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![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/5yT1O.jpg)
In this image, Saturn has eclipsed the Sun. And in this view there's a four-pixel sized speck to the left of the ball, outside the ring, barely visible without a zoom. That's Earth - Neil deGrasse Tyson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCfemmxqaRg
We're Johnny-come-latelies.
Welive in the cosmic boondocks.
We emerged from microbes and muck.
Apes are our cousins.
Our thoughts and feelings are not fully under our own control.
And on top of all this,
we're making a mess of our planet. - Carl Sagan
When I trace at my pleasure the windings to and fro of the heavenly bodies, I no longer touch earth with my feet. I stand in the presence of Zeus himself, and take my fill of ambrosia. - Ptolemy
![[image loading]](http://www.wired.com/geekdad/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/carl_sagan.jpg) “Science is not only compatible with spirituality; it is a profound source of spirituality.”
“Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.”
“The nitrogen in our DNA, the calcium in our teeth, the iron in our blood, the carbon in our apple pies were made in the interiors of collapsing stars. We are made of starstuff.”
- Carl Sagan
![[image loading]](http://l.yimg.com/a/i/us/sch/cn/v/v1/w861/642881_400_300.jpeg) Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader," every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there-on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.
The Earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena. Think of the endless cruelties visited by the inhabitants of one corner of this pixel on the scarcely distinguishable inhabitants of some other corner, how frequent their misunderstandings, how eager they are to kill one another, how fervent their hatreds. Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors so that, in glory and triumph, they could become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot.
Our posturings, our imagined self-importance, the delusion that we have some privileged position in the Universe, are challenged by this point of pale light. Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark. In our obscurity, in all this vastness, there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves.
The Earth is the only world known so far to harbor life. There is nowhere else, at least in the near future, to which our species could migrate. Visit, yes. Settle, not yet. Like it or not, for the moment the Earth is where we make our stand.
It has been said that astronomy is a humbling and character-building experience. There is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world. To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another, and to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we've ever known. - Carl Sagan
So TL, what or who drives you? What is your inspiration? What is your motivation? What is your dream?
 
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what drives me? gives me inspiration when someone shows me pics of stars? Well first i feel speical that even giant solar systems and stars colliding the whole expanding universe doesnt affect me, what i do in the morning and how i go on with my day, i'm that special =)
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It's funny, I read the title and instantly thought of Space/Carl Sagan/ and Cosmos, which I'm currently in the middle of watching. :D
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On February 13 2012 20:40 Shock710 wrote:
what drives me? gives me inspiration when someone shows me pics of stars? Well first i feel speical that even giant solar systems and stars colliding the whole expanding universe doesnt affect me, what i do in the morning and how i go on with my day, i'm that special =)
Insignificance drives you? I find the notion to be rather interesting. It seems that it can work out though. I take it as you are a happy-go-lucky kind of person?
What do you major in (assuming that you are)? Political Science? Computer Science?
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On February 13 2012 20:42 YOzah wrote:
It's funny, I read the title and instantly thought of Space/Carl Sagan/ and Cosmos, which I'm currently in the middle of watching. :D
Cool! What are your thoughts on the wonderful, magnificent man?
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On February 13 2012 20:42 Azera wrote:Show nested quote +On February 13 2012 20:40 Shock710 wrote:
what drives me? gives me inspiration when someone shows me pics of stars? Well first i feel speical that even giant solar systems and stars colliding the whole expanding universe doesnt affect me, what i do in the morning and how i go on with my day, i'm that special =) Insignificance drives you? I find the notion to be rather interesting. It seems that it can work out though. I take it as you are a happy-go-lucky kind of person? What do you major in (assuming that you are)? Political Science? Computer Science?
