X minus One – Universe. ep4, 550515.

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With technology advances in space exploration, we are just beginning to realize the vastness of what’s out there. Imagine distances too far to travel within the lifetime of a human lifespan. Imagine being born on a spaceship, and your entire world, all that you have ever known is confined to the inside walls of that spaceship.

Two men in a large spaceship seek out wisdom from the old man in the forbidden zone. They face dangers in their quest, but go anyway. They want to know what lays beyond the ship. The aged holy man tries to share the things that were passed down to him from generations past, but when the answers don’t suit the ideas that the seekers want to hear, they kill him.

The quest for the outside wall continues into further dangers. The two men enter other forbidden territories, and encounter other mysterious people of varied intellect, and social groups. One of the men is killed along their trek.

Philosophical ideas are bounced around. Is this a spaceship, and where is it going? Is there anything bigger than the spaceship? It’s everywhere, so how could it be going anywhere? A wise man is encountered who provokes the mind, and raises such questions. He claims to know where the control room is, and even shows our remaining seeker a viewport of the vast space that lays outside. He offers the subjective history that he knows, and the centuries of space travel that has gone on before.

Understanding of the larger missions begins to come to light. No single people group has the whole answer, and it will take cooperation, and a unity of all the people to come together to make it happen. First, territorial lines need to be crossed. All the people groups need to be on the same page, and understand, so they can all work together.

Instead, opportunities are taken to kill those who are different, and would rock the boat of the comfort zone. People are needlessly killed who would have eeen valuable in the big world order. Killed out of bias and bigotry.

Whew! A lot of concepts to pack into just a half hur radio show. Does all that sound familiar? Like a microcosm of a world social studies exercise? I guess it goes to show that no matter how advanced we get in technology, we will lose some ground in understanding in social diversity, and how to play nice together.

Despite being a story from nearly60 years ago, there’s just way too much that is till relevant, and even in a more advanced state today.

• Advancement of science, the death of religion.
• Racial division, misunderstood diversity.
• Trust in intellect.
• Each is his own highest ower of authority.
• Prejudice, and self serving motives reign.

Are there more? Tell me about it.