Seriously though, I’m watching the press conference about Curiosity Rover’s successful landing on the Martian surface. What an accomplishment. It’s of course a shame that this subject is not the most popular news all over the globe, because it should be, without any question. It’s like as if the Italian had a live web cam, while Amerigo Vespucci first stepped foot on American soil. You know goddamn well all those Italians would be all about it. The entire time I’ve been watching this thing, two distinct thoughts have been entertaining my mind.
1- I feel so little. Not only as an existence in the cosmos but also as a human being. I’m here listening to this person speak about how they built, engineered, sent, landed and are receiving images from a robot they built. Take two seconds, really think about it. How advanced are these people? All it takes is 2 minutes of watching this Press Conference to understand that these men and women are the true Rockstars. Guys, I hate to say this but we are all cavemen compared to these humans. Just experiencing the aura of this fine human moment, makes me want to do what I do, the best way I possibly can. This inspires excellence. I immediately see 10 ways I can do what I do better and more dedicated. People who are better than me really put me into perspective, I love it. I never despise them for it, I thank these scientists for existing and showing me what a human being can do.
2- After seeing a “meme” George Takei posted on Facebook w Marvin The Martian peeking his head into the picture frame on the barren Martian surface, I started thinking, what if we made contact with a primitive Martian culture? Would it become another America story? Would we try to teach them English or force them out of their homes? Maybe I’m too much of a realist but following my respect and admiration to what the scientists can do, my brain always follows up with what authority can do with the scientists’ abilities. Advancement in Technology does not improve our morals, we just create better tools to carry out the will of those morals. So my bipolar melancholic mind, managed to get happy, excited, angry and worried all in one viewing of this Press Conference. What were your thoughts?
I don’t feel bad reposting my FB statuses here, because you and I seem to keep pace on topics and most of your following doesn’t see ‘em on there:
Our accomplishment with Curiosity underlines our immaturity as a species. While our technologically advancing nation struggles with malnutrition, homelessness and disease-causing pollutants, we look up at the stars instead of into the eyes of those nearby. We must learn to maintain the planet we stand on before we leap to another. We’ve managed to accomplish this on a budget overall less than our social programs, and yet we can’t engineer tech to keep us healthy and progressing in amazing ways -here-? High Speed Rail is FUTURE, and you have states going LOL NOPE.
We’re still arguing the same social, sexual, cultural, religious, environmental issues we were arguing at the time of the humans landing on the moon. I want this landing on Mars to mean something, but I think it won’t be enough this time.
Well said! Yes technology is a wonderful thing! It seems that it’s being used to direct our attention to things other than important issues that need solving. I posted a status similar to the caption on the picture that NC posted. Unfortunately, all I got in response were comments praising NASA for their achievements, yet skimming over world issues that directly affect us…Seems like it would take a major worldwide event for humanity to be driven to take care of things on this planet, before looking to conquer the heavens…
All I take from all this is…. -damn…. Now I want to do my music better than I ever did, seeing these Men doing what they do, so good.
Mehh, I do get your point but they are two completely unrelated things. They are. They should both be done. They are different field of HUman study, that’s all.
agreed Midna
Why thankya for reading.
Hmm…
I didn’t watch the press conference video but I read a brief article about the Mars robot touching down on…well Martian land. I too was very excited. And incredibly jealous. Why couldn’t I be a part of it? I want to be rock star scientist too because you’re right, it’s not the fact the the robot landed that is awesome, it’s the people who created it, who spent hours and hours preparing for the day they would watch the robot land and what a day!
Have you seen the movie Avatar with the blue people? The message of that movie was disheartening. Humanity in groups, at its worst are removed from actual human feelings of love and compassion. Instead we adopt feelings of detachment, dissonance, and we become so cruel and uncaring about anyone who isn’t part of “the group.”
During World War II, scientists were basically forced to research and create weapons to destroy lives more efficiently than the weapons that were already around. Imagine being on the team to create nuclear bombs, spear-heading the entire operation not because you want to but because you’re ordered to? You could be doing something more worthwhile to humanity with your talent and intelligence yet because you want to keep your job/station/post/etc…you must listen to the government and do what they want you to do in the hopes that eventually you’ll be able to follow your passion once it’s all “over.”
So my opinion, honestly yeah, I’m pretty sure the Catholic Church will train missionaries to go to space and teach the word of “the one true god” like they do to the indigenous Papua New Guinea tribes. We’ll do the same to aliens that we do to our own people. We’ll try our best to teach them that how they’ve lived their lives for generations is wrong and that the only way to gain salvation when you die is to believe in a man who died on a fucking cross. -_-
There will be the few clear-headed people who just want to learn what they can from another race and not seek to turn that race into Humanity 2.0 but overall, the powerful governments and religious organizations of the world will talk the most and the loudest and when they speak, it wont be in the interest of peace and simply learning, it will be for purely unadulterated personal or group gain. Because in groups humanity doesn’t give one flying fuck.
Maybe I’m too jaded but that is my opinion.
Eve
Also, haha I love your meme for this post.
Another comment that echoes EXACTLY what I’ve been thinking! What is the TRUE purpose of humanity’s space exploration? We can barely care for our own planet!
It’s funny because I was thinking of Avatar when I was thinking of what we’d do if we met Alien life that is technologically less advanced than us
I am sure you know how ecstatic I am about this… but I was up all night watching the live stream, and woke up to an internet who seems more interested in Bobak Ferdowsi’s hair than the first images from Curiosity. Such an autonomous landing, I am in shock…what are the chances that everything could go so perfectly? There aren’t any martians, sorry, (we’ve been checking underground too), but there is definitely a story, and for the first time we are going to be able to examine the planet with unprecedented technology and try to piece together a better understanding of it’s history.
It’d be amazing if we proved the theory that human beings’ seeds of existence originated from Mars. I thought about Liron’s helicopter when I saw Curiosity land
You know, I’d expect the reverse.
Hahahah, that helicopter! I hope my nephews will play Mars missions with theirs.
The question isn’t whether extraterrestrials like Marvin the Martian exist. Microbial life would suffice enough. Seeing as NASA had semi-successful missions on Mars at a couple of points and made no conclusive evidence of walking-talking life, Curiosity has more to do with discovering if life once existed at all, but in a much more modern and recharged mechanical laboratory.
I should make mention that there is another rover that has been operating on Mars called, Opportunity. It was launched in 2003 by NASA and is still covering the surface as we speak.
I thought Opportunity had degraded significantly over time? I recall one of their rovers getting its wheels stuck or broken.
Opportunity, Curiosity what will the next one be called? Frustration? hahah
First, I must say I like the caption with your picture. A perfect summary of what I’ve been thinking ever since I heard the news! I do agree that landing this latest creation on Mars is an incredible event. I just can’t help but wonder will those in power ever solve our issues on this planet and stop distracting us with whatever the latest and greatest technology or popular “culture”? Next time I see a commercial about some starving country or hear about our “economic” problems I will just remember that all of this is just a speck in the universe! Once humanity brings itself to extinction, I doubt any “alien life form” will be likely to notice…
I was really excited to find the perfect “asshole laugh” picture for my meme
we are a grain of sand that makes up the beach but all of us combined can be that beach if we worked together instead against each other great things can happen . The world has evolved so much but has stayed the same as well . I believe the whole conspiracy theory which could be a whole different topic but the gov can cure sickness diseases ect its a money thing a whole vicious cycle to put money in their pockets The gov wants “us” to “need” them to depend on them and “we” are sick and suffering as they are getting richer “we”are getting poorer bottom line !!!!!!
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