#1 ·
I was reading about some niche space exploration plans the other day, and it got me thinking about what we actually want to carry with us if we ever become a multi-planetary species. It’s easy to think about sending hard drives full of data or high-tech equipment, but is that really the "soul" of our culture?
I’ve always felt that the stuff that actually defines us are the things that are a bit messy, loud, or even slightly annoying to people who don't get it. If we sent a perfect digital replica of a symphony to the stars, would it even mean anything? There's something about a live, physical performance—even one as polarizing as certain folk traditions—that feels much more "human" than a clean file on a server.
It makes me wonder: if we had one shot to represent our entire species to the unknown, would we send our greatest scientific achievements, or would we send the weird, loud, and beautiful stuff that makes us unique? What do you guys think should be the "cultural starter kit" for the cosmos?
I’ve always felt that the stuff that actually defines us are the things that are a bit messy, loud, or even slightly annoying to people who don't get it. If we sent a perfect digital replica of a symphony to the stars, would it even mean anything? There's something about a live, physical performance—even one as polarizing as certain folk traditions—that feels much more "human" than a clean file on a server.
It makes me wonder: if we had one shot to represent our entire species to the unknown, would we send our greatest scientific achievements, or would we send the weird, loud, and beautiful stuff that makes us unique? What do you guys think should be the "cultural starter kit" for the cosmos?