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Post by RavynousHunter on Apr 28, 2009 23:02:22 GMT -5
Man... I should have looked him up much sooner. Especially the videos on YouTube (especially from XXXSDESDEXXX)... More people should listen to him, and others like him. If we did, maybe we wouldn't have this farce of a war, who knows, maybe we'd even be on our way to Mars or the Moon with the makings of a colony in tow.
His messages for humanity are some of the most touching and wise things I've ever heard in my life. Anyone else get that kind of feeling when listening to him? It's like the sound of a kind father telling his son a bedtime story before he goes to sleep.
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Post by Hades on Apr 29, 2009 0:59:14 GMT -5
I fully agree. I had not known about him until a few months ago, and came across some clips of him on YouTube. His "Pale Blue Dot" speech is just about the most humbling, heart felt, and true thing I've ever heard in my life. There's also another small bit he did at the end of a bit about evolution, where he talks about how we're at a critical turning point for our species. Do we allow ourselves to bring about our own destruction, or do we grow up as a whole and head on to a new age of enlightenment, exploration and peace? The videos seem rather old, but his words and their meanings are timeless.
-edit- And yes, I get the same feeling lol.
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Post by Mira on Apr 29, 2009 3:15:30 GMT -5
He was as much a poet as he was a scientist. His words bring me to tears. It is a shame we lost his wisdom, we could have used it this past decade. Such a man of peace, and understanding. He could explain the most complex concepts to the simplest of people and he taught me to cherish life and humanity.
-My eulogy, 12 years late to Carl Sagan, my personal hero
Try watching that clip without getting choked up.
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Post by captainhooker on Apr 29, 2009 8:57:34 GMT -5
I've read Cosmos, Contact, and The Demon Haunted World, and they're all great books.
I understand the "fatherly" moniker - he really reminds me of Mr. Rogers sometimes, and even though I like that sometimes, it strikes me as a bit too gentle and idealistic. I like the message, but I think his gentleness detracts occasionally from the significance and importance of his message. Sometimes raising your voice with pride, anger, and indignation is a good - even necessary - thing.
Put another way, I love what he says, I just wish he'd gotten as pissed off about the lack of attention to his message as he would have been justified in being.
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Post by The_L on Apr 29, 2009 11:14:43 GMT -5
When I think Carl Sagan, I think of two things: His awesome Cosmos series, and the infamous "BHA" incident with Apple. As much as I admire him for the former, I can never seem to get the latter completely out of my head.
Is it a bad thing that I can't even think of the most inspirational people without focusing on the one time they acted like idiots?
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Post by Old Viking on Apr 29, 2009 20:21:22 GMT -5
Sagan was a joy.
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Post by MaybeNever on Apr 29, 2009 21:05:09 GMT -5
Is it a bad thing that I can't even think of the most inspirational people without focusing on the one time they acted like idiots? That's probably a good thing. It keeps us grounded in the reality that even the finest examples of humanity are still human. I like the message, but I think his gentleness detracts occasionally from the significance and importance of his message. Sometimes raising your voice with pride, anger, and indignation is a good - even necessary - thing. I disagree. Well, I agree - but I think this is a somewhat exceptional case. In a sense, his ideas were fairly radical. How many people scoff off the idea that somehow humanity is all one? How receptive are people EVER going to be about darker realities? Taking an aggressive tack might underscore the importance at the cost of losing adherents. Remember Proverbs 15:1, brother: "a gentle answer turneth away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger."
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Post by HarleyThomas1002 on Apr 29, 2009 22:32:06 GMT -5
Mo' like Carl Pagan, amirite?[/fundie "humor"]
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Post by captainhooker on Apr 30, 2009 13:40:46 GMT -5
Is it a bad thing that I can't even think of the most inspirational people without focusing on the one time they acted like idiots? That's probably a good thing. It keeps us grounded in the reality that even the finest examples of humanity are still human. I like the message, but I think his gentleness detracts occasionally from the significance and importance of his message. Sometimes raising your voice with pride, anger, and indignation is a good - even necessary - thing. I disagree. Well, I agree - but I think this is a somewhat exceptional case. In a sense, his ideas were fairly radical. How many people scoff off the idea that somehow humanity is all one? How receptive are people EVER going to be about darker realities? Taking an aggressive tack might underscore the importance at the cost of losing adherents. Remember Proverbs 15:1, brother: "a gentle answer turneth away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." point taken
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Post by Admiral Lithp on May 9, 2009 20:48:13 GMT -5
I really wanted to watch Cosmos after I saw a few episodes. To the best of my knowledge, it's not on anymore, although believe it or not, I don't really watch that much TV, so I wouldn't know.
Really is a shame that we often don't appreciate people until after they're gone.
Now, what is this "BHA incident"?
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Post by mice34 on May 10, 2009 6:16:07 GMT -5
There's a DVD set of Cosmos, your local library will most likely have a copy. I remember it fondly.
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Post by RavynousHunter on May 30, 2009 22:27:43 GMT -5
Maybe I can put in a requisition...
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Post by catanon on Jun 2, 2009 20:06:02 GMT -5
Carl Sagan was a wonderful man. I am saddened that I haven't learned of him until recently.
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Post by RavynousHunter on Jun 4, 2009 8:46:01 GMT -5
Never too late to learn, mein freund.
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Post by my9thtime on Jun 5, 2009 21:58:07 GMT -5
I agree completely. I haven't watched the series because I don't really like TV, but the book was just inspiring and interesting.
I highly recommend this for anyone who hasn't read it. "Cosmos" is still one of my favorites.
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