"Unaware of the absurdity of it, we introduce our own petty household rules into the economy of the universe for which the life of generations, peoples, of entire planets, has no importance in relation to the general development"

This quote by Alexander Herzen speaks to the arrogance of humankind in believing that our own petty rules and policies are of utmost importance in the grand plan of the universe. He is recommending that our lives, and the lives of generations, peoples, and whole worlds, are insignificant in comparison to the higher advancement of the universe. He is mentioning the absurdity of this belief, and how unaware we are of it. He is suggesting that we must not be so quick to enforce our own guidelines and regulations on deep space, as they are irrelevant in the grand plan of things. He is cautioning us to be familiar with our own conceit and to not be so fast to believe that our own guidelines and guidelines are of utmost significance. He is reminding us that deep space is much larger than us, which our own rules and guidelines are unimportant in contrast.