…e Lovecraftian genre he inspired, the fear arises from the realization that “normal” never existed. The universe is a fundamentally bad place, governed by beings that are, at best, indifferent to our suffering, and once you’ve uncovered the horrific reality behind your ordinary existence, your only option is to go mad with despair. Lovecraft portrayed these powerful and sadistic beings as extraterrestrial octopus monsters, and Lo…