The hypnotic metaphor is great, but again what is your definition of the entity you call universe? Where are its boundaries? What does it include and what is outside of it? Something tells me that you treat it (universe) in the same anthropomorphic way in which deluded religious believers treat an external god (an act you loudly decry on a regular basis). Only in your case that “god” is malicious, or more precisely uncaring, i.e. not benevolent as the religious believers would like to have it. But in principle, where’s the difference? Just for the record, both views are incorrect due to false interpretation of the nature of said “god”, and that’s a verifiable fact.