Why Mars and Not Mali?
A friend stated: "As a civilization becomes more sophisticated, they become less tolerant of alternatives."
My response:
That's the sad part of what history has defined for us, that no matter how modern or 'cultured' a society or people become ( modern as in today with technology reducing mundane labor for some, allowing them to pursue more intelligent pursuits ) and cultured ( like the mindset of non-ownership of land or resources among the native pre-western civilization's influence on them ), that man still seems to not be able to remove the very things which we all struggle with: envy, selfishness, pride, arrogance, fear and so on.
I wonder if, as some folks would opine, with the increase of technology and modern science, hasn't man only found better ways to eliminate another man, albeit perhaps in a more 'humane' fashion? And hasn't man only found ways to manipulate the body to resemble something unnatural or to add and modify that which they are unhappy with?
Yet again, it takes removing oneself, I think, from the encapsulation of any cultural precepts to break out of a nearsightedness which prevents us from truly recognizing we are all brothers and sisters on this speck of dust flying around in the cosmos... and the focus on other planets for whatever well intentioned purpose, is still another example of a chasing after the wind... in the spending of man hours, resources and focus... while here at home we have yet to search out the deepest oceans, or conceive renewable resources ( we have, but no one from the top is telling ) which would eradicate our archaic energy sources and thus clean the environment.
If life existed on any other planet, do you suppose that life would allow such a filthy ragtag group of littering humans to also devastated their real property? Mankind as a whole has yet learned how to clean up after themselves here, literally, spiritually, mentally and emotionally.
Most men have yet learned how to contend with themselves, let alone their neighbor. How can such learned men expect to pursue ridiculous pursuits such as reaching out to distant planets while at home, they ignore the plight of their fellow men? Why look outwards beyond the horizon, when that very effort to 'become' leaves so many wasting away in one's wake?
The billions of dollars in reaching Mars ( or so they say that some rover landed on that distant planet ) could have completely eradicated hunger in so many countries.. or built the means for those people to be self sufficient to the point where they can now feed themselves.. but why doesn't this happen?
Simple.
It doesn't feed the ego.
Going to Mars feeds the egos of many men, and the many masses who fawn at this spectacle by watching on their boob tube... feeding off of the pride of others to give their meaningless lives some sort of meaning.. Olympics anyone? Sports anyone?
Feeding the hungry at home and across the globe does not feed the ego.. and it is not a 'fashionable' business, yet our hearts squirm at the thought of any one of us being in that destitute position... let alone actually pondering doing something about it.
Thus I say; how far have 'we' really come on this speck of dust flying through the cosmos?
Some say very far by pointing at some supposed rover on that red speck of dust out there.
Some, just looking within a few square miles of their locale or city, would say "we still don't get it."
There was One who did get it and told us about 'it,' yet who is listening to Him?
My response:
That's the sad part of what history has defined for us, that no matter how modern or 'cultured' a society or people become ( modern as in today with technology reducing mundane labor for some, allowing them to pursue more intelligent pursuits ) and cultured ( like the mindset of non-ownership of land or resources among the native pre-western civilization's influence on them ), that man still seems to not be able to remove the very things which we all struggle with: envy, selfishness, pride, arrogance, fear and so on.
I wonder if, as some folks would opine, with the increase of technology and modern science, hasn't man only found better ways to eliminate another man, albeit perhaps in a more 'humane' fashion? And hasn't man only found ways to manipulate the body to resemble something unnatural or to add and modify that which they are unhappy with?
Yet again, it takes removing oneself, I think, from the encapsulation of any cultural precepts to break out of a nearsightedness which prevents us from truly recognizing we are all brothers and sisters on this speck of dust flying around in the cosmos... and the focus on other planets for whatever well intentioned purpose, is still another example of a chasing after the wind... in the spending of man hours, resources and focus... while here at home we have yet to search out the deepest oceans, or conceive renewable resources ( we have, but no one from the top is telling ) which would eradicate our archaic energy sources and thus clean the environment.
If life existed on any other planet, do you suppose that life would allow such a filthy ragtag group of littering humans to also devastated their real property? Mankind as a whole has yet learned how to clean up after themselves here, literally, spiritually, mentally and emotionally.
Most men have yet learned how to contend with themselves, let alone their neighbor. How can such learned men expect to pursue ridiculous pursuits such as reaching out to distant planets while at home, they ignore the plight of their fellow men? Why look outwards beyond the horizon, when that very effort to 'become' leaves so many wasting away in one's wake?
The billions of dollars in reaching Mars ( or so they say that some rover landed on that distant planet ) could have completely eradicated hunger in so many countries.. or built the means for those people to be self sufficient to the point where they can now feed themselves.. but why doesn't this happen?
Simple.
It doesn't feed the ego.
Going to Mars feeds the egos of many men, and the many masses who fawn at this spectacle by watching on their boob tube... feeding off of the pride of others to give their meaningless lives some sort of meaning.. Olympics anyone? Sports anyone?
Feeding the hungry at home and across the globe does not feed the ego.. and it is not a 'fashionable' business, yet our hearts squirm at the thought of any one of us being in that destitute position... let alone actually pondering doing something about it.
Thus I say; how far have 'we' really come on this speck of dust flying through the cosmos?
Some say very far by pointing at some supposed rover on that red speck of dust out there.
Some, just looking within a few square miles of their locale or city, would say "we still don't get it."
There was One who did get it and told us about 'it,' yet who is listening to Him?
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