Tuesday, May 4, 2021

"To go where no one has gone before"

 

Two-Planet Species

“I suggest that going to Mars means permanence on the planet—a mission by which we are building up a confidence level to become a two-planet species.”

Buzz Aldrin

          I wonder what your response is to this quote by Buzz Aldrin. I must admit, my first response was, “Oh-no, I hope not!” Honestly, don’t we need to figure out how to live together in a caring way before we carry our mistrust and distress to other planets. I wonder whether you have seen the photos of UFO’s taken by military pilots recently. They look exactly like the ones I saw in the mid-1960’s near Mather Air Force Base in California. Speculation seems to be that they are surveillance aircraft from other countries. I don’t know which countries have the technology to secretly create oval aircraft, with no wings, and soundless hydraulic systems, do you?

          If we embarked upon space travel to colonize other planets now, how would that look? Would we take only the best of our people and our conventions? How would we decide which are the “best” and which we want to leave behind here on earth? And who, exactly, would make those decisions? Would we do what we did when European people first came to this hemisphere, or would we take a diverse crew of astronauts who have the wisdom of hindsight? Would we go in peace or in the spirit of conquest?

          I think we all know the answers to those questions, which is why we need to stay firmly planted right here. We have a lot to learn before we colonize other planets. Like how live together in peace and harmony rather than conquer and occupy. And how to prevent war before we export our aggressive species anywhere else. Let’s choose to not exploit those who are weaker than we are, or fear those who may be stronger.  This spiritual revolution may take a while, so we had better get started.

                                                  In the Spirit,

                                                  Jane

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