TheDestiny — revision 354

[[SolSeed]] < [[SolSeedMovement]] < [[SolSeedCreed]] < [[TheDestiny]] [[Image:SpiralSky.jpg|100px]] From the [[SolSeedCreed]] <i> : [[TheDestiny]] of [[SolSeed]] : is to take root amongst the stars. </i> There is no moral imperative except that which you choose for yourself. If you choose to [[JoinTheMovement|Join]] the [[SolSeedMovement]] you are choosing to believe that [[life]] and all that sustains [[life]] is precious. == Why [[TheDestiny]]? == Most scientists agree that our planet is experiencing its [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holocene_extinction_event Sixth Great Crisis], and that humans are largely responsible for the outbreak of extinctions. The same goes for the climate crisis, which also poses an existential threat to the human race and is part of the reason why so many species are going extinct. We have the power to prevent catastrophes of our own making, but for now there is no telling whether we will succeed. And there will always be more dangers, because we live in a complex cosmos full of powerful forces. Large meteors, which have caused previous extinction events, are always a threat. And [[Sol]] is getting warmer, over a period of billions of years; it may render [[Terra]] uninhabitable within the next billion. Finally, at some point in the distant future, the sun will expand to the point that life as we know it may not be able to exist anywhere in this solar system. If we really believe that life is precious, we should move decisively to nurture and protect it. [[Life]] is vulnerable here ... all our eggs are in one basket. Being worthy of and fulfilling [[TheDestiny]] are the two ultimate goals held by members of the [[SolSeedMovement]]. The phrase "Take root amongst the stars" means literally to send life from our solar system out to settle in other star systems. == What [[TheDestiny]] Means in the Present Day == : "The Destiny is important for the lessons it encourages us to learn while we're here on Earth, for the people it encourages us to become. It's important for the unity and purpose that it gives us here on Earth." :: - ''Parable of the Talents'' by [[Octavia Butler]] At this stage of [[TheDestiny]] the most important responsibility of the [[SolSeedMovement]] is helping humanity mature into its role as protector of [[SolSeed]]. This maturing process includes improving the quality of life for all of [[SolSeed]] everywhere in the world. It is only after we've rid the world of poverty and oppression that devoting significant resources to building interstellar space ships becomes morally affordable. [[SolSeed]] is not about some elite group of humans building star-ship shaped pyramids on the backs of an enslaved underclass. [[SolSeed]] is about bringing everyone out of slavery so that we can all work together to realize something that is nearly beyond imagination!!! At first blush, [[TheDestiny]] can turn off some humanists. The vein of thinking goes : "I don't want MY time and money going toward building big expensive space-ships that won't be finished in 100 years! My life could do so much more '''right now''' by bringing [[CleanDrinkingWater]] to a village that has never had this basic neccessity." The paths that people take toward [[TheDestiny]] are, and should remain, as diverse and creative as the human race. So by all means, honor [[SolSeed]] and serve [[TheDestiny]] by bringing [[CleanDrinkingWater]] to those without! Follow your passion. While some scientist types may feel that they are "least bad" at researching interstellar travel, many humanist types will discover that they are "least bad" at helping people out from under oppressive regimes or other traditional humanist goals. The comparative advantage principle of economic theory suggests that we can accomplish our goals with least waste when everyone does what they are "least bad" at. ---- COMMENTS: You are warmly invited to '''[http://www.aboutus.org/index.php?title=SolSeedComments&action=edit&section=new begin a discussion]''' in the [[SolSeedComments|comments sectio]]n, or to comment anywhere in the page. ---- [[TheDestiny]] as articulated in the [[SolSeedCreed]] is taken directly from [[Octavia Butler]]'s [[Earthseed]] novels ([[The Parable of the Sower]] and [[The Parable of the Talents]]). Indeed, the [[SolSeedMovement]] borrows a great deal both directly and indirectly from the religion of [[Earthseed]] as presented in [[Octavia Butler|Ms. Butler's]] [[SF]] books. : What humanity actually needs is not a tensionless state but rather the striving and struggling for some goal worthy of us . . . not the discharge of tension at any cost, but the call of a potential meaning waiting to be fulfilled by us. -- Victor Frankl This paraphrase of Frankl somewhat answers the question "Why [[TheDestiny]]?" For those that value [[SolSeed]], nurturing and protecting the precious things we find in our Solar system is a moral imperative with great potential meaning. Becoming worthy of [[TheDestiny]] is one goal, fulfilling [[TheDestiny]] is a second goal. : A tool that could bring us much closer to [[TheDestiny]] sometime soon: [http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/1002/p14s01-stss.html the space elevator] == Discussion at [[Seed 2009]] == Questions: Is [[TheDestiny]] absolute? Problematic? Essential? Optional? Are we space travelers? What is "destiny?" * Ted: We make up our own destiny! ** Lion: At the same time, [[TheDestiny]] really is the destiny of [[life]] on [[Terra|Earth]]; even if we resolve not to, that resolve will eventually crumble *** Amber: But what about if we end up as brains in boxes? * Amber: Destiny might be a feeling that can't be named ** [[Brandon]]: Use metaphor to understand it [[Brandon]]: We already ''are'' in space, among the stars * Amber: The Internet is like space, it expands ** [[Brandon]]: and Life expands to fill it Is destiny the right word? * Kevin: We have a tension between the poles of "Taking root/deepening roots" and "Flowering"; ''both'' should be considered part of [[TheDestiny]] ** Roots are about healthy [[SolSeedCommunity|communities]] and a healthy, productive [[life|biosphere]]; seems to appeal more to women *** Tied to ritual, tradition, down-to-earth, the [[SolSeed and Religion|sacred]] ** Flowering is bringing life to space; seems to appeal more to men *** Tied to challenging norms, transcendence ** In between the two poles: *** Regula: the gay and lesbian community is a vision of a different future, accepting the in-between **** ex. kids who have to live on bridges in Zambia, supporting each other *** Brenna: [[Bringing life]] encompasses both of those poles; "My Destiny is to bring life!" **** Bonnie: [[SolSeed]] could exist to support all of us learning from each other about our different passions for [[bringing life]] ***** Lion: "This is what I mean by a non-totalizing society"--synthesis rather than compromise ****** But going to space is still essential to the ''uniqueness'' of [[SolSeed]] ****** The spaceships are for everybody *** Julie: Bringing together "being here in the present moment" with "go way beyond" ** Shelley: Having a Destiny broader than just going to space will help to reach more than just a few *** We'll need more than just those few to build the spaceships! **** Lion: No, goal should be to concentrate people whose mission is to build the spaceships; that's [[SolSeed]]'s uniqueness as a potential society ** Ted: Limits that we live within are artificial *** "The idea of blowing past limits really moves me" **** Ben: But some limits are important to live within and even "fall in love with" in the same way we're in love with freedom * Lion: If we're building a society, it's unusual in that it doesn't seek to be totalizing, instead seeking to serve humankind ** The idea of having a vision of the future came to be seen as totalitarian in the 20th century ** View [[SolSeed]] as like an organ within the body of all life; don't seek to make it as big as possible and consume the whole *** [[Brandon]]: [[SolSeed]] was originally defined ''as'' the body of all life on [[Terra|Earth]] **** Possible goal: help the different "organs" realize who and what they are * Julie: Start with [[bringing life]] to yourself, then your '''family''', then your friends, etc. before you try to [[bring life]] to other worlds ** Regula: Start by looking at "the seed of one's soul" and its roots, so we can grow faster * Bonnie: "The word Destiny is limiting for me because it implies a specific destination" ** But if [[TheDestiny]] is to [[Bringing life|bring life]], "that's perfect--not limiting" * Lion: [[TheDestiny]] is the mythic-level word for people who are sacrificing for a great task (space colonization in our case) and ask "Why am I doing this?" * [[Brandon]]: "For me [[bringing life]] is how we draw people in, whereas [[TheDestiny]] is 'mystery'" * Amber: This (implementation of the word Destiny) is a new idea, which means it may seem alien and strange at first, as are all ideas that are truly new. *There is a high level of activation energy in bringing a truth, vision, or idea from one's own mind into the mind into focus. Often, that focus only occurs during