Who Speaks for Earth? : Celebrating Sagan

About the Author:

Who Speaks for Earth?

admin | Dec 12, 2006 | Comments View Comments

When I watch Carl Sagan discuss the reality of nuclear proliferation in the final episode of Cosmos, it cements my unabashed admiration of him. When I watch him pace among the tress on the hilltop, I’m reminded not only that he was a great teacher, scientist, and writer; he was also a passionate activist. A leader even. In this six minute clip he quite handily shatters the illusion that nuclear weapons are protecting us. He is a fine orator, and while it can’t be proven, this speech surely resonated through parts of American politics.

If we’re willing to live with the growing likely hood of nuclear war, shouldn’t we also be willing to explore vigorously every possible means to prevent nuclear war?

Carl Sagan asked the right questions, and many people heard him. He taught us about the depth of beauty in science, but he also put out a call to action that the world has not answered. More than 25 years after it first aired, this clip is as relevant and powerful as it was during the Cold War. And the great question – “Who speaks for earth?” – still stands.

Popularity: 2% [?]

Filed Under: Sagan On...

Tags: video

Ryan CM

While Veiwing Episode 13, on The Science Channel on Tuesday December 26 at 11p CST, I noticed a scene where He is in the midst of his “bad dream” and longing for Earth. While sitting reclined on his SpaceCraft(?), he is reviewing actual transmissions of Earth. Reports of the Kennedy Assasination, other important sounding news reports spoken in foreign languages, Nixon saying “There can be no Whitewash at the Whitehouse”, then “an aircraft…into the building…the World Trade Center…Terrorist.”

Did I hear that right? After the episode, I came to the computer and promptly found a YouTube copy. I watched it and found it not. After reviewing it again on the TV(I recorded it), I found that it was in there, yes.

Apparently, the soundbite was inserted recently.

I don’t quite know how I feel about that. Does it enhance his message? I don’t know, maybe it doesn’t matter.
David G.

The science channel revamped the series when they started re-running it. They must have inserted some current events in those messages from earth. I could have done without the “new animations” and what-not that they stuck in there, too – the original episodes are nearly perfect.

An aside: one of the things Ann Druyan talks about in her Beyond Belief 2006 talk is how we’re not using the stunning visual effects we have on hand to depict space with the kind of awe and wonder achieved in Cosmos. Instead, most of those effects are used for explosions and violence. Imagine a Cosmos for 2007 depicting all the new discoveries in astronomy and beyond since 1980, and using the most cutting edge computer animation of the day. Why is nobody producing this stuff?!
Anonymous

I just watched it on DVR last night and I couldn't believe what I was hearing. So I rewound and watched it again with the closed captioning. And at first I wasn't sure if it was a reference to the 1st wrold trade center attack not knowing that it was 1993 but the captioning confirmed "2 airplanes hitting the towers". It freaked me out a little.