Based on the total number of combinations possible within the sequence of human chromosomes, there are 70,368,744,177,644 possible unique humans.
This number is trillions of times larger than the number of humans who have ever lived. At the peak birth rate of the 1960's of 2.09% annually it would take 418,791 years from today to reach the total number of possible humans, assuming each human born is unique. For scale, modern humans have only existed for about 200,000 years. It can be difficult to believe that humans will continue to exist for long enough to reach the unique human cap.
Then, consider how vast the total number of possible humans contains combinations of genes that are incompatible with life, or afflicted with life altering complications. Many billions of humans will never get to be born.
Somehow, someway, your unique combination of genes overcame both of these adversities entirely by chance. To be born here, and now. In an era where you can live an entire life having never known the toil of working a field, or carrying a sword as your ancestors once did. Where living standards have improved such that people may regularly live to witness their great-great grandchildren from the comfort of retirement, and in good health. Where you may daily interact with such technologies that prior generations could only explain as magic. A world with the least suffering of all time.
You are unbelievably lucky.
This number is trillions of times larger than the number of humans who have ever lived. At the peak birth rate of the 1960's of 2.09% annually it would take 418,791 years from today to reach the total number of possible humans, assuming each human born is unique. For scale, modern humans have only existed for about 200,000 years. It can be difficult to believe that humans will continue to exist for long enough to reach the unique human cap.
Then, consider how vast the total number of possible humans contains combinations of genes that are incompatible with life, or afflicted with life altering complications. Many billions of humans will never get to be born.
Somehow, someway, your unique combination of genes overcame both of these adversities entirely by chance. To be born here, and now. In an era where you can live an entire life having never known the toil of working a field, or carrying a sword as your ancestors once did. Where living standards have improved such that people may regularly live to witness their great-great grandchildren from the comfort of retirement, and in good health. Where you may daily interact with such technologies that prior generations could only explain as magic. A world with the least suffering of all time.
You are unbelievably lucky.