TIL: ELI5

Today, we venture into the intriguing and complex world of hyperobjects—a term that might sound like something out of a science fiction novel but is very much a part of our reality. Derived from philosophy, especially connected to the work of Timothy Morton, hyperobjects give us a fresh lens through which to view the enormity and interconnectedness of some phenomena in our world. So, let's begin our journey into understanding this fascinating concept in the simplest terms possible.

Imagine you’re holding a tiny piece of a huge puzzle. This puzzle stretches far beyond the borders of your living room, your city, even Earth itself. It expands through time, from the past and into the future, spanning centuries and millennia. This piece, this puzzle, represents what hyperobjects are—vast, almost incomprehensibly large entities that exist beyond the usual dimensions we interact with daily.

Hyperobjects are not objects you can hold in your hand or see in their entirety at one glance. They are phenomena like climate change, the internet, global nuclear materials, or even the very biosphere of Earth. They dwarf us in scale, not just physically but temporally, stretching over time spans that challenge our ability to comprehend fully.

To understand hyperobjects, you have to think about scale differently. Our human brains are wired to understand the world through immediate, tangible experiences. We see a tree, touch a computer, hear a car—our senses guide us. But hyperobjects operate on scales far beyond our usual sensory reach. They are so vast that any single observation or interaction we have with them can only reveal a tiny fraction of their totality.

A major characteristic of hyperobjects is their viscosity. Imagine trying to walk through a pool filled with honey. Every movement is slow, and you're inevitably covered in honey no matter how you move. This is similar to how hyperobjects interact with us and our world; they stick to us, influencing us in ways that are pervasive and often invisible. For instance, climate change affects weather patterns globally, influencing our daily lives whether we acknowledge it or not.

Another important aspect to grasp is temporal undulation—a term that might make your head spin, but stick with me. It means that hyperobjects don't exist in a single moment in time. Instead, they pulse and fluctuate throughout history, impacting the past, present, and future in ways that are unpredictable and non-linear. Like a shadow cast backward from a light we’ve yet to turn on, hyperobjects’ effects can precede their most noticeable impacts.

So why does understanding hyperobjects matter? They challenge us to reconsider our place in the world and the way we interact with our environment. Recognizing that we are a part of these vast phenomena—rather than separate or above them—can alter our approach to global issues like climate change or technology’s role in society. By understanding the scale and complexity of hyperobjects, we can begin to see the interconnectedness of all things and the importance of acting with consideration for the wider impact of our choices.

In conclusion, hyperobjects invite us to expand our worldview and embrace the complexity of the universe. They remind us that some things are larger than our individual experience can fully comprehend, yet impactful in our daily lives. Understanding hyperobjects is like learning a new language—the language of the cosmos and its profound interconnectivity. It’s a fascinating journey, one that reveals the depth and breadth of our world and our place within it.

Thank you for joining me on this exploration of hyperobjects. May this understanding resonate with you, as we continue to navigate the enigma of our existence within this vast and intricate universe.