Well i'm looking at it from a different side, like even tho there is so much happening in the universe there are things happening to me that I feel are signifigant to myself even tho i know they may seem little when looking at the whole picture (universie and what not)
bit hard to explain and i'm probaby doing a really bad job of it lol, but like people say how stars and the universe are soooooooo big and soooooooo important and make us seem insignificant, but all i care is about my day and i dont really care whats happening over there, my problems and my life are bigger than them (for me obvisouly ^^)
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On February 13 2012 20:50 Shock710 wrote:Show nested quote +On February 13 2012 20:42 Azera wrote:On February 13 2012 20:40 Shock710 wrote:
what drives me? gives me inspiration when someone shows me pics of stars? Well first i feel speical that even giant solar systems and stars colliding the whole expanding universe doesnt affect me, what i do in the morning and how i go on with my day, i'm that special =) Insignificance drives you? I find the notion to be rather interesting. It seems that it can work out though. I take it as you are a happy-go-lucky kind of person? What do you major in (assuming that you are)? Political Science? Computer Science? Well i'm looking at it from a different side, like even tho there is so much happening in the universe there are things happening to me that I feel are signifigant to myself even tho i know they may seem little when looking at the whole picture (universie and what not) bit hard to explain and i'm probaby doing a really bad job of it lol, but like people say how stars and the universe are soooooooo big and soooooooo important and make us seem insignificant, but all i care is about my day and i dont really care whats happening over there, my problems and my life are bigger than them (for me obvisouly ^^)
Aha, I see what you're trying to convey here I think. I think the thing isn't about significance, but something else, something that I don't have a word for. You feel that you are too "big" for the Universe to make an impact on you? :D
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On February 13 2012 20:54 Azera wrote:Show nested quote +On February 13 2012 20:50 Shock710 wrote:On February 13 2012 20:42 Azera wrote:On February 13 2012 20:40 Shock710 wrote:
what drives me? gives me inspiration when someone shows me pics of stars? Well first i feel speical that even giant solar systems and stars colliding the whole expanding universe doesnt affect me, what i do in the morning and how i go on with my day, i'm that special =) Insignificance drives you? I find the notion to be rather interesting. It seems that it can work out though. I take it as you are a happy-go-lucky kind of person? What do you major in (assuming that you are)? Political Science? Computer Science? Well i'm looking at it from a different side, like even tho there is so much happening in the universe there are things happening to me that I feel are signifigant to myself even tho i know they may seem little when looking at the whole picture (universie and what not) bit hard to explain and i'm probaby doing a really bad job of it lol, but like people say how stars and the universe are soooooooo big and soooooooo important and make us seem insignificant, but all i care is about my day and i dont really care whats happening over there, my problems and my life are bigger than them (for me obvisouly ^^) Aha, I see what you're trying to convey here I think. I think the thing isn't about significance, but something else, something that I don't have a word for. You feel that you are too "big" for the Universe to make an impact on you? :D
Perfect wow u did what i couldnt with like 200 words in a sentence ^^...now i feel sad T_T
jking ^^
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My drive my inspiration and my motivation are that I have a gift, a power, a magnificent ability if you will just like every being on this planet.
Some people use it more then others some use it incorrectly or not at all. it is sometimes impossible to use and at other times it is as easy as breathing. That ability is the power to make a family member.. a friend.. a stranger.. Happy. a simple comment or compliment a luminous flash of a single sentence that can make anyone small or big poor or rich feel better then they already are it can make their worries their regrets all of it disappear.
I enjoy using this ability everyday and the good thing about it is that it does not matter if you are strong weak fast or slow you can use it and for just a moment someone will feel simply better then they already were.
I find great joy in life and I enjoy every moment 
I would like to also pose a question if you do not mind
If you were all alone in the universe with no one to talk to, no one with which to share the beauty of the stars, to laugh with, to touch, what would be your purpose in life..?
It is other life, it is friends, it is family, it is love which gives your life meaning is it not?
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On February 13 2012 21:12 VonDarkmore wrote:My drive my inspiration and my motivation are that I have a gift, a power, a magnificent ability if you will just like every being on this planet. Some people use it more then others some use it incorrectly or not at all. it is sometimes impossible to use and at other times it is as easy as breathing. That ability is the power to make a family member.. a friend.. a stranger.. Happy. a simple comment or compliment a luminous flash of a single sentence that can make anyone small or big poor or rich feel better then they already are it can make their worries their regrets all of it disappear. I enjoy using this ability everyday and the good thing about it is that it does not matter if you are strong weak fast or slow you can use it and for just a moment someone will feel simply better then they already were. I find great joy in life and I enjoy every moment I would like to also pose a question if you do not mind If you were all alone in the universe with no one to talk to, no one with which to share the beauty of the stars, to laugh with, to touch, what would be your purpose in life..? It is other life, it is friends, it is family, it is love which gives your life meaning is it not?
That's beautiful.
Regarding the question. If I were all alone in the Universe, on this Earth with nobody to talk to, what would I do? That depends on when I was placed in this reality. Was I born into such a reality or will I be just sucked out of the life I'm living now to that reality? If it was the former, I would have absolutely no idea, will probably jack off all day haha :D If it was the latter, I would try to comprehend Science by myself. I'am armed with the Universe. What can I do with the Universe? Sure, loneliness will be a problem because there will be no one to share your victory with, nowhere to make an impact. This would depend on how I'am feeling. Personal satisfaction or just fuck it all?
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On February 13 2012 21:17 Azera wrote:Show nested quote +On February 13 2012 21:12 VonDarkmore wrote:My drive my inspiration and my motivation are that I have a gift, a power, a magnificent ability if you will just like every being on this planet. Some people use it more then others some use it incorrectly or not at all. it is sometimes impossible to use and at other times it is as easy as breathing. That ability is the power to make a family member.. a friend.. a stranger.. Happy. a simple comment or compliment a luminous flash of a single sentence that can make anyone small or big poor or rich feel better then they already are it can make their worries their regrets all of it disappear. I enjoy using this ability everyday and the good thing about it is that it does not matter if you are strong weak fast or slow you can use it and for just a moment someone will feel simply better then they already were. I find great joy in life and I enjoy every moment I would like to also pose a question if you do not mind If you were all alone in the universe with no one to talk to, no one with which to share the beauty of the stars, to laugh with, to touch, what would be your purpose in life..? It is other life, it is friends, it is family, it is love which gives your life meaning is it not? That's beautiful. Regarding the question. If I were all alone in the Universe, on this Earth with nobody to talk to, what would I do? That depends on when I was placed in this reality. Was I born into such a reality or will I be just sucked out of the life I'm living now to that reality? If it was the former, I would have absolutely no idea, will probably jack off all day haha :D If it was the latter, I would try to comprehend Science by myself. I'am armed with the Universe. What can I do with the Universe? Sure, loneliness will be a problem because there will be no one to share your victory with, nowhere to make an impact. This would depend on how I'am feeling. Personal satisfaction or just fuck it all?
