A Permit to Travel

Whilst some people may argue that humans have no right to travel out among the stars until they have resolved some of the problems they have at home on Earth, I would assert that it is possible to commence such a journey in clear conscience and with due consideration if one has sufficient hope and faith in human potential to resolve such problems along the way. Without dismissing the vital importance of the problems we do now face, we should realise that existence without any problems whatsoever is neither practical nor desirable on the grander scale; whatever problems we do face will always appear greater or smaller in a subjective fashion, based on our perception of them. I would also assert that a greater degree of positivism, forward-thinking and consideration will itself prove instrumental in resolving the same problems with which people are so concerned in the first instance. In the tradition of Fuller, looking to our future with hope-filled perception, in spite of the obvious calamities and suffering that exist in our world, I see a groundswell of peaceful thinking, a growing awareness of and willingness to act upon environmental and social issues, and a renewal of respect for the dignity and potential of individual lives. I strongly encourage anyone with deep concern for the state of our world to look for such signs themselves, to be encouraged that the contributions and efforts of a normal individual can bring about change, and to become instrumental in effecting the change that they wish to see. The way to change the world we perceive is to change the way we perceive the world. Furthermore, the knowledge and experience that might be gained by undertaking such a venture is, as such ventures have always been, an investment for the future. Our greatest hope could be that a near-future humanity, at peace with one-another and united by common interests, would benefit greatly from the groundwork laid by just such an early investment. This is the same principal as establishing a pension fund at an early age; it is not a sound financial strategy to wait until all your current financial problems are resolved before considering your financial future, as it may take most of one’s lifetime to arrive at such a position, and then unable to avail oneself of the tools by which one benefits in retirement, i.e. the tools of periodic investment and compound interest, in this analogy. In the case of human exploration of space, the interest accumulated would consist of an indispensable body of experience, expertise, knowledge, supportive infrastructure and technology.