We Are Here: Carl Sagan’s Pale Blue Dot

This video of Carl Sagan‘s We Are Here: the Pale Blue Dot can certainly help us put things in perspective.

Yet, for some strange reason I cannot help it but be reminded of Zaphod Beeblebrox — the President of the Galaxy in Douglas Adams‘ ingenious sci fi cult classic the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.

If my memory is not mistaken it was Zaphod who once had to face the mad-making crushing reality of being an infinitely small speck, on an infinitely small speck, in an endless universe. Typically for Douglas Adam’s character, Beeblebrox remained unphased because he knew that, in fact, his arrogance was indeed greater than the universe itself (and hence he was truly special;-).

Sometimes I wonder if by coming up with the concept of the technological singularity (especially Ray Kurzweil‘s 6th stage when intelligence spreads through the cosmos and the universe “wakes up”) we are not unconsciously saying what Zaphod Beeblebrox said…

…namely, that our (intelligence’s) arrogance is greater than the universe…

Whatever the case, it is just another piece of evidence that Douglas Adams was a serious genius!  Now, is this funny or ironic, or both…

Tagged as: Carl Sagan, Douglas Adams, Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, Pale Blue Dot, We Are Here, Zaphod Beeblebrox