# You really aren’t at all as important as you think you are in the grand scale of thin **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 8, 2004, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-really-aren-t-at-all-as-important-as-you-think-you-are-in-the-grand-scale-of-thin/223347 "2004-01-08T02:23:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![UnclePoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/edb3f5/32.png) [@UnclePoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UnclePoo)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2004, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-really-aren-t-at-all-as-important-as-you-think-you-are-in-the-grand-scale-of-thin/223347/1 "2004-01-08T02:23:31Z")
I absolutely love this Stuff !! How big is our Solar System??? For scale: Our solar system can be broken down like this: On a diagram of our solar system to scale, the Earth would be resented by the diameter of a pea. Jupiter would be over a thousand feet away and Pluto would be a mile and a half distant still and would be the size of a bacterium. Our solar system doesn’t end there though. The Ort cloud is at the systems boundary and Pluto is barley one fifty thousandths of the way there. How many stars: Estimates range from 100 billion to 400 billion stars in the Milky Way. And the Milky Way it’s self is only one of about 140 billion other galaxies. The average distance between stars is 20 million million miles. The visible and meta-universe The visible universe (what we can see) is a million million million million miles across. “1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000” The meta-universe is a bit larger yet. The number of light years it would take to travel from edge to edge of this larger, unseen universe would be formulated with [\*well over] a million zero’s (each representing the distance traveled at 186,000 miles a second). What could be gathered by these facts:. You really aren’t at all as important as you think you are in the grand scale of things!! Data gathered from Bill Bryson’s \*A Short History of Nearly Everything. ---
**Author:** ![FaerieBeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e95f7d/32.png) [@FaerieBeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FaerieBeth)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2004, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-really-aren-t-at-all-as-important-as-you-think-you-are-in-the-grand-scale-of-thin/223347/2 "2004-01-08T02:31:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by UnclePoo \* > **You really aren’t at all as important as you think you are in the grand scale of thin** I don’t think I’m eligible to be measured on the grand scale of thin. I’m a little too Rubenesque :eek: ☹ 😉 FaerieBeth ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2004, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-really-aren-t-at-all-as-important-as-you-think-you-are-in-the-grand-scale-of-thin/223347/3 "2004-01-08T02:34:55Z")
> [@](#): > > _originally posted by UnclePoo_ > **What could be gathered by these facts:. You really aren’t at all as important as you think you are in the grand scale of things!!** That’s not what I get from that at all; considering that all of it revolves around me, i’d say it makes me very important! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Mearl\_Dox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/65b543/32.png) [@Mearl\_Dox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mearl_Dox)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2004, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-really-aren-t-at-all-as-important-as-you-think-you-are-in-the-grand-scale-of-thin/223347/4 "2004-01-08T04:38:51Z")
“And pray that there’s intelligent life somewhere out in space, 'cause there’s bugger all down here on Earth!” … sorry. Monty Python. Inevitable. I’m leaving now. ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2004, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-really-aren-t-at-all-as-important-as-you-think-you-are-in-the-grand-scale-of-thin/223347/5 "2004-01-08T06:46:24Z")
What blows my mind, is that, if human life were ever wiped out completely, and thousands of years after that, intelligent life lands on mars and find those rover bots. What will they think? No life around, just some rovers. That trips me out…, only because I think i’m high though. ---
**Author:** ![Titan2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecd19e/32.png) [@Titan2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Titan2)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2004, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-really-aren-t-at-all-as-important-as-you-think-you-are-in-the-grand-scale-of-thin/223347/6 "2004-01-08T07:09:05Z")
> [@](#): > > What could be gathered by these facts:. You really aren’t at all as important as you think you are in the grand scale of things I didn’t need all those facts to tell me that.3 years with Bush is enough. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2004, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-really-aren-t-at-all-as-important-as-you-think-you-are-in-the-grand-scale-of-thin/223347/7 "2004-01-08T14:31:00Z")
One word… _Total Perspective Vortex_ Where _is_ that piece of fairy cake? Aieeeeeeieeeee! ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2004, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-really-aren-t-at-all-as-important-as-you-think-you-are-in-the-grand-scale-of-thin/223347/8 "2004-01-08T14:38:03Z")
The OP is, of course, quite correct which means naturally that he is totally wrong. That is, he has put our place in the universe in perspective, which is a dangerous thing because if we really understood how insignificant we are we would probably all go insane. As Douglas Adams once noted, the last thing anyone needs is a perfect sense of perspective. Therefore, I suggest we all ignore this and go back to our comfortable state of denial. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Pabitel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bbce88/32.png) [@Pabitel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pabitel)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2004, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-really-aren-t-at-all-as-important-as-you-think-you-are-in-the-grand-scale-of-thin/223347/9 "2004-01-08T15:07:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by UnclePoo \* > **You really aren’t at all as important as you think you are in the grand scale of things!!** I’m sorry but you are wrong. I am the center of my perceptual universe. Therefore, to me, there is nothing more significant than me. All things are measured by the impact they have on me and therefore anything I have never percieved has zero relevance. (the ort cloud indeed) You have erred in thinking that the “grand scale of things” in measured in light years. It is not. It is measured in how big of a foot print a thing has in the perceptions of the observer. Anything else is just trivia. I live in a relative universe not an absolute one. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2004, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-really-aren-t-at-all-as-important-as-you-think-you-are-in-the-grand-scale-of-thin/223347/10 "2004-01-08T18:08:51Z")
