As always, thank you for watching. Get 1 free week and 25% off a premium membership to Blinkist using: www.blinkist.com/pursuitofwonder. Thank you to Blinkist for sponsoring this video.

Ahh my daily dose of existential crisis!

I used to hate horror until I experienced some actual bad things in my life. Now reading a scary book (especially cosmic horror), watching a scary movie (especially monster movies and body horror), or reading a gruesome graphic novel quiets a lot of my inner turmoil and helps me cope with feelings of helplessness and grief. Nothing puts things in perspective like entertaining thoughts of something TRULY disturbing.

In high school I fell in love with science and math. I dove into biology, put the puzzle pieces of chemistry together, and explored the infamous world of calculus. I also studied physics. After continuing my education in college, specifically in physics, I started to get these weird feelings randomly. In retrospect, I wasn't sure what was happening to me. I now know that I was having spurts of existential dread. The more I learned about life and the universe we live in, the more it started to overwhelm and freak me out. I still adore math and science, and after overcoming those feelings of dread I think I enjoy our reality even more. If you think about it for too long it can consume you. Very cool video -- will have to read some Lovecraft now.

Personally I think it’s safe to say pursuit of wonder started a change in my life that lead me to think about life and it’s challenges much more rationally and for this I will always be grateful. it has lead me to continue to explore philosophy and psychology and while I do recognize that the only thing that is certain in life is uncertainty, I continue to love learning and appreciate the little things. Thank you so much for this and please keep up the good work.

Possible meaning of life 1. Help reduce the suffering of others and seek nothing in return. 2. The joy of figuring out how the universe works. Best wishes 👍

Since adopting a positive spin on the philosophy of Cosmicism, I’ve never appreciate daily life more.

I really love how you start every video stating the helpless condition of the human race, the existential insignificance of every being, everything we know, but at the end you always come up with saying that our existence no matter how pointless, how dreadful or frightening it may seem like, it is still worth a shot, and to exist facing everyday fully aware of all the mundane nature of it all is the braver, wiser and better choice. That's what makes me love your videos.

The truth of the human condition is that answers will never cure our fears; only acceptance will.

This is the stuff I think of just walking down the street, nobody captures those feelings with words like this channel. Like fr, just looking down at the pavement I begin to imagine the pavers and pothole fillers, then the pavers before them, then the people who came up with asphalt and concrete, then the people who harnessed the power of wood to make casts for such things even possible, then the first people to walk the earth, then the first fish, then the collision between the moon and the earth, then the formation of the earth, then the nature of the universe. Then I think about the future and how incalculable my small slice of time is in comparison. All 8 billion people on the planet could read this comment and it’d still be forgotten in a second (comparatively to all of time((even if they knew my real name and I was the most famous man alive!)) It’s absolutely terrifying and calming at the same time like no other sensation. It’s terrifying because I know I’ll be thought of for the last time mere (comparable) nanoseconds from the instant I send this out, and calming because I know that no matter how terribly I fail at life they won’t remember 100 years from now and especially 10,000 years from now anyway.

I find it indeed interesting that after a cultural development of thousands of years, we seem to be at a point where not too few of us spend as much time as possible trying to escape reality, using means of escapism like binge watching, binge gaming, binge youtubing :) , binge tiktoking ... or simply by drugging themselves to the point of perfect dizziness or stupor.

I have fear of comments, so this is a big hurdle I have overcome.

“The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents. We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far. The sciences, each straining in its own direction, have hitherto harmed us little; but some day the piecing together of dissociated knowledge will open up such terrifying vistas of reality, and of our frightful position therein, that we shall either go mad from the revelation or flee from the light into the peace and safety of a new dark age.” ― H.P. Lovecraft

Yes! A new video to help treat my existentialism and depression. Thank you 💙🤝🏽

"Why did the universe happen?" & "Where are we going?" Strike me as the two primary existential questions about reality

‘we are becoming increasingly aware of what we are not aware of’. True, although you can never get enough of what you don’t need - Buddha. 🌝

It is called Cosmic Horror. I recommend the book Three-Body Problem as well if you like Lovecraft's work.

This has to be the greatest synchronicity I’ve ever had. I’ve been slipping deeper and deeper into this existential rabbit hole of the absurdity of existence.

When I was young, I felt this while reading the second Darren Shan Demonata book, when one of the characters points out tiny stars in the sky to another, who then tells him that they're demons of unimaginable size hurtling through their universe. Great bedtime reading for kids.

