How entropy rules our lives

What is entropy

Entropy is a measure of disorder. And it always increases over time. Everything naturally tends to disorder. Buildings are collapsing. Cars rust. People are getting old. Even the mountains are gradually crumbling.

This rule, known as the second law of thermodynamics, is one of the fundamental laws of our universe. It states that in an isolated system, entropy remains constant or increases (but never decreases).

But don't panic, there is good news. We can resist the forces of entropy. We can collect the scattered puzzle. Weed the overgrown garden. Clean up a cluttered room. Organize disparate people into a cohesive team.

Since the universe tends to be disorderly, we have to expend energy to create stability and order in our lives.

For a relationship to be successful, it takes care and attention. To keep the house in good condition, it needs to be renovated and kept clean. Communication and collaboration are essential to the success of a team. If you do not make an effort, everything will tend to decay.

This finding - that clutter always increases over time, and we can resist it by spending energy - reveals the ultimate purpose of life. We must strive to create an order that can withstand the relentless onslaught of entropy.

How entropy manifests itself in our lives

With the help of entropy, you can explain many incomprehensible and surprising facts, for example:

Why is our life so extraordinary

Imagine the human body. The atoms that make up the body could have folded into an almost infinite number of variants and not create any form of life. From the point of view of mathematics, the likelihood of our existence is very small. And yet we exist.

In a universe where entropy rules everything, the existence of life with such a clear, stable organization is amazing.

Why we love art and beauty

Entropy can explain why art and beauty seem so aesthetically pleasing to us. The artist creates a special form of order and symmetry that the Universe most likely would never have generated on its own. The number of beautiful combinations is much less than the total number of all combinations. Beauty is a rarity in a universe full of disorder. Therefore, a symmetrical face is rare and beautiful, because there are incomparably more asymmetrical options.

Why do you need to create the ideal conditions for yourself?

Each of us has our own talents, skills and interests. But the society and culture in which we live were not created specifically for us. With entropy in mind, consider what are the chances that the environment in which you grew up is ideal for unleashing your talents?

It is extremely unlikely that life will create a situation for you that perfectly suits your abilities. Most likely, you will find yourself in a position that does not quite match your skills and needs.

We usually describe such a state as "out of place", "out of their element."Naturally, in such conditions it is much more difficult to achieve success, to be useful, to win. Knowing this, we must ourselves create ideal living conditions for ourselves.

Difficulties in life arise not because the planets are so lined up, and not because some higher powers have conspired against you. It's just the law of entropy at work. There are many more states of disorder than ordered ones. With all this in mind, it’s not surprising that there are problems in life, but that we can solve them.