Big History tells the story of the universe from the Big Bang, the formation of stars, planets, life on earth and the evolution of humankind. There are many versions of Big History. For an overview, listen to a talk by David Christian.

Although in some ways overlapping with the projects of Big History, Michel Serres’ Common Story differs significantly. The former recounts a story of evolution that culminates in human ‘civilisation’. The latter’s story builds on the most recent scientific discoveries of the history of the world but does not set humans on a pedestal. An example of Serres’ thought is captured in the quotation below. Serres was left-handed but forced to use his right hand. He came to celebrate this ‘defect’

“I began to think because I was defective. I think to compensate. This is the real, profound, decisive secret of human thought, and even of invention: we began to think because we are weak by nature, species, origin, genesis. This is the hole in our organs that renders our body defective, this is our flaw, our emptiness, the thorn in our flesh, gaps, rags, primary failings, our congenital weakness, our fragility …” (Le gaucher boiteux, 2017, page 92)

He says that all his books ‘branch off, make mistakes, risk lying.’

I contend that Big History lacks this edge, disruption, discomfort. Elsewhere I argue that it also avoids questions of power and how the abuse of the world is matched by the abuse of each other.