Others Will Follow

I saw this short film shared on reddit today. It’s about a hypothetical manned mission to Mars that ends in catastrophe, and is based on this speech that was written in case the Apollo 11 mission (the moon landing) was a failure.

In ancient days, men looked at stars and saw their heroes in the constellations.
In modern times, we do much the same, but our heroes are epic men of flesh and blood.
Others will follow, and surely find their way home.
Man’s search will not be denied.
But these men were the first, and they will remain the foremost in our hearts.
– IN THE EVENT OF MOON DISASTER - an undelivered Nixon speech

Given the sort of things I’ve been talking about and thinking about for the past few weeks, it seemed appropriate that I might share it here:

I really liked this short film. I love the scene where you can see the televisions showing the moon landing on all the different screens on the building. It really captures the essence of inspiration that the Moon Landing gives me. It gave me hope that the character in the Others Will Follow could inspire others with his final act.

It’s moving. It evokes emotion.

It left me wanting more.

Wanderers

Others Will Follow reminded me of Wanderers, another short film I’ve seen previously. Wanderers features readings from Carl Sagan’s audio narration of Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space. Wanderers is very well known, so I’m sure you’ve seen it before, too.

I identify with the message of Wanderers very much, and it’s much more hopeful than Others Will Come. I know I won’t experience most of the things explored in Wanderers - the technology likely won’t exist before I die, but knowing that one day, Man will stand on the Galilean Moons and see Jupiter as their sunrise somehow makes my own world feel a little brighter.

The open road still softly calls, like a nearly forgotten song of childhood.
We invest far-off places with a certain romance.
– Carl Sagan, used in Wanderers

I definitely feel the craving the travel in my own life. Change makes me happier. Motivated. Even just moving house. The newness excites me and propels me onward.

This is what draws me to the idea of life as a Digital Nomad. I don’t know for sure that I’d like that life. But it still softly calls.

Maybe it’s a little early —
maybe the time is not quite yet —
but those other worlds, promising untold opportunities, beckon.
Silently, they orbit the Sun, waiting.
– Carl Sagan, used in Wanderers

I envy our descendants, who will be able to live and work whilst exploring the unknown of the solar system.