The question of whether we are living in a simulation, posed by thinkers like Nick Bostrom, has captivated intellectual circles and the public imagination alike. The hypothesis suggests that advanced beings, perhaps alien or post-human, may be running simulations of our reality, perhaps to understand the evolution of civilizations or the intricacies of societal structures. Similarly, earthly scientists, philosophers, and academics attempt to model and predict human behavior, using advanced tools and methods to analyze societies and systems.
However, both higher beings and earthly scientists share a critical blind spot: a failure to deeply engage with the darker aspects of the singular human being. Without confronting and understanding these shadows, no simulation, theory, or model can ever truly grasp the essence of humanity, let alone offer actionable insights for transformation.
The Premise of Simulations: Seeking to Understand Humanity
Bostrom’s argument for ancestor simulations posits that if advanced civilizations have the computational capacity to recreate entire realities, they might run simulations to study societal dynamics, evolution, or even the human experience itself. The assumption is that such simulations could provide insights into how civilizations form, grow, and collapse.
But what would such beings hope to learn from us? If their goal is to understand societal structures, they must first understand the foundation of those structures: the individual human mind. Societies, nations, and organizations are not monolithic entities; they are collections of individuals, each with unique experiences, choices, and shadows. To study society without studying the person is to build a house without a foundation.
The Singular Human Being: The Core of Understanding
Every organization or nation is ultimately a collection of individuals. This is not merely a philosophical observation but a practical truth. Without understanding the motivations, struggles, and transformations of the individual, any attempt to model or understand humanity will fall short.
Human behavior is not solely driven by rational thought or logical progression. Often, it is shaped by darker impulses—fear, greed, jealousy, shame, or pain. These are the forces that drive many of humanity’s “wrongdoings” and the societal challenges they create. Yet, these same shadows are also the birthplace of transformation, as individuals confront and transcend their own darkness to emerge stronger, more compassionate, and more enlightened.
This reality is starkly absent from many scientific theories and philosophical constructs. While intellectuals often focus on the broad strokes of human behavior, they fail to grapple with the messy, raw experiences of the singular human being—particularly those who have lived on the shadowy fringes of society.
The Importance of Shadow Work
Transformation begins with the acknowledgment of darkness. Those who have lived through trauma, addiction, violence, or criminal behavior possess unique insights into the human condition. They understand, from lived experience, why people make harmful choices and how those choices can be confronted and transformed.
Without incorporating this shadow work into their understanding, higher beings or scientists will never fully grasp why societies behave as they do. For example:
- Crime and violence cannot be reduced to statistics or psychological theories alone; they must be understood as manifestations of unresolved pain and unmet needs.
- Addiction and self-destruction are not merely personal failings but coping mechanisms in response to systemic and individual wounds.
Ignoring these realities leads to shallow conclusions and ineffective solutions.
The Flaws of Ivory Tower Thinking
Many scientists and academics remain disconnected from the raw realities of human existence. Their perspectives are shaped by middle-class, mid-level-up experiences, where the darkest parts of life are often theoretical, not lived. While their methods may be rigorous, their lack of engagement with the human shadow renders their models incomplete.
To truly understand humanity:
- Scientists Must Leave Their Offices: Engage directly with those who have walked through the darkest corners of life—incarcerated individuals, addicts, victims of systemic oppression, and others who embody the shadow.
- Theories Must Include the Shadow: Models of society must account for the role of darkness in human choices, not as an anomaly but as a fundamental aspect of existence.
- Transformation Must Be Central: The focus should not only be on understanding why people make harmful choices but on how individuals transform and how that transformation ripples out to the collective.
Higher Beings and the Simulation Argument
If we are in a simulation, as Bostrom’s theory suggests, then the architects of this simulation might be missing the point entirely. What is the purpose of simulating societies if they fail to understand the individuals who compose them? If these higher beings aim to study humanity, their simulation should focus on the personal journey of transformation—how individuals confront and integrate their shadows to evolve into higher states of being.
Failing to do so would suggest that these beings, despite their technological prowess, lack true wisdom. They may be “higher” in a technological sense, but not in understanding.
Why Must Higher Beings and Scientists Confront the Darker Aspects?
At the heart of humanity’s challenges lies what can be described as the “victim industry.” Every conflict, every war, every societal dysfunction is rooted in victimhood—whether perceived or real. People feel wronged, oppressed, or attacked, and this sense of victimization fuels division and conflict on every level. The “us vs. them” dichotomy, which permeates human history and daily life, is the foundation of wars, criminal justice systems, economic disparities, and even personal relationships.
