Excerpt from Destruction and Deconstruction: A Look at the Soul of Humanity

by Dr. Padraigin Ó Catháin

Published on Terra-Sol date 3799.239

Although we have always been able to rationalize

our tendency toward violence—or, in certain cases, ritualize it and transform it into something convincingly righteous—it remains that humanity has excelled at violence against ourselves and our habitat for as long as we’ve existed. I would argue it was our first area of expertise. Numerous philosophers, theologians, and scientists have proposed ways to end the epidemic of devastation humanity constantly spreads; none

have worked, not one in centuries. Just look at the

theories from pre-superluminal drive essays and books. They believed that once humanity was finally able to expand into the vastness of space, we would realize how truly limitless the galaxy’s resources, opportunities, and discoveries were. Instead, our biggest achievement in the thousand years since we first spread beyond the Sol system is war—the longest running, farthest reaching,

most destructive war humanity has ever waged. Even

after centuries, there seems to be no end in sight.

What I cannot understand is why.

We slaughter each other for temporary ownership and transient power, for the dubious honor of the memories we’ll leave behind us when we finally, inevitably die, and yet through all this, the stars burn on. The universe that made us will not miss us when we’re gone.