Christopher HitchensWhy do humans exist? A major part of the answer: because Pikaia Gracilens survived the Burgess decimation.
About This Quote
Humans have a tendency to be self-centered. We believe that we are the center of the universe and have a right to everything. We think there is no purpose for our existence other than to serve ourselves. In this quote, Pikaia Gracilens, the last remaining member of its species, is speaking of how humans feel about themselves.
The Burgess decimation was a mass extinction event approximately 360 million years ago on Earth. A meteorite struck Pikaia Gracilens and wiped out almost all life on land except for those that were underground or deep in the ocean. Even the air was toxic with carbon dioxide poisoning all other organisms on land.
This quote is evidence that Pikaia Gracilens was speaking about humans before the Burgess decimation occurred. If they were not aware of what humans are capable of, then they would have never survived the extinction event which killed almost all other earth life forms except for those who were either underground or deep in the ocean. People today still have the same mentality as Pikaia Gracilens by thinking that because they exist, everything else must serve their needs.
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