Microcosm

/ˈmīkrəˌkäzəm/

Noun

Plural noun: microcosms

 

…. a community, place, or situation regarded as encapsulating in miniature the characteristic qualities or features of something much larger

 

Planet Earth is relatively speaking, but a tiny microcosm of our universal macrocosm. Along with Earth, within our universe’ cosmos there are a multitude of microcosms spanning galaxies, solar systems, asteroids, comets, other planets, matter, and an infinitesimal number of other entities known and as yet, unknown.

 

 We, the human race, are a microcosm of planet Earth. Within that sphere we share space with our fellow microcosms; plants, animals, insects, phytoplankton, bacteria, microbes, viruses, and the list goes on ad infinitum. As part of planet Earth, the human race represents a macrocosm within which there is an infinite number of human related microcosms. Those encapsulated, sets of miniature characteristics and  qualities sort themselves into further subsets denoted by things like geography, sexes, gender, ethnicity, religion, economic classes, physical abilities / disabilities, political affiliations, conservatives, moderates, liberals, west coasters, east coasters, Midwesterners, Southerners, accountants, artists, anarchists, grocers, musicians, engineers, students, and so on.

 

This photo essay is part of a series shining the light upon and illustrating, some of the microcosms that we, the human race, share amongst ourselves.