Are they trying to make us feel insignificant?

[flobadob]

http://blog.jmlynch.o.../02/13/pale-blue-dot/

[LazyGun]

It just serves to highlight just how staggeringly, amazingly, massively huge the universe actually is.

More importantly,it should also serve as a sobering reminder of just how reliant we are on the environment of this planet. Complacency over our impact on the biosphere could kill our species, with no hope of relocation any time in the near or medium future.

It should also serve as an inspiration and an illustration of what science can achieve - That picture was taken by a craft manufactured by humans, achieving the fastest speeds of any human made object, and the furthest travelled.

Finally, read Carl Sagans words again, and let them sink in.Excellent communicator.

[naomi24]

Very well said, LazyGun - especially the final paragraph.

[Ankou]

i believe in the grand scheme of the multiverse that "we" are very significant. how all these physical, chemical and bilological events came together on this tiny pale blue dot to givel life and sustain us is a constant wonderment to me.

[Old_Geezer]

The universe, including all of you, are just figments of my imagination.

[flobadob]

Say humans never make outside contact and then in a billion years the sun engulfs our planet, then what was the point of us?

[naomi24]

Why does there need to be a point? We just live our lives, don't we?

[flobadob]

We do, we do.

[joggerjayne]

Yes, there doesn't always have to be "a point".

Some things just happen, by accident.

Like falling off your bike.

The creation, and existence, of life on Earth has no more significance than hitting a wet rock and skidding off your bike.

Insignificant ... us? ... ya, you betcha !

[BuzzNitemare]

This...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buqtdpuZxvk


seems appropriate.

[Rev Sermon]

Having as yet seen no convincing evidence for intelligent life elsewhere in the universe it doesn't seem unreasonable to consider us as unique and therefore very significant. Granted that when the first aliens make contact I may have to review that opinion but for the time being...

[naomi24]

In all fairness, Rev, to date we've investigated very little of the rest of the universe, so it's hardly likely we'd have come up with any evidence at all as yet.

[mibn2cweus]

Imagine spending one day, or if necessary a week, month or year contemplating that pale blue dot from the cold remote inhospitable and lonely place from where that photograph was taken and perhaps you will begin to realise what a significant dot amongst millions, billions or possibly even trillions of other dots in the universe that is and why so many have struggled and fought so hard to secure a single acre upon it where they can live free from oppression and in peace with other rational people who recognise and appreciate the value that represents. Devoid of beings who share that capacity, vision and desire to bring such a place into existence the whole of the universe is rendered meaningless.

[Ankou]

well put mbn2.

rev, the fact that 'we' haven't looked and found anything but are trying to makes us extremely significant. until we find any other life and can readress that point, then it should remain so. this little pale dot ful of us beings going out snooping around into the universe.......

[Rev Sermon]

Maybe this is a question of optimism versus pessimism. We don't actually know whether we're unique or special but can only speculate. I'd rather be optimistic and think that we're at least "special" if not unique than right myself off as a worthless speck of dust until evidence suggests otherwise. Perhaps I'm just dillusional?