This Rare Earth

"Scientia potentia est" is a Latin aphorism (exact provenance unknown) most commonly translated as "With knowledge comes power". More recently that latter much bandied phrase has acquired the corollary "And with power comes great responsibility." It is often quoted by those in positions of standing within organisations, as evidence of a social conscience. I would be tempted to meld the phrases together into a single maxim: "With knowledge comes great responsibility." 

For aeons mankind believed that Earth was the centre of the universe, that the sun, the known planets and a myriad of stars all revolved around us. Our knowledge of how things really are was extremely limited, almost childlike, the apprehension of a mystery, couched in terms of religion.

It was only in the 16th century, thanks to exacting and inquiring minds (like those of Copernicus and Galilei), that it became accepted fact that the Earth and other known planets actually orbit the sun. The sun then became the de facto centre of the universe, putting science in the ascendancy and religion on the back foot for the first time.

Fast-forward four hundred years and we had progressed sufficiently as a species to the point where we could head off into space far enough (18,000 miles to be precise) to be able to view our planetary home in its entirety. That in itself was a magical moment.

planet earth

Such a perspective, such self-awareness ought to have been knowledge of a transformative kind. What a beautiful world! But satellite images over the last fifty years or so have highlighted the extent to which we are ravaging it. 

To quote from Paul Kantner's sci-fi song 'Have You Seen The Saucers':

"Do you know there are people out there

Who are unhappy with the way that we care

For the Earth Mother...

Star children on the black road to salvation

You've got to care for the needs of your planet...

First born atomic generation

Open the door.

Don't you know that's what it's for?"

I'm not a believer in there being anybody out there keeping an eye on us. In fact the more scientific data that are gathered from our immediate neighbourhood in space, the more likely it seems that we are it, as far as organic life goes, that Earth is of such a composition and at such a specific distance from our star that life was able to develop here, an oasis in space.

Of course we also know now thanks to the power of radio-astronomy and computers that the universe is immense, that we are at the edge of one tiny galaxy among millions of such stellar constructs. So the probability of there being other star systems with planets having a similar disposition to our own is quite high. However, it's also a sober fact that they will be so very far away - thousands of light years - as to be out of reach.

To all intents and purposes then, it appears we are alone, that this rare earth we call our home is effectively one of a kind. Knowing that, and knowing also we are the most powerful species to emerge, ought to engender in all of us, our businesses and our governments, a mighty sense of responsibility for looking after the place, to properly manage our habitat for the mutual benefit of all, not just the rapacious human race.

giant anteater, deliberately scorched earth

That means listening to nature, applying good science, working with eco-systems and not against them, not being greedy. It seems it has become our garden to cultivate. I would suggest we need to step up to being better curators before it is too late for everyone and everything.

Here's the latest dystopia-steeped poem from the imaginarium:

Clay

Our whole village processes

following the Digman 

purified in heavy water

tools carried by his daughter

as tradition demands.

It can only be dug at the full moon

rare earth from the holy place

precious wedges levered

by his spade whilst we intone

the song of coming home.

Digman will grow sick and die

sapphires placed upon his eyes

and Shapeman too once he

has moulded the numinous clay

into a new likeness

of the Shining One who lives

beyond the stars. We pray

this time the statue will 

appease our God that he may

love his people enough

to remember us, return again

cloaked in radiant glory and 

make all better as before

if the Tellman's words speak

truth of history and lore.

Though we weary of the struggle

and decay this half-life brings

us in our raddled junkyard

nevertheless once again tonight

we shape to sing. 

Thanks for reading, S ;-)