silent thunder Posted February 13, 2020 Such an awakened scientist. One of my workmates for a couple years, working in feature films was a close friend of Carl Sagan's. I endlessly prodded him and hung on his every word of the private aspects of this man who influenced my young mind so much! One of the greatest speeches about our human mypica... our obsessive leaning toward self importance of a priveleged position in the universe. Our entire biosphere... but a speck in the inky sea of lights. So vastly impacting to me, and yet, so utterly inconsequential in the grand scheme... how exquisitely lovely the paradox! 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nungali Posted February 13, 2020 Just like individual humans . Considering the 'miracle of earth' (and i do consider it a 'miracle' ) ; I have often heard the details .... the fragile boundary on which we live , the cosmic cataclysms we avoided or had . The massive changes in the 'bio-sphere '. Mass extinctions and re populations. How one issue leads to another ... how we 'just happen to be' the right distance from the sun, the right amount of gasses, enough oxygen .... all incredibly 'arranged' so life could evolve here . OR This type of life evolved here because of those circumstances . - for all I know, there might be gas giant planet somewhere under the influence of a highly radioactive binary Sun system .... with electromagnetic beings there postulating on their own miracles of existence and how none of their life might have evolved without the nourishing radio activity and the arsenic in the atmosphere . They might even think they are special and unique , and their 'God' designed things that way , just for them . But really, I am a 'home-body' . When I travel, I often lament about how far away home is and have worries about 'what if I cant get back there ' ? As much as I appreciate the beauty of the blue dot , and the amazing effect it must have on one being 'out there' looking back at home ...... urrrgh ! Imagine the feeling coming back though, and having your feet on earth again ! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
silent thunder Posted February 14, 2020 That iconic pic, taken by Voyager 1 will be 30 years old tomorrow. ha... timing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CloudHands Posted February 17, 2020 I think it's a simple essential teaching. It puts you back on a larger perspective and on the same time call you back at our basic responsibilities and most elementary needs. It's pretty difficult to get that cold clear sight. Ecological discourses are now either past-alarmist or defeatist (with reasons...) and many spiritual teaching has been interpreted as peace&love/everythingisOK/NoResponsability stuff. It's a bit like looking at the stars. Most people don't, but this is what our ancestors used to see. I guess once you lose that picture you lose a big part of the world. Related (tenere = desert) [ /spoiler] Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wu Ming Jen Posted February 17, 2020 Looking at the stars the original GPS system now reduced to not looking and being stuck inside a phone screen. Nature 99% emptiness replaced by humans for material objects as knowledge. The classic removed from nature programming seems to be working so we do not discover who we are with or without form Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rideforever Posted February 17, 2020 Are we inconsequential. Another theory is that the entire universe is a machine to slowly grow conscious beings. These beings will not be the mass produced kind, but having grown slowly on their own in a dangerous place will have great power of reality. Eons of time have elapsed since the beginning. Most the universe is made of simple matter. On some planets life has evolved in stages. On very few are their beings approaching consciousness. If one being anywhere becomes consciousness it is the fruition of the entire universe, the culmination of the entire purpose. For mankind, this means nothing as the species is mostly animal ... but for a few they understand and their eyes are full of stars. They are the source looking at the source through the vehicle of the soul. They made it, or rather the source made it through them. Our evolution requires the day and the night. The disidentification that Sagan talks about and the commitment and engagement. There are no easy answers because to grow requires struggle. Nothing is for free. Even surrender is not free because only intelligent beings can do it, those who have been in the wars and learnt. The seasons of this world force us to grow and through growth there is a yield. Sagan is saying the same thing as is said in The Imitation of Christ, "vanity of vanities", of the total vanity of ordinary human life. Somehow he misses the religiousness of how he sounds, the awe and wonder staring at the stars. But it is no different from the religious, the very same words with the very same feelings. That is why people love Sagan. His mother was highly religious. But in the chaos of this planet, those who think they are religious aren't, those who think they aren't are, and everyone fights about this and that when they are on the same side. Or they think they are on the same side and aren't. Humans are on the ladder of consciousness, this particular rung somewhere between animal and angel is known as "tragi-comic". Nobody watches science in order to look at dead atoms. They look at the Cosmos and feel the spirit pulse through them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rideforever Posted February 18, 2020 I was just watching a few minutes of Richard Hammond on youtube watching a large jet of water being opened by a huge valve, it's part of a hydro project. Anyway as the valve is opened and the water begins pouring out .... in comes the violins, the soaring music, the emotional music ... fuck me if I can't even remember what is happening, so much my emotions are being manipulated. Turn the sound off. A lot of "science" is like this. Nobody is learning anything, they just play pictures of planets or electrons or whatever, and then get the orchestra. It's the same manipulative techniques used to sell toothpaste. No wonder we have such a sciencey world and still people are stupid. I don't really like any of that. I don't like being manipulated, it's some sort of masturbation for phoney people. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rideforever Posted February 18, 2020 Oh yeah they do the whole emotional-music thing in a lot of videos on chinese arts ... but they don't fool me, I switch the volume down and look again. Often after I look again at what they are actually doing .... I turn the music back on, and switch the video off !!! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
