Dr. Stephen Hawking just attained his 70th birthday which is as miraculous as his brilliant work. Diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) when he was 21, he is the longest surviving victim of this terrible disease. He was unable to attend his birthday celebration this past weekend, but sent along a recording of the speech he had planned to make. Dr. Hawking, a physicist and cosmologist, is lauded for his theories on black holes, quantum gravity and other scientific works too deep for me to even possibly pronounce or type, let alone understand!!
In his recorded message, he speaks about his life, his inspirations and his career. He talks about his books and his theories. Just Google his name and you can find the speech, along with many interesting web sites about him.
One thing Dr. Hawking discussed was his belief that within a thousand years the human race will be unable to survive on our planet, and will have to seek new worlds in outer space. He is an advocate for space exploration and the colonization of other planets.
My immediate response to that was: Does the human race deserve to go out and wreck havoc on another planet? Our Earth was once a pristine world; fresh air, clean water, thriving plant and animal life. Along comes The Human and there goes the neighborhood. Like the Joni Mitchell song: "...they paved paradise and put up a parking lot." Humans have not only paved paradise, but have polluted, razed and ravaged this planet in the name of industry, technology and Progress. Is is really necessary for us to destroy every last living thing here, and then move on, like some galactic Atilla the Hun and do the same to the next beautiful, unsuspecting world?
I am all for space exploration and have been since I was a tot reading Heinlein, Bradbury and Asimov. It is a thrilling idea to think of discovering life on other planets and to have space colonies set up housekeeping. But first, absolutely FIRST, the collective consciousness must evolve beyond our throwaway consumerism, wasteful habits, lack of eco-awareness, blatant pollution, denial of the rights of every living thing to have life and freedom to survive, and.......well, you know what I am getting it.
It is a dismal thought, isn't it? Thinking about Earth a thousand years from now. Being Wiccan, I must be an optimist though and continue to work towards healing the planet, and hoping others will join in. There are many many many people who believe the same. Surely it is not too late?
9 comments:
A very eye-opening post. I, too, have had these same thoughts. I see it here in the city all the time> no one recycles here. They all try to take the easy way out...sneak the plastic and cardboard in.
'Who will know?' they ask. Future generations will know as they struggle to survive in a dying world.
Mary
I want to be optimistic and say...oh we'll do better next time around....but well, we are the human animal aren't we? Oma Linda
Very thoughtful post and I agree with you. We don't have the right to wreck another planet. We should fix this one.
Love this post. I would hope that by the time we are ready to colonize other planets we will have evolved enough to understand the damage we have done to Mother Earth.
Thank you for this.
Blessings, V.
Wow! Wonderful post!
No, we don't have the right but we will, because we'll have the know-how and nothing gets in the way of that entitlement attitude. It's so sad but civilization is so thin on the human body -- a simple scratch and we're ready to venge ourselves -- we can only keep hoping that time will help change this thinking, and we have to start with the children. Adults don't think they have to because they've worked so hard to get what they've craved (not needed). Great post.
I read about this too and it is amazing how long he has been able to live with that awful disease!
I can only agree with everything You write and as You know I really wish I could travel out in to the universe :-) Have always wanted that since I read those authors too :-) :-)
But I think it is too late and I think only a few will be able to travel to other planets to find new homes. Most will have to stay here till the bitter end.
Have a great day!
Christer.
Great Post Robin! I agree with everything you said! You know my friend, deep down in my heart, I truly hope it is not too late! I will be working with you to heal our planet!!!!
We absolutely don't have the right to trash another world, we didn't have the right (and still don't) to trash our beautiful Earth either. Unfortunately, though, until our fellow humans give up their overwhelming sense of superiority and self entitlement it won't stop.
For my part, I've been a tree hugging, dirt worshipping, reusing, recycling, non-wasteful person since I was a wee kiddo. I don't get why others can't do the same; it really isn't that hard when you realize that stuff is just that - STUFF.
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