The Unknown…
Humans fear what they could not explain. It has been like that since the day of our ancestors, and it’s a trait we inherited from them. It’s in our genes.
The feat of the unknown is a symbol of human ignorance? But is it a bad thing?
In my personal opinion though, the fear of the unknown is what pushes our race to move forward. It’s a stumbling block that we must overcome. So for me, fearing the unknown is not a bad thing.
Many of the things that surrounds you; your house, the clothes you’re wearing, the vehicle you’re riding, and even the laptop that I’m using to write this article was the product of that fear.
The unknown pushes humans to strive for knowledge that could explain phenomenon that were unexplainable. For that they needed to develop and invent tools that can help them explain the unknowns.
Of course the unknown can be very dangerous too. And since there’s power in number, humans group together. Also, to protect themselves, they built houses, castles, and fortresses that could defend them from the unknown. Weapons are also developed for that purpose.
Since humanity fear the cold, they invented clothes to keep themselves warm. They tame the force known as fire for their own uses. They even learned how to harness the power of the river for various purposes such as irrigation and electricity. Even the power of the sun was used to serve humanity’s needs.
And all of this was only possible because humanity fears the unknown…
Humanity Will Never Stop Fearing the Unknown
Despite what humanity have achieved so far, it could be said we had just scratched the surface of what the universe had to offer. We might not be as ignorant as our ancestor but the fear of the unknown is still there. And that’s a good thing.
I say it’s a good thing because as long as the unknown exist, humanity has something to strive for. And as long as we keep striving forward, our lives will never get boring – our existence will always have a purpose.
After all, it was said that once humanity stop striving for new knowledge, we will become stagnant and our race will soon cease to exist.
Besides, there’s really no reason to stop striving. The universe is full of strange and wonderful things that are just waiting to be discovered. Moreover, as race, humanity could be said to have just taken the first step. Meaning, we still have a long way to go until we discover more of the unknown.
It could also mean that our civilization would grow stronger and walk farther. Moreover, the farther we walk, the more we discover, and the more we discover, the nearer we are in answering some of the questions that’s been plaguing as for ages. Questions like, if we are alone in this vast universe?
Personally though, I always believe that humans are not the only intelligent race in the universe. Nor is Earth the only planet with life. Obviously, I’m not the only one who thought this way. But as undeniable proof hasn’t been discovered yet, this belief could only remain as such; a belief.
Still, I’m hopeful that I’ll be able to see aliens in this life time. That said, will the aliens we’re going to eventually meet be friendly or not? That’s another unknown worth contemplating.
Life is Worth Living Because of the Unknown
Humans are very different from every animal on Earth. No, I’m not being a humanist, or was that human supremacist? Not that it matters…
Anyways, what makes humans very different from other animals aside from our intellect is our creativity and imagination. Yes, humans are very creative creature. If we humans encountered something that we could not understand, we would try to make up explanation for it. And the explanation that we concocted can be… very imaginative to say the least as seen in our arts, literature, architectures, cultures, etc.
Of course as we learn more of the unknown, our explanation for the things that confuses us in the past also becomes more scientific and realistic. Personally though, I prefer the “creative” explanations more than the scientific ones. But that’s because it’s more interesting that way.
Basically, the unknown is like the spice of our entire existence; similar to how spice makes even the blandest dishes more palatable, the unknown gives more meaning to our existence. It’s a great thing and we should be thankful that our world and the universe have so many mysteries that have yet to be discovered.
Certainly, the unknown can be very terrifying most of the time but we wouldn’t be where we are now if we did not try to find answers to the mysteries that plague us. Saying that we owe everything we have now to our innate curiosity and fear of the unknown isn’t an exaggeration either.
The unknown pretty much shaped us as a race. And if we allow it, it’ll continue shaping us. Personally, I say we let it.
So what do you think of this article? Did you find it interesting? Also, did you agree with what was written here? Or maybe you disagree? Whatever your opinion might be please write it in the comment section. Also, if you have any criticism, please do write it there as well so that I could improve.
Anyway that’s all for now – thank you for reading, and have a nice day.
FIN~
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My other articles: https://read.cash/@beastion
I can see where you are coming from The flip side of the fear, curiosity and hunger for discovery
Enjoyed the read