Analysis of Swerve's Preface

"The stuff of the universe, Lucretius proposed, is an infinite number of atoms moving randomly through space, like dust motes in a sunbeam, colliding, hooking together, forming complex structures, breaking apart again, in a ceaseless process of creation and destruction. There is no escape from this process. When you look up at the night sky and, feeling unaccountably moved, marvel at the numberless stars, you are not seeing the handiwork of the gods or a crystalline sphere detached from our transient world. You are seeing the same material world of which you are a part and from whose elements you are made. There is no master plan, no divine architect, no intelligent design. All things, including the species to which you belong, have evolved over vast stretches of time. The evolution is random, though in the case of living organisms it involves a principle of natural selection. That is, species that are suited to survive and to reproduce successfully endure, at least for a time; those that are not so well suited die off quickly. But nothing—from our own species to the planet on which we live to the sun that lights our days—lasts forever. Only the atoms are immortal." 

--Stephen Greenblatt The Swerve

In this paragraph, Greenblatt illustrates the relationship of human and the world clearly by using the image of atom and universe. Greenblatt shows his denial attitude towards the existence of gods. He argues that the life human lives and the things human creates are somehow the same—they are all chosen by the nature. It seems that the greatness of human civilization to him is just a result of a random selection, but is still kind of predetermined by the nature. His objective view of human civilization reminds me about a famous Chinese saying: That which is long divided must unify; that which is long unified must divide. History is always a process that a person or a group of people shows up to keep everything in a right track that is chosen by the nature, and there are some regular rules that we can find. Greenbaltt’s objective attitude towards history and his simple and concise language really arise my interest in reading his book.