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Posted on 02.19.07 by Mr. Majestic @ 6:51 pm
Reading and thinking over the past few days about humanity’s future (or non-future, if you prefer) in space. (i.e., beyond this planet’s surface) Ran across an interesting post at Slashdot regarding an article entitled Interstellar Ark (and of course, an amusing amount of subsequent discussion). I should warn you, TFA is a long read. Funny how certain concepts, thoughts, memes, tend – like dust-bunnies – to gather temporary momentum and coalesce in the collective consciousness for a time. Witness the next day’s discussion of the Fermi Paradox – also debated ad nauseam. Another nice take-away from that post was a link to this interesting paper entitled The Great Filter. So- I feel I have sufficiently primed the pump to ask: “Whither mankind?” Do we have a SHINY future out in space, or will we remain in this planetary prison (zoo?) until we either figure a way to survive perpetually or we self-destruct? Or until whatever externally-produced (insert your chosen eternity scecnario here) happens? Fan of sci-fi that I am, of course I prefer to envision a future in which we “slip these surly bonds” and mankind realizes a destiny greater than one world can hold. The mental soundtrack accompanying me aboard this train of thought was Donald Fagen’s 1982 song New Frontier. (I remember loving the video for that song back in the heyday of MTV. A good tune, but also compellingly sensual visuals. As an interesting tangent, see this article on the term itself.) So hum a few bars as we wander … The concept of a “Space Ark” is not new. Of course, neither is the archetype (ha, ha – auditory pun intended) of a humanity-saving ark in general, but one hopes that goes without saying. Although I have never been a devotee of the good Doctor (in any iteration) I found that a substantial story arc from the Tom Baker incarnation incorporated the theme. Then there’s another personal fave of mine, Red Dwarf. Not precisely an “ark” per se, more of a reluctant lifeboat for humanity with hilarious repercussions. “Better Than Life” is probably my favorite episode – skillfully blending the best of British comedy with all the Freud and pop-psych thirty minutes of television can hold. And of course, the theme song rules! Space: 1999 is another great ark-themed show, emphasized heavily in the episode “The Last Sunset”. Popular computer games (Homeworld), music, film, television … must be something hard-coded into the human experience. Could it be, a la Battlestar Galactica, that life here … “began out there” ? Well, when Virgin Galactic starts flying next year, perhaps we will begin to get a taste of that future, or a glimpse of our potential. Heady and exciting to me, although I recognize that for many it is still the fluff of childhood fantasy. Oh, well. The dinner bell is ringing, the kids want help with their art, and a few dozen other obligations cruelly drag my mind back to earth. So for now, I’ll just say to all of us: Live long, and prosper! Filed under: Eric on the loose ... Comments: 2 Comments |
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Posted on 02.14.07 by Mr. Majestic @ 6:59 pm
Someone I respect very much recently scolded me regarding my shameful and addictive overuse of the ellipsis … I just can’t help myself. I am sick, and I don’t want to be cured. Today I was reminded what a real ‘blogger looks like, as I trawled over to Wil Wheaton’s tome, which I hadn’t done in quite a while. Doff o’ the cap to you, “Oh Master of the Daily Entry” … it’s always an interesting read. (Note: Although our boy Wesley has still not fixed his primary site, I presume he will someday, so I am not changing the link in the ‘blogroll to his temporary space.) Friends are good! New friends are even better … because they remind you that no matter how old you feel, or how jaded your soul, there is still more to discover and more importantly – still other hearts with which you just might find a connection. Not much better this side of heaven than finding still one more soul to share a moment with. (Hopefully many moments, strung along like beads …) We just got back from Florida (the annual visit) … only to find the Winter Warlock on the prowl all over Ohio. I noticed that he now has a beer named after him. I should check and see if the local micro-brew purveyor’s have it around. Of course the weather has not only made headlines for the past two weeks, it also means the kiddies get extra time off from school! Now *that* brings back some memories. In the “Wanted Planet” days, many of our best childhood adventures seemed to take place with a blanket of snow on the ground. Like the time we tried to build a raft by gluing four empty plastic milk cartons to the bottom of a 4′x8′ sheet of plywood. My brothers and I carried that thing a literal mile through at least eight inches of snow down to a swollen creek and proceeded to climb aboard. Tom & Huck we were not. I really don’t recall which one of us three was the guinea pig, but I do remember that the moment one of us climbed aboard, one of those not-so-firmly-attached milk jugs cut loose – causing the “raft” to tip abruptly and throwing them in the icy drink. With all of us soaked and freezing, the march home (through what had to be TEN inches of snow) was a lot less triumphant. We stopped at each building in the apartment complex along the way to warm-up a bit. Mom was not happy. The strange thing is how bonded I still feel to those few years. I don’t know why it is, but that particular period in my life (from about age 10 to age 13) has a hold on my psyche I have never managed to shake. If I were to visit that apartment today, I am confident it would still feel like 1978 to me. If I had a time machine, and could only visit one period from my own life, that is right where I would go. Was chatting with those same intrepid sailors the other day about that same period in time … only about how INCREDIBLE it was for popular music. I have always been able to find contemporary popular music worth listening to (even worth purchasing, lol) but I don’t think there has been a time since then which produced such depth, variety, and innovation. We watched some old videos the other week (although calling anything pre-MTV a “video” never seems quite right), including DEVO’s classic “Jocko Homo.” They just don’t make ‘em like that anymore. Okay. As Arnie sez: “ENOUGH TALK!” Filed under: Eric on the loose ... Comments: None |
- Capt. Mal Reynolds