Making Sense - June 26 2022

 

Making Sense

June 26 2022

No, things don't happen for a reason.

There may be reasons

the marriage failed

the cells turned rogue

the tree fell,

but these are the how, not the why.

The chain of cause and effect

may be explained,

but not the ultimate purpose.

After all, it began with the accident of birth,

and after that

more random events

and throws of the dice.

But then, we are story-tellers at heart.

So we look back

make sense

construct narratives.

And look ahead

wanting to feel cared for,

creating omnipotent gods

who act as substitute fathers,

surrogate mothers

there to comfort us.

The planet turns

steadily circling its star.

The sun burns

until all its fuel is gone.

And an inscrutable universe

contains multitudes

out past the reach of light

and beyond our understanding.

Such unbecoming pride

to centre ourselves

in this vast indifferent place.

Because one is watching

no one's keeping score.

Because in the cold vacuum of space

we are insignificant,

as fleeting as a flame

incidentally snuffed out.

To imagine justice

purpose

order

is far too much.

The gift of life is enough.

So enjoy

behave yourself

try to live well.

Be humble.

Expect nothing.

Be generous in love.

My defence of nihilism. Or at least my attempt to rehabilitate this somewhat unconventional worldview from the misconceptions attached to it. One of those challenging philosophical poems that would have been much easier in prose. But then that's the fun of it.

Which, because it requires accepting your insignificance, is a philosophy centred on humility. And because you don't take yourself so seriously, a big advantage of a healthy sense of nihilism is that it allows you to go through life with a kind of detached bemusement. With no expectation of fairness or justice, unavoidable events don't leave you feeling victimized or singled out.

I don't see nihilism as conferring licence. Because even If there is no ultimate meaning, we can and should still construct meaning in our personal lives. And because living a moral life and dying with integrity are intrinsically satisfying, it doesn't matter that nothing matters. And because without punishment and reward, being good and doing good become far more honourable.

It's childish to project our feeling of family onto the universe. Yes, we were cared for once. But the universe doesn't. Anyone who asserts that things happen for a reason is speaking out of pride and indefensible self-importance.

So no, there is no reason. And no, you aren't in any way important.

It's in our nature to “make” sense of things, and to want to see justice and order in things. But that doesn't make it so.