Spaceman wrote: “Didn't mean to start a debate”. Nothing wrong with a good debate. It’s what moves the collective conscious forward. Jack, I love your candor … “Humans are dumb”. That’s been my mantra ever since the first day I could read the front page of our local newspaper. That’s the section my dad tossed away in disgust as he scrambled to find the sports section. Even the “smart” ones are only smart when compared to the dumb ones. It’s all relative. And for most, higher education only sharpens their skills at seeing the forest from the trees. It’s what coined the phrase “educated beyond their intelligence”.
Politicians are genius at navigating the emotional gauntlet we call the human condition. Problem is, they’ve created a profession of exploiting that weakness. But politicians only reflect our susceptibility to emotional manipulation. This election cycle looks to be a good example of that susceptibility. Life is hard … but it’s a whole heck of a lot harder if you’re stupid.
While looking for the meaning of life in a moon rock is probably not a prudent use of our money, it’s a diversion from the day to day that puts the human condition in perspective. Escaping the human condition is a lot like cracking through the atmosphere. It’s virtually impossible to accomplish, but if you can (
if only for a moment or two) life takes on new meaning.
In defense of space exploration I say this: If we’re not inspired to live, then life has less value. Just look at our cousins in the Middle East. Like it or not, they are our cousins even though it sometimes seems they’re from another planet. They laugh at how we Americans embrace life. They seem to embrace the afterlife with romantic notions of virgins in paradise and the living with contempt.
Inspiration is the fuel that motivates us to live. Space exploration is like riding bikes. It’s probably not a good use of our time and resources if measured in monetary terms alone, but it feeds us with the emotional fuel to appreciate our place in the broader scheme of things. Lets face it … we’re little more than smart squirrels. We just need a few nuts every now and then to keep us happy.
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RM
