Darkover
Angelic
- Jul 29, 2021
- 4,859
The tyranny of existence is not just the product of human systems or societies; it is a deeper, more profound machine—an all-encompassing mechanism that operates with indifferent precision, grinding away without purpose, compassion, or pause. This machine is the framework of life itself, the uncaring interplay of natural forces, biological imperatives, and cosmic laws that have birthed and now sustain the endless cycles of creation and destruction. It is a system into which we are thrust without consent, where existence itself becomes an unavoidable obligation.
At its core, the machine of existence is powered by unrelenting forces—entropy, reproduction, consumption, and decay. These forces create an endless loop in which life must constantly struggle to survive, driven by needs it can never permanently satisfy. Food must be found, predators must be avoided, and the perpetuation of life must be ensured through reproduction, all while the shadow of inevitable death looms.
This machine does not care for the individual; it operates on a scale far removed from personal suffering or joy. It uses pleasure as bait and pain as punishment, ensuring that organisms act in ways that maintain the system. The illusion of purpose or progress is woven into the fabric of life itself, but in truth, it is a closed loop, a self-replicating mechanism devoid of meaning.
The human condition adds another layer to this tyranny. Our consciousness makes us aware of the absurdity of the system. We know that our needs—hunger, thirst, shelter, companionship—are temporary at best, yet we are bound to pursue them, only to find the cycle repeating. Even the search for meaning, love, or joy becomes part of the machinery, as these pursuits are ultimately driven by the same underlying forces.
Reproduction is perhaps the cruelest cog in this machine. It perpetuates the cycle, creating new beings who are also thrust into the same system, bound to endure its trials and tribulations. Each new life becomes another worker in the machine, another unit of biological labor, another host for the system to exploit.
The indifference of existence stretches beyond life itself, into the cold, uncaring vastness of the universe. Stars are born, burn brightly, and die, scattering their remnants across space to form new stars and planets, only for the process to repeat endlessly. On this scale, life appears as a fleeting anomaly, a temporary rebellion against the entropy that will one day consume it.
Yet even this rebellion is part of the machine. The universe, too, is a self-regulating system, obeying physical laws that ensure its continuity. Life is not separate from this; it is a product of the same mechanical inevitability's. The human desire for freedom, meaning, or transcendence cannot escape this cosmic machinery, no matter how profound the yearning.
To those who see existence as an inherent tyranny, non-existence may appear as the ultimate liberation. In non-existence, there is no suffering, no striving, no obligation to participate in the endless, grinding mechanisms of life. It is a state beyond the reach of the machine, free from the cycles of need and decay.
Yet the thought of non-existence is terrifying for many. The machine of existence has programmed us to fear its absence, equating survival with meaning and death with failure. This fear ensures that most will remain complicit in the system, clinging to life even when it offers little but suffering.
The tyranny of existence is not something we can overthrow or escape while we are alive; it is the fundamental structure of reality itself. This machine has no creator, no master, and no agenda. It simply is. It compels us to participate, to struggle, and to reproduce, all while ignoring the pleas of those caught in its mechanisms.
To see this machine for what it is—to recognize its indifference and the futility it imposes—is both a curse and a form of clarity. For some, it may inspire rebellion or a search for meaning despite the system's indifference. For others, it may affirm the desire to step off the conveyor belt entirely, seeking freedom in the silence that lies beyond existence.
At its core, the machine of existence is powered by unrelenting forces—entropy, reproduction, consumption, and decay. These forces create an endless loop in which life must constantly struggle to survive, driven by needs it can never permanently satisfy. Food must be found, predators must be avoided, and the perpetuation of life must be ensured through reproduction, all while the shadow of inevitable death looms.
This machine does not care for the individual; it operates on a scale far removed from personal suffering or joy. It uses pleasure as bait and pain as punishment, ensuring that organisms act in ways that maintain the system. The illusion of purpose or progress is woven into the fabric of life itself, but in truth, it is a closed loop, a self-replicating mechanism devoid of meaning.
The human condition adds another layer to this tyranny. Our consciousness makes us aware of the absurdity of the system. We know that our needs—hunger, thirst, shelter, companionship—are temporary at best, yet we are bound to pursue them, only to find the cycle repeating. Even the search for meaning, love, or joy becomes part of the machinery, as these pursuits are ultimately driven by the same underlying forces.
Reproduction is perhaps the cruelest cog in this machine. It perpetuates the cycle, creating new beings who are also thrust into the same system, bound to endure its trials and tribulations. Each new life becomes another worker in the machine, another unit of biological labor, another host for the system to exploit.
The indifference of existence stretches beyond life itself, into the cold, uncaring vastness of the universe. Stars are born, burn brightly, and die, scattering their remnants across space to form new stars and planets, only for the process to repeat endlessly. On this scale, life appears as a fleeting anomaly, a temporary rebellion against the entropy that will one day consume it.
Yet even this rebellion is part of the machine. The universe, too, is a self-regulating system, obeying physical laws that ensure its continuity. Life is not separate from this; it is a product of the same mechanical inevitability's. The human desire for freedom, meaning, or transcendence cannot escape this cosmic machinery, no matter how profound the yearning.
To those who see existence as an inherent tyranny, non-existence may appear as the ultimate liberation. In non-existence, there is no suffering, no striving, no obligation to participate in the endless, grinding mechanisms of life. It is a state beyond the reach of the machine, free from the cycles of need and decay.
Yet the thought of non-existence is terrifying for many. The machine of existence has programmed us to fear its absence, equating survival with meaning and death with failure. This fear ensures that most will remain complicit in the system, clinging to life even when it offers little but suffering.
The tyranny of existence is not something we can overthrow or escape while we are alive; it is the fundamental structure of reality itself. This machine has no creator, no master, and no agenda. It simply is. It compels us to participate, to struggle, and to reproduce, all while ignoring the pleas of those caught in its mechanisms.
To see this machine for what it is—to recognize its indifference and the futility it imposes—is both a curse and a form of clarity. For some, it may inspire rebellion or a search for meaning despite the system's indifference. For others, it may affirm the desire to step off the conveyor belt entirely, seeking freedom in the silence that lies beyond existence.