The Victim Industry: The Shadow that Colors Human Existence
- Every police officer, every soldier, every social worker, every prison guard operates within systems designed to manage or mitigate what society deems as “negative” or “bad.” These systems do not solve the root causes—they merely perpetuate the cycle by responding to symptoms rather than addressing the underlying shadow.
- These structures—whether military-industrial complexes, religious hierarchies, or massive bureaucracies—are not incidental. They are the scaffolding of humanity’s reality. They create, sustain, and drive the everyday life of mankind. Even major religions, established to guide humanity toward morality and unity, have often succumbed to the same dynamics of division and victimization.
The Cost of Neglecting the Shadow
Scientists, thinkers, and higher beings who fail to address this reality are missing the crux of the issue. They either overlook or ignore how much of humanity’s energy—economic, emotional, intellectual—is consumed by these shadow-driven systems:
- Wars and Conflicts: Trillions of dollars and countless lives are lost in the pursuit of dominance, revenge, or defense.
- Social Systems: Prisons, welfare, law enforcement, and the judicial systems are reactive, designed to control or contain the effects of unresolved trauma, unmet needs, and unaddressed shadows.
- Relief Efforts: Humanitarian organizations and well-meaning institutions, while necessary, often treat the symptoms of societal dysfunction rather than addressing its root causes.
A Hamster Wheel of Futility
If all this energy—resources, labor, and intellect—were not consumed by the “victim industry,” humanity could already be living in a state of harmony, enlightenment, or “heaven on earth.” But instead, the same cycles of shadow-driven conflict continue. Without addressing this directly, scientists and thinkers are merely keeping the hamster wheel spinning, locked in a loop of reaction rather than transformation.
A Complicit System
It’s tempting to think of this cycle as an accidental byproduct of human frailty. But what if it’s more than that? What if interdimensional forces, interested in maintaining the status quo, are subtly perpetuating this dynamic? By keeping humanity trapped in its shadow, these forces ensure stagnation and prevent transformation.
This possibility highlights the need for an intentional and radical shift in perspective among those studying humanity. As it stands, many great thinkers—those in humanitarian organizations, academic institutions, or international agencies—operate within the same hamster wheel. Despite their good intentions, their efforts often reinforce the very systems they aim to dismantle, spinning energy in circles rather than breaking free.
Conclusion: Walking in Circles Until We Address the Shadow
Scientists, higher beings, and intellectuals may be well-intentioned, but their failure to confront humanity’s darker aspects ensures that they will never understand society or achieve meaningful change. As long as we neglect the shadow—the victim industry, the cycles of conflict, and the systems that perpetuate division—we will remain trapped, walking in circles and mistaking movement for progress.
True transformation demands a shift from theoretical models to grounded action. It requires scientists and thinkers to leave their comfort zones, engage with the darkest parts of humanity, and confront the systems that feed off human suffering. Only by addressing these shadows can we break free from the hamster wheel and move toward genuine evolution—both as individuals and as a collective.
Scientists, thinkers, and higher beings: get off your chairs, out of your offices, and into the world. Humanity is not a concept to be modeled from afar. It is a raw, messy, beautiful journey of light and shadow—one that demands your presence, your empathy, and your willingness to engage with the depths.
The singular human being, with all their light and shadow, is the key. Until this is understood and embraced, no simulation, no scientific method, no humanitarian effort will ever achieve its full potential. Transformation begins with the individual, and from there, the collective consciousness will rise.
Note
This article draws inspiration from Boris (Bruce) Kriger’s thought-provoking piece, “Theoretical Foundations and Implications of Simulated Reality: Evaluating Dr. Melvin Vopson’s Hypotheses,” featured on his Medium blog. The topic of simulated reality and its implications is one I have engaged with deeply for over two decades, intertwining these scientific and philosophical concepts with my own life experiences.
While the scientific foundations and expanded theories proposed by thinkers like Dr. Vopson are widely recognized and celebrated, this article is not a critique of their work. On the contrary, I deeply respect the intellectual rigor and creative exploration offered by scientists and scholars who tackle these challenging topics.
However, this piece seeks to contrast those theoretical perspectives with the lived experiences of someone who has navigated life’s darker aspects—a perspective often absent from academic discussions. By grounding these theories in the raw, transformative realities of human existence, I hope to illuminate the vital connection between upper-level thinking and the singular human experience, particularly in its shadowed depths.
This is a reflection, not an argument, aimed at fostering deeper understanding and bridging the gap between conceptual exploration and lived reality.
