Pathetic Pondering

Pathetic fallacy is a literary device that provokes an interesting idea. I mean, imagine the universe cared enough to mirror us. However, it just shows that the truth of man’s insignificance will always be trumped by our arrogance. No– maybe it’s not arrogance, maybe we are disturbed by the reality that our existence means nothing. It’s foolish to posit the idea that we impact the universe in any way, but we still try. We conjure elaborate plans to prolong our species and celebrate aimless advancements in space exploration. Even though these endeavours only attempt to grasp for something that tells us we are not alone and through the failures of this, we settle that the ambiguity somehow declares we’re special. We just want to matter.

All the progress we’ve made and the knowledge we’ve acquired is futile. It changes nothing. The universe waits for no one and all these accomplishments will inevitably be expunged by oblivion. No achievement will withstand time. These are things we can’t control. We only have control over a minute amount of things and the things we can control, we take no responsibilities for– continuing the incessant loop of feeling helpless but helping no one. Oh, what a pitiful existence!

I thought about this as I stood outside in the rain nursing my last cigarette. But now as I write, I imagine that my heartbreak caused the despondent patter outside my window. It wouldn’t change anything, but at least articulates my presence has an effect on something– that my absence has an effect on him.