Globalisation Horror

H. P. Lovecraft was a weird dude, but through his writing he influenced so many others. Probably a reflection of his own chronic inadequacy, racism and xenophobia, he became the master of what was dubbed "cosmic horror", a type of absolute dread that comes from knowing you are powerless against indifferent strange things that could smash you as easily as you do an ant. Imagine an almighty god, then imagine he actually doesn't care about or even remember you and, if he did, he would probably erase you from existence as one does an unpleasant stain. That's cosmic horror. It's easy to understand how someone who was mostly a recluse would be shocked and terrified by the size and diversity of the world once he got out into it. This blog post is not about Lovecraft, but about that feeling of dread and about people who would do anything to feel in control and relevant in a world that explodes in complexity. Think of a guy in a small village. He is the strongest person he ever met by far. He…