Interesting idea I’ve seen in a few different Lovecraft-derived stories

[feotakahari]

The universe is populated by things that are completely indifferent to us. They operate on a scale such that they can barely even perceive us, just as we can’t directly look at bacteria. However, they will only kill us by accident, or if we’re somehow in their way, because they don’t care enough for malice.

The universe is also populated by humans. Those are the folks who will potentially do horrible things to other humans out of sheer sadism.