Well I'd say it does matter somewhat, or at least it matters 'to us' at a local scale, even if it doesn't ultimately (but then perhaps all 'mattering' is local

Well I'd say it does matter somewhat, or at least it matters 'to us' at a local scale, even if it doesn't ultimately (but then perhaps all 'mattering' is local - it's hard to see what does matter sub specie aeternitatis). I suspect you're right that it was unavoidable, though (unfortunately in my view) we'll never really know, because the attempt to avoid it was never made with any vigour. We bailed out into blinkered nihilism long before we had to.