‘Come down now’, they’ll say –
But everything looks perfect from far away
And yet there is no sign of humans in this picture, not our reworking of the Earth’s surface, not our machines, not ourselves: We are too small and our statecraft is too feeble to be seen by a spacecraft between the Earth and the Moon. From this vantage point, our obsession with nationalism is nowhere in evidence.
From a distance
the world looks blue and green
And the snow capped mountains white
From a distance
the ocean meets the stream
And the eagle takes to flight
From a distance there is harmony
And it echoes through the land
It’s the voice of hope
It’s the voice of peace
It’s the voice of every man
From a distance we all have enough
And no one is in need
And there are no guns,
no bombs and no disease
No hungry mouths to feed
From a distance we are instruments
Marching in a common band
Playing songs of hope
Playing songs of peace
They’re the songs of every man
God is watching us
God is watching us
God is watching us from a distance
From a distance you look like my friend
Even though we are at war
From a distance I just cannot comprehend
What all this fighting is for
From a distance there is harmony
And it echoes through the land
And it’s the hope of hopes
It’s the love of loves
It’s the heart of every man
It’s the hope of hopes
It’s the love of loves
This is the song of every man
God is watching us
God is watching us
God is watching us from a distance
God is watching us
God is watching
God is watching us from a distance
It seemed to me that another picture of the Earth, this one taken from a hundred thousand times farther away, might help in the continuing process of revealing to ourselves our true circumstance and condition. It had been well understood by the scientists and philosophers of classical antiquity that the Earth was a mere point in a vast encompassing Cosmos, but no one had ever seen it as such. Here was our first chance (and perhaps also our last for decades to come).
Everyone I know is lonely
with God so far away
And my heart belongs to no one
So now sometimes I pray
Take the space between us
Fill it up some way
I first met Carl (as he preferred to be called) during a visit to Cornell for the required college interview. My letter of application had been dripping with an interest in the universe. The admission office, unbeknownst to me, had forwarded my application to Carl Sagan’s attention. Within weeks I received a personal letter inviting me to visit him in Ithaca, New York, the secluded home of Cornell University.
You may say I’m a dreamer,
but I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us –
And the world will be as one
The world begins to disappear –
The worst things come from inside here
With only one or two human-made structures visible from Earth orbit, everything else that divides us – national borders, politics, languages, skin color, who you worship – is invisible to you.
Yeah, we’re playing those mind games forever –
Projecting our images in space and in time
Sweet dreams are made of this
Who am I to disagree?
No one is dumb who is curious.
The people who don’t ask questions
remain clueless throughout their lives.
Is it love that makes your
world go ’round and ’round?
Come down now,
but we’ll stay
We all end in the ocean
We all start in the streams
We’re all carried along by the river of dreams
Notes & References
🎥 From a Distance
💬 Quote Library
-
The People Who Don’t Ask Questions Remain Clueless Throughout Their LivesNo one is dumb who is curious. The people who don’t ask questions remain clueless throughout their lives.Sources
🎼 Song Excerpts
Come Down Now, but We’ll StayCome down now, but we'll staySource: Such Great Heights by The Postal Service
Everyone I Know Is Lonely With God So Far AwayEveryone I know is lonely with God so far away And my heart belongs to no one So now sometimes I pray Take the space between us Fill it up some waySource: O My God by The Police
- Everything Looks Perfect From Far Away'Come down now', they'll say - But everything looks perfect from far away
Source: Such Great Heights by The Postal Service
From a Distance the World Looks Blue and GreenFrom a distance the world looks blue and greenSource: From a Distance by Bette Midler
Is It Love That Makes Your World Go ’Round and ’Round?Is it love that makes your world go 'round and 'round?Source: Is It Love? by Bette Midler
The Worst Things Come From Inside HereThe world begins to disappear - The worst things come from inside hereSource: Einstein on the Beach by Counting Crows
We’re All Carried Along by the River of DreamsWe all end in the ocean, we all start in the streams - We're all carried along by the river of dreamsSource: River of Dreams by Billy Joel
We’re Playing Those Mind Games ForeverYeah, we're playing those mind games forever - Projecting our images in space and in timeSource: Mind Games by John Lennon
Who Am I To Disagree?Sweet dreams are made of this - Who am I to disagree?Source: Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) by Eurythmics
You May Say I’m a DreamerYou may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one I hope someday you'll join us - And the world will be as oneSource: Imagine by John Lennon
📖 Excerpts Library
-
Everything Else That Divides Us…Is Invisible to YouWith only one or two human-made structures visible from Earth orbit, everything else that divides us – national borders, politics, languages, skin color, who you worship – is invisible to you.Source: Starry Messenger by Neil deGrasse Tyson
-
Our Obsession With Nationalism Is Nowhere in EvidenceAnd yet there is no sign of humans in this picture, not our reworking of the Earth's surface, not our machines, not ourselves: We are too small and our statecraft is too feeble to be seen by a spacecraft between...Source: Pale Blue Dot by Carl Sagan
-
The Admission Office…Had Forwarded My Application to Carl Sagan’s AttentionI first met Carl (as he preferred to be called) during a visit to Cornell for the required college interview. My letter of application had been dripping with an interest in the universe. The admission office, unbeknownst to me, had...Source: The Sky Is Not the Limit by Neil deGrasse Tyson
-
The Earth Was a Mere Point in a Vast Encompassing CosmosIt seemed to me that another picture of the Earth, this one taken from a hundred thousand times farther away, might help in the continuing process of revealing to ourselves our true circumstance and condition. It had been well understood...
Source: Pale Blue Dot by Carl Sagan
