Hestia and Hermes: my little contribution to 50th (h)Earth Day (1/3)

To fully enjoy reading this post, listen to Dance of the Clairvoyants by Pearl Jam

Preface

I had the idea for this paper in August 2019, well before the last tragic events about the Covid-19 pandemic that are having an incredible impact on the whole human race. Although the main driver which led me to share my two cents for the 50th Earth Day was not linked to the strict survival of our species, but in general of life itself, I have to admit that the conclusions I reached in the original version are even more fitting now.

Part 1: Awareness – A New Evolutionary Passage for Mankind is Mandatory

In order to sustain its own development and growth, mankind is consuming Earth’s resources, polluting the natural environment, seriously contaminating the biosphere and leading to the extinction of many life forms. More and more scientists are sharing studies about the bad influence that human greed and hunger are currently having on the world. Still, we are continuing this crazy race, following our inner nature as exploiters.

On the other hand, Earth is so far the only known planet to host life, as we understand it, and human race is the only completely intelligent and self-aware species on this planet. This led it to prevail over all the others.
But as Spider-Man used to say, with great power comes great responsibility: humans must be the caretakers of this unique life sanctuary, not its destroyers.

This is the biggest existential dilemma for our species: to follow its inner selfish nature and continue to consume its world or to stop all the contaminant activities and come back to a 100% natural way of living.

Unfortunately both ways don’t seem viable since they imply unacceptable consequences for most people.
The first will lead to worsening environmental conditions, detrimental to human development, possibly leading to a great decrease in population, if not to its extinction.
The second is just pure fantasy, since the actual industrial and technological developments cannot be stopped. Nobody will renounce the status and the conveniences achieved so far just in view of a possible future complete disaster.

So, Houston, we have a problem.
However, to solve this intrinsic conflict of interest, I see a possible answer in a third way, already depicted by many influential people of our time:

humankind must move main exploiting and defiling operations in Outer Space, finally changing its impact on Earth, this unique life cradle.

Like the ancient gods Hestia (hearth) and Hermes (angel, messenger, will to leave), the entire Earth must be considered as the global hearth of humanity and life itself and the human tendency to leave, to explore and to overcome frontiers, should act as a boost for the transition towards a new industrial revolution in space.
This will be the next evolutionary phase for the human race itself: becoming a spacepolitan species finally including Outer Space in our “cosmos”.

Interested in knowing more? Let’s go to Part 2: Achievement– Garden of Eden Back on Earth, The Relocation of Isengard