brief periods of time, and if one meditates on those periods of time, the periods of time can become more robust. :Then the second task begins -- and that is in bringing an internal mental concept or idea into the live of another. One that thinks differently than another needs a common denominator of understanding so that the idea can transit itself correctly from one person to another -- across a boundary that is less conductive than the neural networks in the mind -- across the boundary that separates one person from another. *But there is another boundary -- that of action. Getting an idea into action works in Architecture, but plans must drafted out correctly, so that the entire vision is seen by all, and each participant in building the structure has a different function. Not all are the same. Some are builders, others strategists -- some plant the trees, and others put art inside the building and carry furniture into the offices. But it is not fair to others to build a structure that harms many at the benefit of some. Constructing a part. :The goal is not to get as many people into this as possible, but to provide services in a form that is useful to others, like a building serves as a place for people. Each can contribute in a different way. *We need wider interfaces, higher resolution interfaces, higher bandwidth interfaces, with those not in our community, in order for them to understand the particular goals and interests of our community, our ideas and trials. Currently, people feel very different from each other, but we are all very similar in that we are human, and that we are united by the fact that we live on the same planet. *Not everyone is devoted to life, and to seeing broadly. Not everyone is a warring person or a philosopher king. But we all have a shared interested in maintaining life (our lives), but as a whole we comprise one life. ** Start with bringing the idea from your own mind into the real world, then find ways to share it with other people who can use their own tools to understand it * Bram: This discussion is a recurring pattern with the others, approaching the same problem in different ways [[Three-Level Identity]] was a follow-up to this discussion from Lion. === CreatedDestiny === [[TheDestiny]] of [[SolSeed]] is a [[CreatedDestiny]] through which we practice and deepen our [[Creatorship]]. === SpaceshipsDestiny === [[TheDestiny]] of [[SolSeed]] is to send life to other star systems. === PresentDestiny === [[TheDestiny]] of [[SolSeed]] is [[Now]]. And [[Now]]. And [[Now]]. And ... [[SolSeed]] has already taken root amongst the stars on a spaceship called [[Terra]] that orbits a star called [[Sol]]. === InevitableDestiny === [[TheDestiny]] of [[SolSeed]] is inevitable. Life in its exuberant [[Creatorship]] of new life has always and will always overflow and transcend the old boundaries. The current frontier will someday be the base camp for the next frontier. Interstellar travel is simply an inevitable consequence of Life being Life. Deeper and more nourishing roots are simply an inevitable consequence of Life being Life. === TranscendantDestiny === [[TheDestiny]] of [[SolSeed]] is transcendent. By beholding [[TheDestiny]], we become changed. If we can break through enough to send life to other star systems, then surely the artificial limitations we place upon ourselves and our communities around feeding and caring for everyone can also be transcended. By considering the transformations necessary to accomplish the most difficult thing we can imagine, we place our other desired transformations into a context in which those transformations seem manageable and possible now. === EitherOr Destiny === [[TheDestiny]] of [[SolSeed]] will either be a wimper or a celebration. We are going to leave the planet to live in space. How do we want to leave the planet? As fugitives from the death we have wrought? Or as ambassadors of the fecundity we have nourished? We are going to leave the planet to our children when we die. How do we want to leave the planet? As fugitives from the death we have wrought? Or as progenitors of the fecundity we have nourished? === FloweringDestiny === [[TheDestiny]] of [[SolSeed]] is to flower in ever more complex and transcendant ways. === RootedDestiny === [[TheDestiny]] of [[SolSeed]] is to grow ever more nourishing roots. === MythicDestiny? === [[TheDestiny]] of [[SolSeed]] in its literal and metaphorical forms is Mythic in Proportion. The Truths it provides access to and the selves it calls into being are the stuff of legend. __NOTOC__ [[Category:SolSeed]] [[Category:SolSeedMovement]]