7:45 at this point he realizes what he is saying is really depressing so he than suddenly tries to convince people not to kill themselves

You successfully put into words what I had come to realize, everything happens because something else happened, therefore you were destined to be right here right now no matter what. That is the undeniable truth of our reality, we are on a predetermined path of cause and effect and nothing can stop or change that. It’s so weird to come to that realization, I can’t even begin to describe the feeling

Thank you. I was running low on existential dread and you refueled my tank elegantly and poignantly.

Existence is terrifying until you realize that you ARE existence. All of it. What a relief.

Once you accept that existence is meaningless and that death is just nonexistence, which makes it even more meaningless than existence ... Then nothing is scary.

I read a lot of HPs books and still like them very much. But as scientist, especially physicist and biochemist, I have to admire the unknown... and it even more suiting, that even as we or our acestors konw so much less, we are all have a chain of ancestors going back to the very first life on this planet.. and unbroken chain, which is linking over billions of years... this is remarkable stable and resilint against all odds of reality... we are persistant.. each of us... so fear is warning us, but we have a rich history, do never forget this

This was brilliant. Well done and thank you!

This is absolutely top tier content mate, brilliant as ever

I've been waiting for this one for a long time specifically from you!!!

Dude I have never heard of this channel but I can say this much. I don't know if the speach you'd said at the end was an original or not but it was very good and it was very well delivered on your part. It almost reminds me of a graduation speach in a way. How it managed to encapsulate the fear of not knowing what is to come next whilst still being inspirational to the the potential of what may lie ahead and reminding you not forget or ignore the experiences or events that inevitably lead up to this point. I have always been somewhat blown away by the thoughts of the larger world around me and my place in experiencing it or the thought of how many other people their are who are all experiencing their own existence all around me and their thoughts and feelings in comparison to my own. How completely different their lifes can be or at least their views on life may be even if they are living right nextdoor. The idea that so many people exist and for every single one is a life that's only truly experienced by themselves. I remember as a child walking around and glancing at other people's windows and seeing a brief glipse of what is essentially a completely different existence going on parallel to my own. One that even though it was happening so near to mine however it might never actually intersect with it in anyway at all or in ways that either will ever be consciously aware of if they do. I remember wondering what their lives must be like and how as a species or even a planet we someway ended up with the world we have today and everything that has happened to get us there. I don't know how much of that makes sense but I can end with a last definite case of cause and effect... watching your video has caused me to subscribe and like.

Thanks very much. Really interesting 👏👏👏

As a child, I used to worry about the cause and effect of existence and how if just one of the innumerable dynamics changed, I would not exist. It would terrify me. As an adult, I now fear that the nature of discovery is such that it only magnifies the unknown. The search for knowledge is a fools journey, and I fear it will eventually drive me mad.

Very good video! I've seen some from this channel, but this one really hits the mark. I'll be keeping an eye on future postings

This was absolutely awesome Thank you

awsome video!!

the remnants of a smile and lots of laughter too ❤ life is a funny blessing thank you, pursuit of wonder, for the topics you cover and your unique renditions on them

you always do such a stand-up job on your graphics, I need to know your methods!!

I am sad... still sad... because of all the mistakes I make because I am too stupid... but still .... u came... my emo prince... greatest genius....and did this... the final minutes where incredibile... why? why you? Why any of us? So so... no words to describe....really... I still dunno if I am too weak or life is too hard... you helped me realise that indeed life is too hard... well I kinda always knew but you confirmed my judgement... as I am sad...in my despair and lonely hours, as it is hard for me to go outside... crippling anxiety... that gives lots of tummy problems......in the taughest times I met u...and frans de waal books... and you saved my life.... especially u.... ghis video motivates me to read lovecraft. . It seems fascinating... if i can bare it... cause I am too scared...lol

I 🥰 this presentation, thanks, I'm subscribed to your newsletter // visiting my inbox has never been this interesting, love your work

Wow! What a Superb Narrative! I will now delve into H P. LOVECRAFT. Thank you for "The Pursuit Of Wonder"

Anyone who stays up for hours every single night thinking about the unanswerable questions KNOWS that existence itself is horrifying. In a long list of ways. I will always love this channel, and I'm very grateful that the Matrix hasn't decided to shut you down yet. You're a very gifted thinker, and I hope you hear that from more than just youtube users.

"No One Here Gets Out Alive" A book about Jim Morrison, lead singer of 'The Doors', a band name based on the words of poet William Blake, who wrote of "The Doors of Perception"

Is amazing how this videos make me so hipnotized. It just feel different to hear and see all this things; create such a unique sensation...

this is your best video yet

The odds of anyone existing in this world is astronomical. If you consider all the things from the beginning of time that had to align perfectly, to come to our own individual existence baffles my mind.

Amazing !

