“You develop an instant global consciousness,
a people orientation, an intense dissatisfaction with the state of the world,
and a compulsion to do something about it.
From out there on the moon,
international politics look so petty.
You want to grab a politician by the scruff of the neck
and drag him a quarter of a million miles out and say,
‘Look at that, you son of a bitch.”
- Edgar D. Mitchell
I've posted many times about the wonders of the Universe, and humanity's place in the cosmic order.
Since my childhood, I've been fascinated by the mysteries of outer space. As an adult, my sense of awe over the infinite size & complexity of the cosmos has only deepened. I often think- if our species survives the transition to permanently living in space, what will be our relation to our home planet?
40 years ago, astronauts on the Apollo 17 mission, heading for the moon, took the iconic photo of a fully illuminated Earth. This photo, known as "The Blue Marble" photo, is one of the most widely distributed images, on the very planet it depicts.
To celebrate the anniversary of this pivotal time in the history of the human race, the video below was made with the help of astronauts- describing the utterly profound experience of viewing the Earth from orbit.
It is a great piece... something every person should see. If I could, I'd take Edgar Mitchel's advice & take each person by the scruff of the neck & make them watch it.
If thinking about the Earth, & the life it contains, from this perspective doesn't affect your consciousness... then nothing will.
OVERVIEW from Planetary Collective on Vimeo.
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