Thank you ^^
Either Scenario in the question is alright to use, my opinion is that after a while every person would come to much the same answer it doesn't matter when your alone if there is not another person to make happy or share your deeds an accomplishments with how would you yourself achieve happiness?
cutting it down simply so I don't create a three hundred word answer: I believe the meaning to life (motivation to live) can be what you want it to be and I believe its having other people around to share your life with and if it isn't its more pleasant at least lol.
Interesting answers by the way you used that ability I was talking about.. humour is part of it I had a good chuckle
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What drives me? I don't know really. Passion, I guess. I do what I like.
Also, Sagan is amazing.
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On February 13 2012 21:47 VonDarkmore wrote:Show nested quote +On February 13 2012 21:17 Azera wrote:On February 13 2012 21:12 VonDarkmore wrote:My drive my inspiration and my motivation are that I have a gift, a power, a magnificent ability if you will just like every being on this planet. Some people use it more then others some use it incorrectly or not at all. it is sometimes impossible to use and at other times it is as easy as breathing. That ability is the power to make a family member.. a friend.. a stranger.. Happy. a simple comment or compliment a luminous flash of a single sentence that can make anyone small or big poor or rich feel better then they already are it can make their worries their regrets all of it disappear. I enjoy using this ability everyday and the good thing about it is that it does not matter if you are strong weak fast or slow you can use it and for just a moment someone will feel simply better then they already were. I find great joy in life and I enjoy every moment I would like to also pose a question if you do not mind If you were all alone in the universe with no one to talk to, no one with which to share the beauty of the stars, to laugh with, to touch, what would be your purpose in life..? It is other life, it is friends, it is family, it is love which gives your life meaning is it not? That's beautiful. Regarding the question. If I were all alone in the Universe, on this Earth with nobody to talk to, what would I do? That depends on when I was placed in this reality. Was I born into such a reality or will I be just sucked out of the life I'm living now to that reality? If it was the former, I would have absolutely no idea, will probably jack off all day haha :D If it was the latter, I would try to comprehend Science by myself. I'am armed with the Universe. What can I do with the Universe? Sure, loneliness will be a problem because there will be no one to share your victory with, nowhere to make an impact. This would depend on how I'am feeling. Personal satisfaction or just fuck it all? Thank you ^^ Either Scenario in the question is alright to use, my opinion is that after a while every person would come to much the same answer it doesn't matter when your alone if there is not another person to make happy or share your deeds an accomplishments with how would you yourself achieve happiness? cutting it down simply so I don't create a three hundred word answer: I believe the meaning to life (motivation to live) can be what you want it to be and I believe its having other people around to share your life with and if it isn't its more pleasant at least lol. Interesting answers by the way you used that ability I was talking about.. humour is part of it I had a good chuckle
Thanks :D
On February 13 2012 21:57 gillon wrote:
What drives me? I don't know really. Passion, I guess. I do what I like.
Also, Sagan is amazing.
That's a good way to live. Fuel yourself by your passion for what you love.
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World domination. Ask me again? Utter world domination. It's my destiny, deeply rooted within me since my birth. Everyday, I know I must walk the righteous path to step closer to my ultimate goal. Every penny I earn is a penny closer to world domination. Every friend I make is a friend closer to world domination. Every sentence I type on TL is a sentence on TL closer to world domination. I won't make the world bow to me - the world shall bow to me in free will. It will be obvious that I must rule supreme over all else, for the benefit and prosperity of all.
WORLD. DOMINATION.
(I am actually half-serious)
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that one day we'll live in a star trek-like utopia
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On February 14 2012 02:32 OpticalShot wrote:
World domination. Ask me again? Utter world domination. It's my destiny, deeply rooted within me since my birth. Everyday, I know I must walk the righteous path to step closer to my ultimate goal. Every penny I earn is a penny closer to world domination. Every friend I make is a friend closer to world domination. Every sentence I type on TL is a sentence on TL closer to world domination. I won't make the world bow to me - the world shall bow to me in free will. It will be obvious that I must rule supreme over all else, for the benefit and prosperity of all.
WORLD. DOMINATION.
(I am actually half-serious)
On February 14 2012 02:35 Whole wrote:
that one day we'll live in a star trek-like utopia
What.
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my motivation is to be a good person to others and be a successful parent in hopes that I would slightly influence the development of a Star Trek-like utopia. i couldn't word it correctly cause i was at school
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On February 14 2012 07:00 Whole wrote:
my motivation is to be a good person to others and be a successful parent in hopes that I would slightly influence the development of a Star Trek-like utopia. i couldn't word it correctly cause i was at school
Ahh, very nice 
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EPT![[image loading]](http://galileo.rice.edu/images/people/ptolemy.gif)
