Simulation Theory

The biggest issue I have with everything being a simulation theory is that logic would suggest that we wouldn't be able to contemplate such a thing in the first place. Any entity that was advanced enough to create this so-called simulation would almost certainly have built-in detection and mitigation systems to deter and stop that kind of thinking.

Honestly, sometimes I wonder if my own curiosity is a sign that I belong to a system that’s trying to keep me distracted from the truth—or maybe just a glitch in the matrix?

Humans just can't, for the life of them, accept that this thing we call reality exists. Someone, somewhere, is always searching for a reason why we exist at all instead of just being content and existing. Let's say that theoretically we are living in a simulation; we'll ignore the obvious massive amounts of power and resources needed to run the world as we know it and forego all the logistics that go into that.

But really, isn’t it more terrifying to think the universe might just be indifferent, with no grand design or creator? Or maybe the creator's just bored?

Provoke Instability For Proof

The only real way to definitively prove it was a simulation would be to provoke a mesh[1] error or runtime error. However, this would be easier said than done; we'd have to find something so incredibly resource-taxing in this world that it would break the matrix we're living in.

And honestly, what would that even look like? Something so absurdly complex that it causes a cosmic crash? Maybe that’s why we haven’t found it yet—perhaps the universe is designed to hide its flaws from us.

I'm talking something on a universe level; remember, any simulation that could create all that we know would almost certainly require unthinkable amounts of RAM to prop up this false existence. If you can accomplish that, then you are onto something.

But here’s a question I often ask myself: if such a creator exists, are they watching us just to see how long we’ll keep believing in the illusion? Or are they just letting us stumble through, knowing we’ll never crack the code?

Inbetween Believer & Skeptic 

Personally though I just don't think it's possible, certainly not by today's technology standards. Of course, I'm assuming that any entity that could craft all of this and run it somehow, someway, would be restricted to using our technology.

It's conceivable that in their reality, their world, the technology they have is significantly better—in scale that’s hard for me to fathom what it could be or what it could look like.

And that’s the crux of it—what if their “technology” is so far beyond anything we can imagine that our entire understanding of physics and computation is just child's play to them?

As with a lot of these theories, whether conspiracy or otherwise, there's a lot of could-be's, what-ifs going on, and I try to refrain from that because in my mind it serves no purpose on any meaningful level. The problem, though, is that these types of ideas persist and will forever permeate the consciousness of every human residing in every public until the end of time, especially as new scientific discoveries are realized.

Endless Questions, Few Answers

But isn’t it fascinating that even with all our progress, we’re still grasping at straws—wondering if we’re just a simulation or if there’s some deeper meaning? Maybe the real question is: does it even matter?

Of course, skeptics argue that the sheer improbability of such a simulation—given the enormous computational resources required—makes it unlikely. They say it’s more plausible that we’re just biological entities existing in a universe governed by physical laws, and that the idea of a simulation is just a modern myth, a digital-age religion for the scientifically curious.

And I get it—this is the safer, more rational stance. Why invest in the idea of a cosmic simulation when the evidence is all but invisible? But isn’t that just an argument from ignorance?[2] (see Bostrom, 2003, for detailed philosophical analysis on this point)

After all, what’s the point of creating such an elaborate illusion if it’s not to serve some purpose? Maybe we’re just a cosmic accident, a chance occurrence in a universe that’s just as indifferent as we are.

Technical Limit — Quantum Computing

On the technical side, even the most advanced quantum computers today are still in their infancy. They’re capable of solving certain problems exponentially faster than classical computers—like factoring large numbers or simulating quantum systems—but they are not omnipotent.

Some skeptics suggest that, even with future technological leaps, simulating an entire universe with conscious beings remains a monumental, perhaps impossible, task. They argue that the universe’s complexity is too vast to be replicated, and that such a feat might be fundamentally beyond any conceivable technology.[3] (see Arute et al., 2019, for advancements in quantum computing and limits)

The complexity of simulating an entire universe, with all its particles, forces, and emergent phenomena, would require computational power so vast that it’s hard to even grasp. Quantum computers currently operate with a handful of qubits, and noise and decoherence still limit their practicality.

So, perhaps the universe itself is just the simplest form of reality—no simulation needed, just natural laws unfolding as they do.

Final thought

But let’s get real—if we are actually living in some grand simulation, then we’re probably nothing more than a cosmic experiment in how not to evolve as a species. Maybe some unknown entity—alien, AI, or interdimensional overlord—decided to run this experiment after failing miserably with their own reality.

Imagine them, scratching their heads, watching us stumble through the same cycles of destruction, greed, and ignorance their own ancestors once did, and thinking, "Yep, this is exactly how not to run a universe." We’re like a failed beta version of a species, still crashing and burning despite the supposed “intelligence” of our creators.

And if it’s not aliens or some cosmic testing ground, then perhaps the universe itself is just some bizarre, self-aware simulation designed by a bored god or a bored AI—who, judging by the chaos and suffering, clearly has a wicked sense of humor.

Maybe we’re just the universe's way of saying, “Let’s see what happens when this species gets advanced enough to realize they’re in a simulation… and then watch them freak out.” The ultimate cosmic prank.