Journal 58: I Exist

I think that Stephen Crane was trying to say the war made america fall apart and is no longer that it sue to be, one nation. He is trying to say no matter how ever much a man thinking of his own importance, the world as a whole (the universe0 doesn't care much about his existence. Just because someone says they exist and thinks that they are important doesn't mean he is recognized by the rest of society.  Even if he is widely recognized in his own country he may not be so in the rest of the world.
Humans compared to the universe as a whole is way too small. The universe is so vast and us humans are only a small part of it. Of course the universe wouldn't care if we exist or not it maybe not even notice we exist. WE are so small. The world we live in may care because we populate it and use up its resources. It seems pretty arrogant for a man to tell the universe to notice him and to make himself sound all important.