The internet over 5 million terabytes of information. Such volume of data and knowledge has never been seen throughout human civilisation. Amongst the mass of 1s and 0s, one can learn many incredible things, once thought to be impossible.
We can discover the potential of stretchable organic LED's, hoped to one day become a computer in a contact lens, allowing an individual to experience and interact with their surroundings intimately and infinitely.
We can discover carbon nano tubes which in the near future will allow us to construct an elevator to a space station orbiting Earth.
We can discover the amazing developments made in the fields of renewable energy, observe the hard evidence showing the effectiveness of geothermal, solar and wind, and witness adolescent attitudes and ignorance squander our chances for human evolution.
In such a wondrous environment its quite easy to generate a disconnect from the physical reality. Most would frown on those who privilege the virtual over the physical, claiming they are hiding from the truth, 'reality' as it were, and need to 'discover' themselves in order to live 'properly'. The physical world, like the virtual world, is filled with many breathtaking things. Breathtaking, but in a different way to the world wide web. I wouldn't be quick to judge those who choose one over the other, but I feel that both can be a truly awesome experience and it would be disappointing for one to miss an opportunity to experience both at some point in their fragile, fleeting life.
The power and majesty of the universe and our pale blue dot consume my being. It's only when we realise we are one with the universe that we can begin to really connect with our environment - emotionally, physically, spiritually.
As the late great Carl Sagan once said:
For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.
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