March 29, 2004
Terraforming Mars
Lately, I have been hearing a lot of talk about terraforming mars. People have been saying that we should make mars a habitable enviroment and then move humans on to it so that we can ensure the continued existance of the human race. Also, I have heard it said that mars is a dead planet so it does not matter what we do to it.
In previous posts I mentioned the lack of seperation between things and I also mentioned death. However, life is also really important. Could the dichotomy of life and death just be a matter of definition a so to speak illusion of our cranium? Life was here before we were born and it will be here after we die. The great life of this earth - galaxy - universe with time overlayed upon it maybe just is. Anything we say about it can never capture it. Like our own existance, if looked upon materially we are as I have heard say "a bunch of tainted water walking around." Just like mars. I big rock floating around the sun. It is quite amazing that many people do not see life in it. Just like how people do not see the life in other people. How we cut ourselves off from others and enclose ourselves in a seperate little world so that we will not get hurt.
What are people afraid of if the human race ends? So what? Life will continue. Like it always does, just it will change forms. Change is constant. Why shouldn't the human race go with dignity, rather than have to scramble and try to take over other worlds for its survival.
This talk about terraforming mars is a great metaphor for the fears and insecurities in a number of peoples lives. Practical men who feel that they can control or influence things in life. That if they try harder or do something better that they can live longer. Intellectually they know that they will die, but in their hearts they cannot handler the horror. That this Mr. Wonderful (tm) that they created will have an end. So, they put thier energy into these type of schemes to make people or the human race live forever.
The sad truth is is that there was never death nor birth. These words are just a product of our intellect dividing up consciousness. But don't take my word for it. You will now the truth soon enough. Let it go everybodys doing it!
When I was at Ryohatsu I stumbled upon the death poem of Ryokan the Zen monk from Niigata Japan.
He said:
omote wo mise ura wo misete,
chirumomiji
showing its front and then its back,
a falling maple leaf
And yes this is all we are... So lets laugh!