The Participatory Nature of the Universe

Note: This was a paper written for my metaphysics class, so it does not hold the usual air of disenchanted sarcasm that my usual entries possess. That is all. Read on.

Life is called a “cycle” and human beings are thought to be at the top of the “food chain.” We’re all part of an “ecosystem” where each link in the food chain prey on the members of the level below them as a source of food, or in some cases, simply possess habits which indicate a higher level of intelligence. Life tends to be cyclical, nature reproducing itself time and time again. Living creatures not only feed to survive, but also they reproduce, creating the next generation of their species. Every living creature fulfills its roll in the ecosystem in order to fulfill the niche they possess within this entire complex system of nature. In the general state of the ecosystem, those that don’t participate in the pattern of behavior that is required to survive and fulfill the niche die out and their species becomes extinct. Basic participation is required for a species to survive and flourish in the system. The seemingly mere factor of participation is what deems whether a thing will continue to exist. This cycle of participation is true of any integral part of the system of the entire Universe.

On a closer view, the social system of human beings is a highly participatory. Participation, at first encounter, involves the interaction between a child and their parents. If there are other siblings present then this factor is added in as well. We garner the knowledge of the properties of social interaction from our families, and our parents attempt to bring us up to be emotionally and intellectually well-balanced individuals, enabling us to have a successful and fulfilling life cycle. In this instance, the need to “fulfill” a niche takes on a whole new quality; fulfilling a niche is no long merely a means of survival, but it decides your fate within the social system. Upon turning the ripe old age of five, we’re thrust into an entirely new world filled with new people and places, and not to mention an entirely new system of authority. Now in kindergarten there may not be the high level of expectations that the adult world holds, but to a small child, this venture is daunting.

The social infrastructure of human beings is implemented on the most chaotic and unfettered environment within the academic system: the playground. What we choose to play and whom we choose to play it with could very well decide our future insofar as who will become our lifelong friends or enemies, what social group we’ll be associated with, and what sort of personality people will take us to have. Do I choose to climb the jungle gym or play chicken on the monkey bars? Or is foursquare more the flavor that I seek? Maybe I’d rather dig tunnels in the sandbox or I might fancy the idea of playing a game of hopscotch. Perhaps I just rather sit quietly under a tree and play with a toy I brought with me from home. All of the options are perfectly feasible and viable; however all but the last option is the only that involves solitary activity. If I choose to play by myself on a constant basis than my circle of friends will be very small or virtually non-existent. If I keep up this introverted demeanor, it will follow me all through academic life.

There comes a time in the early stages of our academic life when teachers start to grade us on our rate of class participation. If we don’t participate enough then we receive lower marks, and our parents are informed of our lack of participation. In turn, if we want to be successful in the academic world, we’re forced to participate. As a result of this, the majority of people then begin to assimilate themselves into a slot in the social system. Once in high school, we begin to join social groups outside of classes, and this is where we form our seemingly most formidable friendships. From these groups is where we tend to make decisions as to what we will “be when we grow up.” With the participation of these activities we fulfill a new kind of niche; a social order is set according to these groups. It becomes a toiling effort as we attempt to keep our heads above water within this social system, hoping that we won’t be come one of the “geek”, “nerds” or “losers”. At times, the pressure to participate in this system can drive people to states of mental anguish that can result in a person feeling as though they can no longer cope and survive within this system and must take their own life, hence ceasing to participate in any way in the cycle.

Upon reaching adulthood, most people have made a “mark” of “who” they are, and living according to that social class. Those that don’t end up seeking higher education take the role of blue-collar workers, fulfilling the functional niche of providing the rest of society with necessary services. Whether someone becomes a college professor, providing education (and at times enlightenment) to the knowledge seeking humans, or if they work behind a register in a fast food restaurant, each person acts within a role, participating in the human social system. The universe on a whole is a far more vast system of participation, and the role of human beings is a cog in the wheel of the extremely complex system of the universe in its entirety. Some human beings possess the need to investigate the purpose of their life through philosophical contemplation, while others see their existence as a way to earn the right to join “God” in the realms of “Heaven,” and attempt to attain this through diligent religious practice. Regardless of whether we spend our time questioning the meaning of everything, or “know” our purpose is to act according to the “word of God,” we are still forever participating in this universe. The participatory nature of the universe is what gears us to function as we do, and is how we form the systems and classifications of things in nature.