Astronomy Buff

Expanding My Universe

by Tony on March 3rd, 2007

This is a personal post. While there is some therapeutic value in writing about this, I think it is also relevant to many discussions we’ve had on this blog.

Yesterday, a friend told me something that, at first blush, wasn’t all that earth-shattering but after it had sunk in a bit, I was shocked at my reaction.

To some degree, we all like to think of ourselves as open-minded. Like the misconception that we are all good drivers (no one I’ve met ever described themselves as anything but a good driver, this is usually followed by an incident where they cut off someone in the middle of the freeway - honking ensues), we also like to think we are tolerant and accepting of people, relationships, social situations, and are pragmatic about our views of the universe.

It takes supreme effort to be open-minded. To make an honest effort at it is scary - and it is HARD. I posit that it’s one of the most frightening ways you can live your life. You’ll be presenting yourself to ideas that are truly foreign, and, as a result, your brain (out of some survival reflex I guess) will drown you in a torrent of fearful thoughts and emotions.

As a result, I don’t think ANYONE is as open-minded as they think they are. We all have a certain degree of close-mindedness, we are all predisposed to certain thoughts, and are biased in some way - it’s what I call our comfort zone. Often, throughout our lives, ideas and situations that are so alien to us are introduced and make us afraid and our minds flood us with emotions that cause us to retreat in an attempt to protect ourselves from them.

This brain reflex has served us well over the course of our evolution, it is probably the most responsible for our success as a species. Yet, the time for that reflex has past, because now it makes it harder for us to expand our minds, and with it, our understanding of the universe.

For the purposes of this post, the details of what happened yesterday are irrelevant because my points can be made without them. I will say that what happened really surprised me. I was introduced to a notion that I hadn’t given much thought to before, and at first, everything was fine.

Technorati Tags: anthropic principle, cosmology, open mindedness, the end of the world

Then, as I sat and thought about it, I became afraid. I began having thoughts and emotions that were uncharacteristic of me, and they truly confused me.

I couldn’t understand why I was having these thoughts. Surely, I thought, I can accept this? What is my problem? The reaction I was having was causing a cascade of more, similar emotions and I truly felt out of control. Things were getting worse in my head. I was terrified. It felt like my brain was operating on automatic pilot, programmed by evolution.

It became imperative that I discuss this with someone. I talked to my wife, who, having no experience with it, told me she had nothing to say. She couldn’t help me.

I went back to my friend (who is probably the closest person I’ve ever met to a truly open-minded human on this planet) for help.

Initially, the conversation was confusing, because I was so confused, and frightened. I couldn’t articulate my thoughts very well and I said things I wish I hadn’t. Eventually, I was able to get out what my fears and thoughts and other emotions were. We talked for over two hours.

At the end of it, I understood, and I was so grateful for that. Control was beginning to return and I felt better.

My universe had just gotten a little bit bigger.

New synapses had been formed, and now, I can think about this without being afraid. This new notion is becoming a part of my ever-expanding comfort zone. I can be objective about it and accept it, perhaps even become a participant in that universe.

(Perhaps our goal should be to die with the largest comfort zone we can create for ourselves.)

But let me tell you, it wasn’t easy. I was truly outside of my comfort zone. Anyone who’s being honest with themselves in the course of such self-discovery sees things about themselves that are repulsive. They see things that they would never thought they possessed.

It’s easy for me to sit here and write: “Do something everyday that pushes you, gets you outside of your comfort zone.” But I realize now more than ever, that is easier said than done. That principle still guides me on a daily basis and has led me to some truly astonishing, wonderful, fulfilling experiences. Ones that I wouldn’t have had otherwise, and my life would truly be lesser for it had I not had them.

Still, that path of traveling through life is one of the most frightening a human can embark on. You will see and learn things that, at first, you may wish you hadn’t. Things that make you yearn for the warming hearth of your comfort zone.

I believe that if humanity is to continue on our evolution, then now is the time to discard the evolutionary baggage that has gotten us this far. Some of the biology in our brains no longer serve a useful purpose - and in fact, may even hold us back. It takes supreme effort to overcome it, however.

To continue evolving, humanity needs to strive to find ways of looking at our universe with fresh, honest eyes. When we encounter a concept or an observation about our universe that shakes us to our collective cores, we need to embrace our fears, accept them, and then strive to understand that which has us frightened.

For example, it is entirely possible, if not probable, that:

• This is all there is to life and the universe. When we die, that may be that.
• We are NOT the center of the universe.
• The universe does not need us to exist (Anthropic Principle).
• There is no God.
• The universe is expanding and may expand itself into oblivion. It may evaporate into nothingness.
• There is no such thing as fate.
• We are the sum total of our experiences and nothing more.

These are core-shaking concepts, ideas that make us ALL uncomfortable. Yet, we need to face these possibilities honestly and with a genuine eye towards the truth.

I consider myself open-minded, yet I learned yesterday that I have a long way to go. We all do.

Except, maybe, for my friend. One that I honestly don’t know how I’d live without.

Never stop trying to expand your universe. You may find it will expand with or without your consent.

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