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Can we Sail Beyond the Sunset?
Jul. 3rd, 2002 02:33 pmOriginally posted this as a comment on someone else's LJ. Thanks, ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
reive, for writing a post that helped me codify a few things that been rattling around my head for too long.
...we need new frontiers.
When the Pilgrims came here in 1620, there were 102 people on the Mayflower. How many died before the first winter was out? 51- fully half. No one suggested that further trips to America be cancelled, or postponed, or "taken under advisement." Our ancestors were pioneers, and they took and shaped a land for themselves and their descendants. They weren't stopped by disease, bullets, wolves, rattlesnakes or the thing under the bed- they understood, and accepted, that they were engaged in a great and dangerous enterprise, that would change the face of the world. Although our ancestors did great harm to many along the way, they were men and women of courage and resilience.
Now, their descendants have changed from pioneer to consumer; a journey in today's society is a weekend in the Hamptons. The riches our forefathers worked so hard to bring forth from the soil have been woven into a cocoon of 7.9% financing, second mortgages and dinner at McDonald's; today's "adventures" come to us on 28" screens, with full stereo sound.
What to do about this? The most obvious frontier- space- lies largely unexplored. In the 70s, we spoke of space colonies and men on Mars, even as the viewing audience for Apollo missions dwindled; when the Challenger exploded, Congress seethed with voices urging caution, more protection- and, in the meanwhile, there were so many uses for that money we were flinging into space down here... just until we were certain it was safe up there, of course. Now, the years go by; our "international space station" has been negotiated into a shadow of itself; launch after launch of the shuttle is postponed because of a suspicious cloud, or a degree or two of various from the expected temperature... and the years go by. I'm not going to explore this subject further at the moment, save to note- we have to rid ourselves of the illusion that the world- any facet of it- will ever, ever be "safe."
reive, for writing a post that helped me codify a few things that been rattling around my head for too long....we need new frontiers.
When the Pilgrims came here in 1620, there were 102 people on the Mayflower. How many died before the first winter was out? 51- fully half. No one suggested that further trips to America be cancelled, or postponed, or "taken under advisement." Our ancestors were pioneers, and they took and shaped a land for themselves and their descendants. They weren't stopped by disease, bullets, wolves, rattlesnakes or the thing under the bed- they understood, and accepted, that they were engaged in a great and dangerous enterprise, that would change the face of the world. Although our ancestors did great harm to many along the way, they were men and women of courage and resilience.
Now, their descendants have changed from pioneer to consumer; a journey in today's society is a weekend in the Hamptons. The riches our forefathers worked so hard to bring forth from the soil have been woven into a cocoon of 7.9% financing, second mortgages and dinner at McDonald's; today's "adventures" come to us on 28" screens, with full stereo sound.
What to do about this? The most obvious frontier- space- lies largely unexplored. In the 70s, we spoke of space colonies and men on Mars, even as the viewing audience for Apollo missions dwindled; when the Challenger exploded, Congress seethed with voices urging caution, more protection- and, in the meanwhile, there were so many uses for that money we were flinging into space down here... just until we were certain it was safe up there, of course. Now, the years go by; our "international space station" has been negotiated into a shadow of itself; launch after launch of the shuttle is postponed because of a suspicious cloud, or a degree or two of various from the expected temperature... and the years go by. I'm not going to explore this subject further at the moment, save to note- we have to rid ourselves of the illusion that the world- any facet of it- will ever, ever be "safe."
