Hello World! Hello Universe!
There has been a continuing discussion in the office I work in about what “Manifest Destiny” means, what it meant when the term was first coined and what it might mean for the US today. One opinion is that the new Manifest Destiny should be about making the US over in a greener image and then the world. This does seem like a lofty and altruistic goal and would be a great achievement although I do not believe the best way to achieve this goal is through some kind of top down structure (US on top everyone else below). I think by setting the example and then helping others achieve the same goal on their own is the best method.
If it is worth doing it will be difficult. JFK made a speach at Rice University in 1962 in which he sent the US on its way to landing men on the Moon. It is worth reviewing his his speech through the lens of today’s events and circumstances.
“…for we meet in an hour of change and challenge, in a decade of hope and fear, in an age of both knowledge and ignorance. The greater our knowledge increases, the greater our ignorance unfolds.”
The ignorance of the US to the world situation and our own place in the world has brought us to a fork in the road. We have already started down the dead end side of the fork but I believe its not too late to back up and head down the other fork.
“…We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too.”
Stay focused and commit your best resources to the goal and it will be achieved whether it is too hard or easy as pie.
JFK’s goal was achieved but then we grew weak and lost sight of the true goal which was to achieve seemingly impossible goals and gain new knowledge of the universe first hand for the benefit of all humankind. We made a big leap and landed on our feet, then we brushed off the moon dust and went back our regularly scheduled programming. We never tried to make that second or third leap, to go farther than we had gone before.
If the goal of cleaning up and greening up our planet could be put in such terms as JFK’s speech that launched the US and humankind to the Moon, could be spoken with the same youthful* energy, and inspire us to commit even greater resources then maybe…
* JFK was the youngest president of the US has had so far.
Here is a link to JFK’s speech http://er.jsc.nasa.gov/seh/ricetalk.htm
read more