Welcome to the Sunday Paper Club. (Almost) every Sunday, this blog will offer analysis of a paper on space habitation and other related topics. These are my opinions on a weekly scientific paper; basically I read the paper and write down my thoughts are I read it. They are subject to my perspectives and believes. I am open to debate, so if any reader believes I have misinterpreted something in a paper, please point it out. I'm only a student and I'm still learning how to read these papers and interpret them. All quotes are from the paper unless otherwise noted. All papers I review are available for free online.
This week we are reviewing The Cultural Imperative to Colonize Space:An Astrosociological Perspective.
The paper’s first main point is how humans are drawn to space more then the bottom of the oceans. This is due mainly to the culture defining aspect of space. I urge you to look at table 1 on page 4. As you will see, the way we viewed, for example, Mars effected the way society operated.
The main point of the paper is to point out how space habitation is needed to sustain the way that humans live. But, while reading this paper, I was reminded of this quote in The Matrix
I'd like to share a revelation that I’ve had during my time here. It came to me when I tried to classify your species, and I realized that humans are not actually mammals. Every mammal on this planet instinctively develops a natural equilibrium with the surrounding environment; but you humans do not. Instead you multiply, and multiply, until every resource is consumed. The only way for you to survive is to spread to another area. There is another organism on this planet that follows the same pattern... a virus. Human beings are a disease, a cancer on this planet, you are a plague, and we... are the cure.
The whole point of this paper is null and void if humans are able to change they way they live. A simple change in mind set, from a short term one to a long term one, could be enough to save humanity. It might even be so much that space habitation is not needed. The question is “can humans develop a natural equilibrium”? We also must learn how to not waste opportunities.
Manned space flight is like the wheel, it is game changing. It will completely redefine everything about human life. But “The Aztecs… had the wheel, but only used it in the construction of toys and in their calendars. There is
likely an assortment of mundane explanations for the failure of the wheel to diffuse across other sectors of Aztec
society”. The critical part of that quote is contained in two words “mundane explanations” (Read: the day-to-day actions of the members of Aztec society). It is nothing more then that. Nothing more prevented the Aztecs from saving themselves from collapse. They had a huge advantage.
Why does that sound so familiar…
I remember, humanity’s space activity is a mix between a recruitment ad for scientists and engineers and a power grab by the leaders of various nations. Yes, we need more scientists and engineers, but that is an inherent quality about all space activity. We can move on to bigger, betting things and use the ground breaking technology to change the game.
Last, but not least, the paper suggests a vast increase in education funding. But, the only way we can get the money is if we over come the vast anti-intellectualism in the world.
Reactions
-Can humans become less virus like?
In Case You Skimmed
-If human society remains the same, then we need space habitation.
