It was only until the very recent years that Neil Armstrong was a regular household name. Now, the phase-out phenomenon is occurring here when even one of the most popular events of all time feels dust on covers of the momentous 1969 editions of Time Magazine. Despite the absence of this memory in the youth today, there is still a likely possibility they’ll stumble across this more than significant event in human history sometime during their life.
There is an immediate word association: Neil Armstong = Moon. Who cares if there are 11 other names to choose from, the name is always, “Neil Armstrong.” This innate recollection may not be a result from simply memorizing #1 on the list of moonwalkers, rather it’s likely due to the words, “That’s one small step for man, and one giant leap for mankind” which was chiseled into the brains of everyone thanks to movies, school projects, parodies, cartoons, playground improvisations and so on. In short, it was everywhere. Now, more than forty years later the world can look back and ask, “Was this first step really a giant leap for mankind?”
This question is now acceptable to ask, because for sure a person would appear out of their mind to propose that such an action may not have been worthwhile, especially since Russia was already talking about doing it first. In that case, the consequences for such a question could possibly result in a little more than a simple eyebrow raise from the neighbors. That question was more along the lines of treason, although this is a good example of the nature of human-beings, demonstrating what motivates them and what keeps them reaching for bigger, better, faster, higher and more.
In the summer of ’69, late July, all of America was settled around their televisions prepared to enjoy the moment when what they all thought was impossible, was proven possible, where their biggest dreams and desires were realized and they knew that if they could land on the moon, they can do anything. This is really what landing on the moon meant for everyone, and Neil’s famous words rang true to all those who had hope and confidence that humanity’s future is a bright one. The future is here now, except it doesn’t looks so bright. What happened? Where did humanity’s dreams go? Where did their hopes and aspirations for a prosperous life disappear to? What was this “giant leap”?
It turns out this event may have been even more significant than previously conceived, but during those times it’s not something people could have even fathomed in terms of humanity’s maturation. Throughout all of history, meaning the thousands of years of human development, reaching the stars was common desire among those with even the most simply lived lifestyles: food, family and shelter. They were at the least curious of celestial matter, the sensation of space or exploration “out there.” A few thousand of years later arrives the same species with the same desire (although now it is burning within them) and they’ve reached what could be called the highest goal they’ve ever set for themselves. Today, they have a new question…”And now what?”
If they look at the situation in front of themselves, they will see they are too busy to achieve some new and exciting success. Their hands are full for the time being. Instead of setting their sights high on what more they can accomplish and where the biggest and brightest brains can take them, they’re putting those people to work, hard. They hope these geniuses can find some way to keep the situation here on Earth from getting worse, because at the time, a solution seems like too much to ask.
Therefore, humanity is at another turning point and an extremely crucial and pivotal one indeed. They no longer have such desires for exploration. They see there are those that exist here and there, within different groups of people, but here within the general atmosphere of mankind the only thing it strives for is happiness or some kind of compensation for a life abundant in pain. In earlier times, this desire for happiness was realized in such adventures and every individual had one of his own, but it is as if they’ve grown tired of this whole race, and they simply don’t find reward in it any more. Needless to say, in the meantime they’ve completely destroyed their planet, depleted its resources, and polluted to the extent that there is a true fear to bring children into this world. It’s as if they have a chance to look at themselves from the side and see that they need a change. Maybe the human itself needs to change.
The world has revealed an interesting formula that even the simplest mind can use to promote recovery. This formula is derived from observing the situation in which mankind now finds itself. If they look at a few of the basics such as economy, ecology and society, what is discovered is an infinite number of connections between these seemingly independent realms of life. One can be an economist, another ecologist and the other a sociologist, but when they get together and discuss the crisis their field is undergoing, they realize each one depends on the other. What’s discovered is every particular or individual is connected to and dependent on the whole. Meaning, there is no such thing as the existence of some singular entity without being supported by or derived from the general matrix of systems humanity has determined as necessary for “life”. This recognition, along with our growing narcissistic mentality has led to what has been labeled as the “global crisis” by many of the ecologists, politicians, educators, economists or other with a similarly related specialized profession. These individuals now are beginning to accept the real factors contributing to this dysfunctional system which at one time appeared healthy and strong. Humanity is now walking hand-in-hand with both interconnection and interdependence between all people and every society as well as a growing love for one’s self. The result of these two variables in an equation provides a clear reason for the global crisis. Refining what action humanity needs to take is even more simple when it’s understood that the interconnection is impossible to change, but the human being itself, its values and thus society are up for grabs. No one knows this better than the modern day “Mad Men”, who are ready and eager to inject their opinion into human society, essentially brainwashing the populace with their own goals and values. Change for good happens through the same means.
If one were to ask if walking on the moon was truly a leap for mankind, the answer would an incontestable “yes”, and this is not because the human species made a giant leap in technology or confidence in its ability. The answer is this way because this event marked the gradual diminishing of the infinite and wondrous human aspiration. Humanity is beginning to feel it was looking in the wrong direction for success, but in fact it was necessary to walk this path in order for them to know themselves and their nature, face-to-face. Science may continue to look deeper and deeper into the particles that build and sustain this material world, but it’s a dead end. NASA can continue to explore deeper and deeper parts of this universe, while physicists examine the nature of black holes, but this will lead to nothing as well. No discovery has – or will – be able to bring them out of the depths of their crisis today. There is nothing left to discover besides the fact that they cannot continue to live in a way which is destructive. A person today is forced to only care about himself and his own well-being. There are no such systems of education or societies which give one the tools and abilities to function in this interconnected and interdependent world of today. They have no choice but to buy unnecessary goods, throw away more food than they can eat, hoard resources from one place to cause destitution in another and they see their demise right in front of their eyes, yet can’t lift a finger. They need a mutual reciprocity, giving and receiving towards this general concern for humanity’s one body. When a person investigates thoroughly the root problem to all problems, what reveals is place for one to gain and the other to lose.
On this planet, the people are prepared to take their next giant leap together, and this one certainly will raise them to heights they can’t imagine. With hope they hasten this pace of recognition and recovery like a patient anxiously awaiting the operation which will rid him of his pain, and come as one family with one mind and one heart to achieve this happy, healthy and harmonious existence that awaits them!
