Response to a Reader Comment

More to the point, this is a response to a response to my posting on Space As a Remedy for Solving Society's Problems. I apologize now for not having heard of this correspondent, but I don't get out much. He's the one whose posting prompted the blog in the first place. I had a much longer, point-by-point response to Allen's comments in mind, but finally my inner editor took over, and I decided that the statement below best summarizes my feelings.

***

Human nature is not a problem to be solved, though Jesus did offer an alternative: "Love your neighbor as yourself." What a wild concept! A shame more people don't practice it. Regardless, I don't see human nature changing much. We will continue to have the brilliance of rocket scientists, but also the pathos of the Octomom. That's not to say that I think "it's not our problem." It's everyone's problem to address in his/her own way.

Being a conservative, I shy away from big-picture, top-down "solutions" to humanity's problems offered by one expert or even a small group of them (see the Simpsons episode "They Saved Lisa's Brain" for a more humorous take on the subject). One solution is not going to fit all needs, for the individual or group, nor is that solution always appropriate, and the willingness to impose some solutions on others "for their own" good has rarely led to good outcomes. As they said in the TV adaptation of Children of Dune, "All leaders are human, and all human beings are imperfect." So I believe in fighting evil or ignorance at the individual level. My question to you is: what are you doing to make the world a better place?