Sunday, April 10, 2005
A reason for space exploration
As I read blogs, newspapers, op-eds, and various and sundry other venues for the venting of spleens, I'm struck by the polarization of opinion on almost every issue. I wonder to myself, is this new?
And I reflect.
In centuries past, when groups didn't like the prevailing opinion, and refused to bow to it, they didn't have the opportunity to post scathing blog entries. Instead, they were packed on wooden ships and sent off to populate new continents, far enough away that their dissenting whine wouldn't bother the quiet status quo at home.
That has worked for awhile. But we're running out of places to send the people who disagree with us, all the continents are basically settled and idealogically contentious already. What do we do? How do we siphon off those bothersome voices (always of course assuming that we are on the deciding end of this question).
Hmmm.
If you really, really liked this -- or even really, really hated it -- there's lots more:
And I reflect.
In centuries past, when groups didn't like the prevailing opinion, and refused to bow to it, they didn't have the opportunity to post scathing blog entries. Instead, they were packed on wooden ships and sent off to populate new continents, far enough away that their dissenting whine wouldn't bother the quiet status quo at home.
That has worked for awhile. But we're running out of places to send the people who disagree with us, all the continents are basically settled and idealogically contentious already. What do we do? How do we siphon off those bothersome voices (always of course assuming that we are on the deciding end of this question).
Hmmm.
