Welcome to the New Year, and welcome to 2011!
It looks to me like the great science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke managed to miss another date!
I grew up reading fantasy and science fiction, as my choice of reading fodder, so I was a little sad when, in 2001, we hadn't yet had a manned Jupiter mission even in the planning stages.
You see, I am a dedicated space cadet, sincerely believing that the future of mankind (and I do believe we have a long and exciting future ahead of us) lies out there, amongst the heavens.
I have an eternal and deeply entrenched optimism about humanity, one that issues like Global Warming, Global Thermonuclear War, and other such issues cannot shake.
Take for an example Global Warming.
Now, I know many of you who might be reading this column believe that the theory of Global Warming is complete poppy-crock, and you are more than welcome to your opinion.
But, for the sake of argument, let us say the prognostications about environmental catastrophe are true.
I believe one of the greatest strengths of humanity is our ability to direct our efforts and change ourselves.
Now, such changes are always uncomfortable, and therefore we, as a species, often put off such changes for as long as we can.
In truth, we usually only change things when there is no other choice.
So if the day comes when we are looking down the barrel of an environmental disaster, I believe that humanity will find a way to persevere, and we will change what needs to be changed at that time.
Now, this doesn't mean I don't think we should just wait on disaster; this is why I follow politics. I follow politics because I'd like to see us be at least a little proactive in avoiding problems.
In the end though, my faith in humanity continues un-wavered.
It is this faith in humanity that makes me impatient for some serious attempts at space-travel, moon bases, and all that other fancy stuff.
Many problems that occur in the world, at every level of society, have to do with the 'they/we' mentality that seems to be a natural part of human identity.
This ability, perhaps even need, to divide people into 'them and us' has led to wars, oppression, racism, slavery, and god knows how many other ugly manifestations.
As a species that is capable of dreaming, we seem bound and determined to ensure that we make all of our dreams come true, from our most beautiful dreams, to our darkest nightmares.
As time has progressed though, who the 'they/we' are has steadily grown in size and encompassment.
At one time, the 'we' was our family. Then it became our tribe. Then it developed to those of our language (the birth of the concept of 'nation'.) Those of our faith. Those within a set geographical boundary (the development of the concept of a 'state'.) The 'we' then included folks who shared a common philosophical heritage (the 'Western World' as an example, or the identification as a 'European.')
The expansion of the 'we' will continue, I truly hope, until such time that the 'we' embraced by the majority is the 'we' of humanity.
This is why I am impatient for us to reach into the great sea of the skies.
In all the cases where the 'we' expanded, there was a motivator involved with it.
Sometimes it was for defence, and sometimes it was for wealth. Occasionally the 'we' grew as a result of lessons learned (World War Two was a great motivator for the European mindset to expand their 'we'.)
In all cases though, it was a case of united thought that brought the 'we' into its larger form, a desire of all those included in the newer, bigger 'we' to join their efforts towards something better, which in the end would benefit all of the 'we'.
I believe that some day (hopefully soon,) 'we' of the world will begin to quest towards space, towards the limitless potential, and limitless resources, that the universe has to offer.
And once we do, and humanity's eyes are raised towards one goal, one promise, one unifying effort to strive for, we might finally become a truly global 'we.'
