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4.31 AVERAGE
4.31 AVERAGE
This book wasn't quite what I was expecting; the subtitle led me to believe it would be a sort of compendium of Sagan's life philosophy but rather it's a compendium of the biggest issues from when the book was published (global warming, nuclear weapons, etc.) and what Sagan thought could and should be done about them. Topics such as those can easily be a way for some people to indirectly espouse their life philosophies but Sagan, being a scientist, sticks mostly to the facts (for example, in the chapter, "The Rules of the Game", Sagan, led by scientific findings, comes down not so much on the side of the "Golden" rule, do unto others as you would have them do unto you, as the "Brazen" rule, do unto others as they do unto you). An interesting book nonetheless although it leans toward being dated in my lifetime and I was already alive when it was published -- probably not the fate one would wish for their final work, a work subtitled "Thoughts on Life and Death"…shouldn't such thoughts be relevant for more than one generation?
Side note: Sagan, for some reason, names the donor of the HeLa cells as "Helen Lane" even though her name was Henrietta Lacks. I'm sure that was just a simple mistake but it does make one wonder what source he got that information from and why it gave such an ethnically-negative name.
Side note: Sagan, for some reason, names the donor of the HeLa cells as "Helen Lane" even though her name was Henrietta Lacks. I'm sure that was just a simple mistake but it does make one wonder what source he got that information from and why it gave such an ethnically-negative name.
“The world is so exquisite, with so much love and moral depth, that there is no reason to deceive ourselves with pretty stories for which there’s little good evidence. Far better, it seems to me, in our vulnerability, is to look Death in the eye and to be grateful every day for the brief but magnificent opportunity that life provides.”
How is it possible to miss someone so badly who died before I was even born? I would give anything just to sit and talk with Carl for a few hours. Even though many of these essays are over 20 years old now, they are unfortunately still very relevant today. I can’t help but think that he would be disappointed, even saddened, at how things have turned out and how little progress we’ve made forward protecting the planet and our future. But, as he says, “When too much cynicism threatens to engulf us, it is buoying to remember how pervasive goodness is.” I try to remind myself of that.
His genuine curiosity and compassion shines through every word he writes. He perfectly balances rationality and urgency when it comes to the future of humans on Earth. His essay on abortion is one of the best that I’ve ever read, and I really think that anybody, whether they consider themselves pro-life or pro-choice or neither, would benefit from reading it. When he died, the world lost a great scientist and an even better person, but he lives on in the pages of his books. Of course I’ve never met him, but I almost feel as if I have, through his writing.
Finally, a quote from Carl himself which we should all remember, because no one could say it better than he could:
“We are rare and precious because we are alive, because we can think as well as we can. We are privileged to influence and perhaps control our future. I believe we have an obligation to fight for life on Earth - not just for ourselves, but for all those, humans and others, who came before us, and to whom we are beholden, and for all those who, if we are wise enough, will come after. There is no cause more urgent, no dedication more fitting than to protect the future of our species. No social convention, no political system, no economic hypothesis, no religious dogma is more important.”
How is it possible to miss someone so badly who died before I was even born? I would give anything just to sit and talk with Carl for a few hours. Even though many of these essays are over 20 years old now, they are unfortunately still very relevant today. I can’t help but think that he would be disappointed, even saddened, at how things have turned out and how little progress we’ve made forward protecting the planet and our future. But, as he says, “When too much cynicism threatens to engulf us, it is buoying to remember how pervasive goodness is.” I try to remind myself of that.
His genuine curiosity and compassion shines through every word he writes. He perfectly balances rationality and urgency when it comes to the future of humans on Earth. His essay on abortion is one of the best that I’ve ever read, and I really think that anybody, whether they consider themselves pro-life or pro-choice or neither, would benefit from reading it. When he died, the world lost a great scientist and an even better person, but he lives on in the pages of his books. Of course I’ve never met him, but I almost feel as if I have, through his writing.
Finally, a quote from Carl himself which we should all remember, because no one could say it better than he could:
“We are rare and precious because we are alive, because we can think as well as we can. We are privileged to influence and perhaps control our future. I believe we have an obligation to fight for life on Earth - not just for ourselves, but for all those, humans and others, who came before us, and to whom we are beholden, and for all those who, if we are wise enough, will come after. There is no cause more urgent, no dedication more fitting than to protect the future of our species. No social convention, no political system, no economic hypothesis, no religious dogma is more important.”
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
It was not the most easy book to get through in this time where no one can escape the tangible effects of crises.
"...what passes for public debate is still, on closer examination, mainly repetition of national slogans, appeal to popular prejudice, innuendo, self-justification, misdirection, incantation of homilies when evidence is asked for, and a thorough contempt for the intelligence of the citizenry..."
Why are we being steered to a place where ethical behavior is being perceived as self-defeating stupidity? Can we survive our endless greed and ego?
"...what passes for public debate is still, on closer examination, mainly repetition of national slogans, appeal to popular prejudice, innuendo, self-justification, misdirection, incantation of homilies when evidence is asked for, and a thorough contempt for the intelligence of the citizenry..."
Why are we being steered to a place where ethical behavior is being perceived as self-defeating stupidity? Can we survive our endless greed and ego?
informative
slow-paced
This book should be required reading for everyone on the planet.
informative
slow-paced
This book was the last in Sagan's career, the book being finished by his wife after his passing. This novel looks at all the big questions of the universe, while also catching a glimpse of Sagan's ideas around love, religion (God), death and his struggles with his disease. Sagan was one of the worlds greatest mind's, he talks in this book more int he light of things to come, challenges Earth will face in the future (now). I loved how informative and thought-provoking this novel was. Reading this knowing that it was published in 1998, seeing how Sagan's idea's of what the future would look like and how on point he really was.
This was a beautiful read.
This was a beautiful read.