact, I'm sure it is.

Growing up, we all experience the same thing on an individual level, right? We all start out in life believing that we are the center of the universe. We are the protagonist in our own play, and everyone around us simply shares our stage. It's hard to think that with a planet of 7 billion people, even if we were "one in a million," that still means that there are thousands of people just like us.

Are you unique? If you believe that you are, in what way? And how did you feel when you discovered that, unique or not, you are not the center of the universe?

"Always remember you're unique, like everyone else." -- Alison Boulter

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  1. UnknownFebruary 28, 2009 at 12:36 AM

    Actually, I suspect that for most of our (human) history most of us (that is other humans) have not even considered whether or not we we the center of the universe. Among those who have so considered, I suspect that a fair number thought they were much "below" the "gods"

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