The Overview Effect
Here on Earth, with our feet planted firmly on the ground, we also tend to plant our minds firmly in Earthly affairs. And as important as it is to tend to our Earthly joys and worries, we take too little time to wonder about our existence. For I believe that only if and when we truly understand how interconnected we are with each other and the planet, we will reach our potential, whatever that may be.
The Hubble Ultra-Deep Field image. source: Wikipedia
Also, through the life giving light of our Sun, and the lights of countless other Suns we are connected to the universe, to the whole of existence. We're literally made of stardust as the atoms within us and everything else were forged in the hearts of now dead stars. Sub-atomic particles, launched from intergalactic distances away and billions of years ago, pass through us every second, but we don't notice because they're so small they can pass through the gigantic spaces between the nucleus and electrons of atoms; they almost never hit anything... We are galactic beings, yet the galaxies and the unimaginable size of infinite space-time they're contained within, make us feel tiny and unimportant, insignificant, disposable.
If you feel like this, if you think you are just not important enough for the indifferent universe to care about, let me try to convince you, no, let me try to convince us of the opposite. For we are the universe's greatest achievement, it's greatest miracle. As far as we can scientifically determine our universe is approximately 14.5 billion years old; for a human mind to try to comprehend such vast amounts of time passed is almost impossible. Our universe has had 14.5 billion years to evolve. And initially it was only "stuff".
And it still is only stuff according to the so called "hard sciences" like chemistry, physics, biology, you know, the "real world" sciences. Well, even if you believe that, or maybe especially if you believe that, there's no escaping that you, yes I'm talking directly to you now, dear reader, are the greatest miracle that ever happend in the entirety of existence. Let me tell you why.
Our fragile spaceship. source: NASA
Everything is made of "stuff", right? The exact same "stuff" even; everything, including ourselves are built from the same atoms, that are in turn made from the same sub-atomic particles. We are made from the same "stuff" as any other being on this planet, yet we resemble none of them. The mere fact that ultimately we're made from the same "stuff" as any table, chair, stone or drop of water, is a small miracle in itself. But maybe that's a miracle that makes you feel disposable again, you're made of nothing special after all...
But the other side of this is that this also means that we are intimately connected to the universe, we are made from the stuff that makes the universe itself and are therefore one with that universe. But it doesn't stop there. I said before that the universe has had 14.5 billion years to evolve. Like life on Earth evolved from a single cell organism to the highly complex life-forms we know today, with ourselves as the most complex ones, the universe itself has evolved in an even more miraculous way.
This greatest miracle in all of time is this: the universe has, after 14.5 billion years, managed to combine it's basic particles inside us in such a way that the universe itself can ponder on it's own existence. In us "stuff" is combined in such a way that the universe can think about it's own existence and about the meaning of it's own existence. You are the universe's greatest achievement and you are the universe's consciousness. You are the universe, trying to understand itself; a quote from one of my favorite science-fiction tv-shows, Babylon 5
So, now that we got that out of the way, I want to leave you with this video about the Overview Effect:
The overview effect is a cognitive shift in awareness reported by some astronauts and cosmonauts during spaceflight, often while viewing the Earth from orbit or from the lunar surface.
It refers to the experience of seeing firsthand the reality of the Earth in space, which is immediately understood to be a tiny, fragile ball of life, "hanging in the void", shielded and nourished by a paper-thin atmosphere. From space, national boundaries vanish, the conflicts that divide people become less important, and the need to create a planetary society with the united will to protect this "pale blue dot" becomes both obvious and imperative.
source: Wikipedia
The Overview Effect
I hope this hasn't made you feel small. I hope it hasn't made you feel big or grand either. I hope it made you feel free and balanced instead. But whatever it did, I also hope you'll share your cosmic thoughts in the comments ;-)
Recent articles you might be interested in:
Thanks for stopping by and reading. If you really liked this content, if you disagree (or if you do agree), please leave a comment. Of course, upvotes, follows, resteems are all greatly appreciated, but nothing brings me and you more growth than sharing our ideas. It's what Steemit is made for!
Just for Full Disclosure, I'm invested in these crypto-currencies:
Bitcoin | Litecoin | EOS | OmiseGo | FunFair | KIN | Pillar | DENT | Polymath | XDCE | 0x | Decred | Ethereum | Carmel | XYO
We are indeed mass become conscious and I do think we play a special role in the Universe, however, we shouldn't let this "specialness" let us forget that so does all life on this planet. We look for intelligent life in space when we fail to comprehend the intelligent life all around us.
Absolutely agree 100% @saltycat. If we finish the premise that the universe evolved consciousness to explore itself, then every individual perspective on the universe adds to its total understanding. We as individuals and every other living being and even "lifeless" objects maybe, each provide but a small slither of what is reality. What does it feel like to see the world though echo-location? How does a worm experience its interaction with its world? Only the universe knows.
That's how I choose to see it, of course ;-) Thanks so much for sharing your perspective :-)
never been this fascinated about astronomy or anything happening outside the earth, but with this I would admit that I read it till the end great delivery for you to attract a person like me who never really care...lol
Its time to start caring mate!
I am honored, @kendallron, and grateful that you read my rambling on till the end ;-) Thanks so much for this generous compliment :-) <3
Dam, I have you of course on steemvoter to auto vote but its not been doing it lol!!!!
lol. I don't mind ;-) Keeps you reading them hahaha!! Nah seriously: you're too kind :-)
Congratulations! this post got an upvote by @steemrepo and was manually picked by the curator @yanosh01 to be added on STEEM REPOSITORY, simply comment "YES" and we upload it on STEEM REPO Website.
Want to know more about the Steem Repo project? Contact us on Discord
YES
Thanks so much @yanosh01 and @steemrepo! I'm honored by and grateful for this love and support from the Steem Repo project :-) <3
This post was shared in the Curation Collective Discord community for curators, and upvoted and resteemed by the @c-squared community account after manual review.
WOW! I got c-squared again? So I'm c-squared-squared now..?! This is too much honor :-) Thank you so very much! <3
whats this thingy here then dude?
This, @c-squared, is an initiative just started by one of the, many great @helpie members, my friend. Or did you want to say you knew that already and it was you who nominated my post there..? If not, you should apply there; although I personally can't make any promises, I have a suspicion you'd be welcomed with open arms if you're interested in joining. I certainly would ;-)