Only the Planet Is Larger
THE ONLY ENTITY LARGER THAN THE GROUP OF WORLD NATIONS, AND INCLUDING THE ENTIRE ENVIRONMENT, IS THE PLANET EARTH ITSELF. HOWEVER, MANY RESEARCHERS HAVE POINTED OUT THAT WHILE EVERY SCHOOL CHILD KNOWS WE LIVE ON A PLANET, FEW PEOPLE HAVE A VISCERAL SENSE OF THEIR PLANETARY EXISTENCE INFORMING THEIR PERSPECTIVES AND CHOICES.
Manifesto on Planetary Consciousness – The Dalai Lama and Ervin Laszlo
Planetary thinking – Brookings Institution
The Value of Planetary Awareness and Identity
BRINGING PLANETARY AWARENESS AND IDENTITY INTO WORLD CULTURE WOULD PROVIDE A FOCUS FOR IDENTIFICATION THAT HAS LAND, A VISIBLE IMAGE, AND HISTORY THAT ENCOMPASSES ALL OF CIVILIZATION, AS WELL AS THE ENTIRE ENVIRONMENT, BUT IS NOT THE EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OF ANY NATION OR OTHER IDENTITY GROUP. THIS WOULD BRING PLANETARY PERSPECTIVES INTO PERSONAL AWARENESS AND CHOICES, AND POTENTIALLY, INTO WORLD AGENDAS.
The Overview Effect of the Space Experience
FOR THE LAST SIX DECADES, ASTRONAUTS HAVE DESCRIBED THE EXPERIENCE OF SEEING THE EARTH AS A PLANET EMBEDDED IN A UNIVERSE OF STARS, FROM OUTSIDE THE ATMOSPHERE. WIDELY KNOWN IN THE SPACE COMMUNITY AS THE OVERVIEW EFFECT, THE ASTRONAUTS HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT HOW MANY ASPECTS OF THIS BEAUTIFUL, AND AWE-INSPIRING SIGHT HAVE AFFECTED THEIR PERSPECTIVES AND LIFE CHOICES.