I read an interesting article today, you may read it here, stating that scientists have arrived at an estimated 50 billion planets exist within our own Milky Way Galaxy and that as many as 500 million of those planets could harbor life. Read the article for more details, but what I got to thinking about after reading the article was life in general and exactly what is life and what is it's purpose? At age 52, I thought I may as well think about these things now rather than later. I might not have later.
Is not the purpose of life to live? At least long enough to reproduce and then after that who cares if you live much longer? And if it is something else, what is it? In my struggle in life I do what I must do to trade my skill set for money which I then transform into paid bills, shelter and food and clothing and the occasional luxury item. Basically, life is just a struggle to survive, but you know there exists somewhere out there a personal time limit and everyone's got one.
Life is short but only for those who are not suffering. For the suffering there is no life short enough, for a day with suffering is like a lifetime of suffering every twenty-four hours. But we are getting away from the main point.
If in this galaxy alone there are 50 billion planets and of those 500 million could support life, why do the mere mortal inhabitants of this rock think we're so special?
Let's pick one of those planets and ask some questions, shall we?
Q:You, on Omicron Six, do you have religion?
A:Oh yeah! It's the opiate of the people don't you know.
Q:Mmm.. we've heard that somewhere before. Well then, on Omicron Six is there a One World Government over what used to be hundreds of individual sovereign nations sort of like our United Nations does in keeping the peace between civil nations?
A:Oh...Is that what you use that for? We thought...uh, never mind what we thought. Enough of the questions already. We only came here to smoke a doobie with you and chill around the campfire and eat munchies. You guys are so uptight. Anyone have any San Gria?
I guess we are not so special after all. What do you think?
