5 April 2005
What really defines the essence of HUMAN civilization?
It seems a little bit like we're circling around to the First Contact question again . . .(I think it's the same question in two different forms.)
What would you show to an alien to justify humanity's existence on Earth? Imagine that the artifact would make or break a case for the survival of the human race. . .this implies that the first contact would be with a superior race, but it seems possible that we could meet someone more advanced someday. New ground rules, though--it has to be visible with the naked human eye, portable (by one unassisted person), and self-sustaining (in other words, no power cords or umbilicals of any sort). It also has to be explainable in less than 100 words. This sort of requires that the artifact be representative of something larger, even symbolic, but its true essence has to be definable, and mostly self-explanatory.
posted by Mrs. Kern @ 7:31 PM
3 comments
3 Comments:
I would show them the WAR and DEATH. That is something very unique amongst human race. There are no plant or even animal in this world that kills its own kind for some higher goal. That is rather unique human trait. THE QUESTION IS WHY?
The violence is quite common in our everyday life, but we are hardly aware of that. The secret wording of legalisms grew up around the necessity to hide from ourselves the violence we intend toward each other. Between depriving a man of one hour from his life and depriving him of his life there exists only a difference of degree. You have done violence to him, consumed his energy. Elaborate euphemisms may conceal your intent to kill, but behind any use of power over another the ultimate assumption remains: "I feed on your energy."
AGAIN, WHY WE COMMIT VIOLENCE AGAINST EACH OTHER? There is one human trait that is also rather unique, and that is his view on his greatness commparing to any other human being. Here is the quote that explains that little better:
"The person who experiences greatness must have a feeling for the myth he is in. He must reflect what is projected upon him. And he must have a strong sense of the sardonic. This is what uncouples him from belief in his own pretensions. The sardonic is all that permits him to move within himself. Without this quality, even occasional greatness will destroy a man."
from "Collected Sayings of Muad'Dib" by the Princess Irulan
This universe can be explained only in two different ways: supreme good or supreme evil. Only one is right, and the other one is just deceiving. Pick a side, so we can start our eternal fight. I am not afraid of you. I am afraid of hypocrites that are in the middle. There is no difference if I kill you, or you kill me. The only thing that matters is what happens to you after the death. IT IS BETTER LIVING BY DYING FOR YOUR OWN BELIEFS THAN LIVING WITHOUT ANY OF THEM.
I forgot something very important. CHILD?! LIFE?! I would show them CHILD, that watches genocide instead of cartoons, and drinks half-poisoned water instead of clean one, who goes to the shelter instead of kindergarten. CHILD whose parents are victims of higher goal, whose dreams are nightmares. CHILD, who reads in the bulletin' that there is a planted bomb in the school instead of that the spring break starts. CHILD whose life is stolen, and parents killed. Does this picture remaind you of someone? NOOOOO?! United States is really great country! DON'T CRITICIZE SOMETHING YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND.
WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD, NEO.
"The world is so much more beautiful if you don't take it for granted, and if you lived forever you wouldn't see it. . ."
To me, that's the real beauty--the transitory struggle to claim something of value even in the face of inevitable death and pointless destruction. That genetically encoded optimism is the only thing that has saved the human race in some truly dark ages of the soul, and the ability to recognize the ultimate futility of life and yet continue trying to build the best life possible is both the greatest talent and the greatest curse we have as humans. (see "ignorance is bliss," and "truth is beauty, and beauty, truth")
Regardless of the ugliness of what we do to one another, there is still hope in each instant, because in each instant, we have the ability and the power to decide to make the world a different place. (For proof, see Ghandi,M. . .)
In a way, a human life is the greatest piece of performance art ever, and every breathing moment is a moment you craft of the materials you've been given.
Another way of seeing this is to read great poets, look at great works of art, listen to great music. . .no one ever really made an impact by being blissfully happy.
(Note: I do believe there must be aliens--the hubris involved in imagining we are the only cosmic outpost of civilized life is as untenable as the theory that people who look different enough aren't really human. [see "ethnocentrism'])
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