“Great Filter” Film Looks at Humanity’s Biggest Existential Threats

The conundrum of how and why life exists as it does is a lot of heavy thinking that a lot of people don’t bother with for their own reasons. For some, it’s too much to think about and therefore not that important as they keep their thoughts upon the simple and more pressing matters of life as they currently are. For others that enjoy stretching their thoughts as far as they can go however the term, abiogenesis is something that carries a great deal of interest. The origin of life as it currently exists has been a question for scholars and scientists alike since they’ve spent decades and even centuries trying to sort through the data and beliefs that seek to explain life in various ways. As of now though, many people feel that they might have a good handle on this, as much of one as anyone can have at least, but the truth is that whatever is known is still just enough to admit that there’s a great deal that isn’t known as of yet. The wisest and most knowledgeable of scientists will gladly tell you that a lot of what they have is guesswork based on the data that they have, informed guesswork to be certain, but still a giant question mark that’s being thrust into a universe that they’re still attempting to understand. The thing is that the filter that separates our understanding of life and how it’s evolved to what it is and has met the equilibrium that’s necessary to sustain itself is tenuous at best, which is unnerving to hear, to say the least, and even more unnerving to sit and realize.

Earth is the system that we rely on for pretty much everything, and the fact is that without the elements and the conditions we currently have, things would be a great deal harder to withstand since like it or not, if things fall too far out of whack the planet will respond in one way or another, and neither way is that appealing. Even less appealing than this however is the thought that we might actually be alone in this universe as some appear to think, or have at least theorized. The absence of signals received from the ether is one way to think that we might be alone in this system, but perhaps there’s another consideration. If the theory that other worlds exist and that they’re far more advanced than our own, considering that earth, on a geological scale, is still quite young, then it’s likely that we might have been visited in the past and never known about it. Thinking of the advances of the past few hundred years and the realization that while our ancestors looked to the stars but could never reach beyond their atmosphere, it’s very possible that an alien species has already seen what we had to offer and figured that we’re not ready yet. To be fair, it would be hard to blame them for thinking such a thing, since the current state of things in this world is easy to think of as chaotic at best, and ruinous at worst.

But there are other things to consider when thinking about this wonderful world we live on and the expiration date that might be coming generations from now or far quicker than we think. There have been doomsayers for longer than many want to consider, those that wish to predict and speak of the end of the world. These individuals are still out there, ready to wax on to anyone that will listen as they spout prophecies and ‘factual’ passages from ancient texts and scholars that apparently saw what the future would bring. It’s interesting to think that some people in the past might have been able to see patterns and predict what might come to pass, but it’s also a neat trick that one could use in a number of different ways, and it’s entirely suggestive in a way that almost ensures that people will attempt to make such a thing come to pass since it’s important that their beliefs be upheld and that the reputation of the individual making the predictions be preserved. It sounds like a conspiracy theory, doesn’t it? Humans are great at this, especially those that know how to works such tricks since we want to believe in something so badly that we’ll tend to fool each other and ourselves in order to make certain things come true. Science at least takes the data that’s gained for what it is, even if bold predictions are made at times and the unbelievable is sometimes believed to be possible.

One day this world will likely end, and if it comes sooner than later it will be proof of one thing: life is unpredictable and chaotic and follows its own sense of order.