Happy 40th, Apollo 11.

It's pretty fucking mind-boggling to think that we have actually been to the moon and back.  Come on, you jaded bastards!  The moon; the fucking moon!  Then again, there are those that somewhat dogmatically maintain we haven't been there.  I've somewhat already uneloquently addressed that in a post in late 2007, as have many others; not limited to Bad Astronomy's Phil Plait in this well constructed argument on his blog.

Of course if you're a Flat Earther, you still believe that we never landed on the moon because if but for no other reason, (though I suspiciously surmise there are) it would mean that people have actually seen for themselves that the world is, I dare say, not flat.

In honor of this day, I went to see Moon which was not exactly what I expected it to be because of some elements I didn't see coming.  I can't talk about it too much without giving much away; but I recommend it if you can avoid thinking a movie's a waste if by the opening credits you're not incessantly bombarded with some really fake CGI explosions and the odd areola or three.

Given the scientic progress we've made this past century or less, it's a bit aggravating that there are many who still want to keep us in the dark and those that willfully choose to remain in it.  This isn't just about the moon landing, this is about science in general.  More to the point, science that is mostly ignored or refuted because it conflicts with what their momma and dadda told them was so.

This past year or so I've really seen the world in a different light.  I don't want to say that I'm becoming unromantic towards things, but maybe more realistic, which I suppose has the side effect of making me unromantic in some things!  But at the same time, Richard Dawkins said it best that Christianity, or any religion that tells you that your real life is in the next life, is sort of cheating you of your once in a lifetime chance of living here and now.  We should be living life to the fullest now and appreciating this one life we've got. Think of all that had to come to fruition for you to even be reading this right now!

Anyway, some may see me as dry in certain areas because of my mindset.  It's to the point that I don't even feel obligated to say 'bless you' when people sneeze because there's no longer any reasonable chance to deduce that the sneeze was actually a spirit escaping their body.  I'll say it because of the cultural expectation, and truly, I don't think most people think twice about that phrase anyway.  I try not to be militant with my remarks; and I'd like to say that it's not just religion I am turned off by, it's superstition in general.  I'll do a ouija board in a heart beat.  I'll summon the devil all day long because I don't believe in it either.  That show TAPS?  Yeah.  It's a fucking con.  It's in the producers best interest to keep shit interesting and the proles will eat it right up.  Think about it all the things that are riding on your shoulders if you're a TV executive: advertising revenvue, appeasing your shareholders, among other things.  What are you gonna do, walk into a house, sit there and not be dramatic about it?  I'm pretty unsuperstitious.  I'll even change my underwear despite the fact that I might have worn them the past five or six times I won in poker.  Superstitions make us feel as if we have a semblance of control in an otherwise uncontrollable world.  Talk about a psychological pacifier.  I feel that if I must be superstitious in one thing, I shouldn't pick and choose which ones to believe, yet everyone does that.

I don't recall how I got off in this tangent.  I started talking about the moon landing, after all.  I suppose if I'm gonna have my head in the clouds that I have it farther in orbit.  Weaning yourself from ritualistic, superstitious habits doesn't come about overnight, but it comes if you aren't afraid to feel a little vulernable.  Some might say that if it doesn't hurt anything to be superstitious and makes someone feel a little more comfortable, then why bother?  Well, I don't need that crutch, and it's a little arrogant to think that I'm good enough to get along without it but others aren't.  That's pretty much my point.  Anyway, Happy 40th, Apollo.  I have to admit though that it's kind of a bummer that it revealed the moon to not be made of cheese.  I still refuse the believe that.