Truly mind boggling movie clip. I once heard a Swedish astrophysicist at MIT reflect about space and humanity’s seemingly total irrelevance in the great big universe. He said that it was quite common amongst space scholars to at one point or another become a bit sad over the fact that we are so small and know so little and that the time we are alive is so short it could truly be called a “fart in space”. But, he said, lately he had begun to believe that there maybe isn’t that much intelligent life in space after all, and that we humans-if we don’t mess up our planet before we succeed-might in fact carry forward the species that will eventually colonize space and make large parts of the universe sparkle with life where there before was none. If he’s right, we are not carriers of such small a significance in the great big unknown after all.
“We do not have to think that human nature is perfect for us to still believe that the human condition can be perfected. We do not have to live in an idealized world to still reach for those ideals that will make it a better place. The nonviolence practiced by men like Gandhi and King may not have been practical or possible in every circumstance, but the love that they preached — their faith in human progress — must always be the North Star that guides us on our journey.”
Avaaz is an organisation that I personally have a great respect for.
Dear friends,
Haiti’s worst earthquake in 200 years struck yesterday, devastating the capital city, killing thousands and threatening over 3 million people in this desperately poor country.
Haitians are urgently appealing to the world for help — we’re already in touch with strong local organisations mobilising community-based relief efforts. Let’s send a worldwide wave of donations to the front lines, to save lives now and help people recover and rebuild. Avaaz will work partners to make sure the help reaches those who need it most. Click below to donate:
Based on expert advice from leading humanitarian NGOs who have been working in Haiti for over 30 years, we’ll offer donations to trusted local organizations, including:
Honor and Respect for Bel Air, a big community-based network in Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince, which is also supported by our friends at the respected Brazilian NGO Viva Rio
Coordination Régionale des Organisations de Sud-Est (CROSE), which brings together some of the most active community groups in the South of Haiti where the earthquake struck hardest. These groups include: women’s groups, schools networks and local cooperatives
In 2008, Avaaz members donated over $2 million for Burmese monks to respond to the devastating Cyclone Nargis. Our money made an incredible difference there — because it went directly to local people on the front lines of the aid effort.
Times of painful tragedy can bring out the best in us by bringing people together. Let’s join with the people of Haiti to help them rescue their communities from this brutal disaster — act now at this link:
Who, Where, Why?
I'm a 28 years old swede political economist and entrepreneur trying to make things more sustainable. Here I write about things I do and think.