You got some splainin to do, Lucy! ---
**Author:** ![Stover9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c68b51/32.png) [@Stover9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stover9)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2004, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-really-aren-t-at-all-as-important-as-you-think-you-are-in-the-grand-scale-of-thin/223347/11 "2004-01-08T18:30:02Z")
Ah yes, the Total Perspective Vortex! What I like is the statement that there are many more stars in the universe than there are grains of sand on the earth. ---
**Author:** ![Mehitabel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2004, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-really-aren-t-at-all-as-important-as-you-think-you-are-in-the-grand-scale-of-thin/223347/12 "2004-01-08T21:26:36Z")
Some of us understood this from watching STAR TREK in 1973! ---
**Author:** ![jackman1776](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ce7236/32.png) [@jackman1776](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackman1776)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2004, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-really-aren-t-at-all-as-important-as-you-think-you-are-in-the-grand-scale-of-thin/223347/13 "2004-01-08T21:30:40Z")
Whenever I need to know my insignificance, I compare myself to Cecil. ---
**Author:** ![vsquist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/58956e/32.png) [@vsquist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vsquist)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2004, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-really-aren-t-at-all-as-important-as-you-think-you-are-in-the-grand-scale-of-thin/223347/14 "2004-01-08T21:35:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by FaerieBeth \* > \*\*I don’t think I’m eligible to be measured on the grand scale of thin. I’m a little too Rubenesque :eek: ☹ 😉 > > FaerieBeth \*\* I’m with you there. I’d have to say that on the scale of thin, I’m definitely more toward the grand end! ---
**Author:** ![CrazyMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ee59a6/32.png) [@CrazyMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyMonkey)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2004, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-really-aren-t-at-all-as-important-as-you-think-you-are-in-the-grand-scale-of-thin/223347/15 "2004-01-08T22:28:43Z")
> [@](#): > > **UnclePoo:** You really aren’t at all as important as you think you are in the grand scale of thin Well, gee, it’s not like I said I was Brittany Spears or something. ---
**Author:** ![Bongmaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Bongmaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bongmaster)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2004, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-really-aren-t-at-all-as-important-as-you-think-you-are-in-the-grand-scale-of-thin/223347/16 "2004-01-08T22:47:17Z")
Makes you think. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could get a top down view of all that? Talk about putting things in persepctive, how small would the “You Are Here” arrow be? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![UnclePoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/edb3f5/32.png) [@UnclePoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UnclePoo)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2004, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-really-aren-t-at-all-as-important-as-you-think-you-are-in-the-grand-scale-of-thin/223347/17 "2004-01-09T00:27:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gatopescado \* > \*\*You got some splainin to do, Lucy! \*\* **Attn: All nit pickin fools!!** The subject (unknowingly) took up all of the allowed 36 characters for a title from my paste when I obviously needed 39. (I.E. “k!!”) So settle down yall!! ---
**Author:** ![Horseflesh](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horseflesh/32/7502_2.png) [@Horseflesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horseflesh)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2004, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-really-aren-t-at-all-as-important-as-you-think-you-are-in-the-grand-scale-of-thin/223347/18 "2004-01-09T04:51:29Z")
I am comforted by the simple fact that I am infinitely more interesting than the universe. When’s the last time a solar system said something that made you snort pop out of your nose? -Horseflesh, who’s worth his weight in chocolate and just as tasty ---
**Author:** ![Yumblie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/76d3ee/32.png) [@Yumblie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yumblie)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2004, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-really-aren-t-at-all-as-important-as-you-think-you-are-in-the-grand-scale-of-thin/223347/19 "2004-01-09T06:11:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bongmaster \* > \*\*Makes you think. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could get a top down view of all that? Talk about putting things in persepctive, how small would the “You Are Here” arrow be? 😉 \*\* I have a shirt like that, except it’s just the Milky Way galaxy. Still, the arrow just points to some uninteresting fuzzy part in one of the arms. You can’t even see the sun, just the hazy blob of stars it’s a part of. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2004, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-really-aren-t-at-all-as-important-as-you-think-you-are-in-the-grand-scale-of-thin/223347/20 "2004-01-09T13:25:57Z")
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