Amazing video

A few months ago I completed Lovecraft's "The Complete Cthulhu Mythos Tales", comprised of 23 stories set in the same universe. It was a wild, wild ride that definitely made me think on these questions. To put in focus the infinity of time and space, as contrasted by our own strictly limited human perspective, is a task that both terrifies and inspires one. Despite the relative comfort of nowadays' life, partially made possible by the very technological advancements Lovecraft seemed to dread so much, I still feel as if we're yet to experience that which he alluded to in his opening paragraph to "The Call of Cthulhu". And I don't really want to point my finger at truly sentient and independent AI, but it's hard not to. I think the real horrors are yet to come. Guess only time will tell.

I needed this thank you

There is no first cause or absolute beginning. That is the ultimate conundrum. No God, know fear... Know God, no fear! Godspeed, to my fellow astronauts ❤️⚖️🧠

This was great

Thank you pursuit of wonder for changing my life and perception

Well done. Thanks

The idea that there might be some kind of existence after death is probably my biggest fear. If I could be 100% certain that death was the absolute end of my existence that would be very comforting.

Wonderful 🥰 thank you 😊

Thank you very much !! (from France)

That has to be the coolest explanation of cosmicism I have ever heard 👍

Beautiful

All the love for you @pursuit of wonder

"Perhaps existence itself is the greatest horror.". Well, yeah. All our pain hits us while we exist. When we stop existing---no pain! Like magic!

Enjoyed the ride.. This one did the trick.. More like this & I'm a keeper..

We all want to run away, be free, from mundane reality. Some people buy a mobile home/caravan, or a canal boat, but we can't run away from overselves. Most of our life, we are distracted by the everyday problems of the world, but later we have much time to dwell on our existence. Without a good frame of reference, we can imagine/invent all sorts of horrors. It's all about attitude, the world is full of beauty, love and wonder. Life is the greatest gift from the creator, race each other to do good, and you will have a blessed life 🎉

I'm a simple man, I see Lovecraft, I click

This is a well written, powerful little essay. I hear echoes of Rod Serling.

Most excellent indeed 👍❤️

nice mythos video!

Existence is not scary it is and that's all it needs to be

Thank you. 😎

Graciliano Ramos and his work "angústia" need to appear on this channel. Great video

Find something meaningful and do it. I, for one, am grateful to be here.

Cosmic horror... Seems like a way to stay stuck in fear 🤷 good upload as usual

Video is nice It's empirical evidence of the soundness of Ligotti's argument.

Thank you 😊

Our universe is actually built on probability so it isn’t deterministic in nature. Quantum mechanics has found definite proof that the probability is intrinsic to the universe, we discovered this during the first half of the 20th century. Great video, I just wanted to correct you on this.

My deepest fear. And that's putting it very lightly

It’s hard not to have a fear of what I don’t know because there is so much out there!😅

I just lack words to express what I ever thought, but this channel does it for me. I love it

Being in the present moment (truly being in the present moment and enlightened) you get to experience reality as it truly is without your mind putting these weird unrealistic filters on reality. Usually when you experience reality directly through the practice of meditation you will literally lose any fear you’ve had about existence and reality

No easy conversation with you, but... a very good video.

Examine the melody of the cosmos, the sparkling allegories of nature, the big-ass truths of the human condition wrapped in the hard shell of nonsensical abstraction - themes that flew through the air with the greatest of ease.

Excellent writing. Thanks for putting the brilliance of Lovecraft in the proper light.🎉

Existence is truly a difficult thing to grasp but it is not deterministic. There are predictable probabilities but never certainty.

This format is much better

Up inside of a mind INSANE. SLAYER

This channel is questioning our existence, but still we love it.😅❤

Truly a deep daily dose of existential crisis and what to learn more about Cosmicism

I don't have a fear of death, I have a fear of dying...

crying on my break at work now

this my fave channel

I find this oddly comforting

Feelings of spontaneity are important

I'm grateful for experiencing life.

Thanm you❤❤

The idea of existing forever has haunted me since I was four years old.

Finally❤

"Dimensional acuity". I like it. I'm gonna go ahead and approve.

I’ll admit, in the hypothetical scenario I was an atheist. I would’ve probably already kicked the bucket. I can’t imagine how much hopelessness I would be dealing with on top of my current mental state

That's genial. I've named it ''an awestruck fear of existence'' or being aware of ''I am what I am and that's only me''. Actually that's the first step towards true enlightenment and understanding naturally that we are an eternal soul and body is only a temporal form of existence for a spirit within

I wish I could be blissfully unaware again

The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.

Don't even worry about it, all living beings are a part of a collective consciousness... probably. Death is a temporary inconvenience. "Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter!" ~Yoda