Forty years ago Americans walked on the moon. The world watched in awe. It was a technological triumph beyond comprehension. Everyone on the planet, even our acknowledged adversaries in the Soviet Union and China, set aside their differences and on that day, for a brief moment, global harmony was realized. We were all citizens of the world basking in man's achievements, all members of the same human race. American technology and science had proved that anything was possible.
An extraordinary by-product of the space program was the creation of a multitude of new technologies instrumental in the development of nearly every major product used today. Many of the innovations in data processing, communications, medical instruments, power generation and other life improving advances had their genesis in man's endeavors to explore space. Products generated from American initiative and ingenuity were distributed throughout the world, leading to unprecedented gains in global living standards that benefitted all mankind.
But today it seems that nothing is possible. Despite the technological progress of the last four decades, the common accord that was briefly enjoyed by the people of the world as the space program reached its zenith quickly dissipated as earthly realities and base human instincts reclaimed their natural order. Human beings returned to the petty jealousies, irrational hatred's and inhuman atrocities against others that have long been commonplace. Powerful Western countries that advocate human rights as well as global organizations chartered to bring peace and stability to area's of conflict idly stand by while people continue to withdraw into the cultural, religious and tribal shells that are tearing the world apart.
Within many nations, changing demographics and widening political differences among diverse ethnic groups and ideological opponents is creating intolerance, lack of respect for others and dangerous polarization of civilized societies. These divisions are now being compounded by the inevitable implosion of global financial markets and associated collapse in economic activity caused by out of control accumulation of massive debt leverage and imprudent speculation. Naturally this is leading to rising business failures, increased unemployment, exploding government budget deficits, and dangerously threatening the system of international commerce and global capital flows.
The world is in a self-reinforcing downward spiral that will lead to disastrous consequences unless rational action taken by responsible government's soon prevail. Unfortunately, most of the policy actions taken to date by major governments have been the wrong ones, particularly in the United States. Boosting unemployment spending and providing for the basic needs of those displaced by business failures and lay-offs is certainly required. But massive spending programs to fund bail-outs, nationalization of industries and relief to folks who made bad decisions is doomed to failure. Trying to solve a problem created by too much debt with enormous amounts of more debt will not work.
Perhaps a bold challenge to all industrial countries of the world to initiate a quest for new scientific and technological achievements would wake up the entrepreneurial and creative hormones, halt the economic stupor and stimulate a vigorous expansion of discovery and invention. Every major power on earth has an educated, rational nucleus of citizens that could be instrumental in joining together in a global mission that could again challenge all of the globe's people to work together to make the world a better place.
In this time of global economic adversity, instead of throwing massive amounts of money down the drain to support imprudent investors, indebted consumers and insolvent financial institutions at the expense of responsible and prudent citizens, government leaders could challenge the industrial world to launch a cooperative new venture to explore the unknown, renew our efforts to conquer the solar system, and in the process generate meaningful new jobs throughout the world, create new technologies that advance global standards of living, and maybe generate international support, teamwork and progress through common interests. Maybe it is possible a joint effort of the scientific communities of each country that has the ability to contribute to renew the exploration of space could work such a miracle.
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