5 ms·

I always wonder what happens to you psychologically when you see something like this. As one of the astronauts I mean. Surely, once you've returned, nothing wi

I always wonder what happens to you psychologically when you see something like this. As one of the astronauts I mean. Surely, once you've returned, nothing will be as it used to.

Leszek 5y ago
It's called the "overview effect": https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overview_effect https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overview_effect
- squarefoot 5y ago
  I can get just a tiny grasp of the power of that sight just by looking at the photos, and can't imagine what would be like experiencing it in 1st person. This brings the hope that one day when every human would be able to experience it, we'll create a utopistic Trek-ish reality in which people suddenly become less selfish and put the common good above idiocies such as nationalism or the pursuit of immense wealth at the expense of others. Hopefully one day seeing the Earth from orbit will become sort of a rite of passage for kids.
- ernopp 5y ago
  I wonder how we could get more people to experience this effect... Something like what Stewart Brand did by pushing for and publicising the first whole earth picture (in part via the Whole Earth Catalog) but more for the internet age. I was toying with an idea of a site called "Get Some Perspective" where you'd start off with a FPS view and as you scroll you gradually zoom out, eventually to the whole observable universe. You could send this link to people if they're being short-sighted, callous, etc and hopefully instill a bit of the Overview effect in them...
  - bboreham 5y ago
    Prior art: the “Total Perspective Vortex” https://hitchhikers.fandom.com/wiki/Total_Perspective_Vortex https://hitchhikers.fandom.com/wiki/Total_Perspective_Vortex
  - distances 5y ago
    I think you're toying with the dangerous Total Perspective Vortex [0] as described by Douglas Adams: The Vortex is now used as a torture and (in effect) killing device on the planet Frogstar B. The prospective victim of the TPV is placed within a small chamber wherein is displayed a model of the entire universe - together with a microscopic dot on a microscopic dot bearing the legend "you are here." The sense of perspective thereby conveyed destroys the victim's mind; it was stated that the TPV is the only known means of crushing a man's soul. [0] https://hitchhikers.fandom.com/wiki/Total_Perspective_Vortex https://hitchhikers.fandom.com/wiki/Total_Perspective_Vortex
    - geoduck14 5y ago
      This will crush your soul if you consider you are insignificant, but let me help. The entire universe is ENORMOUS and we are but tiny specks. But the same God who made all of that, made us, too. And that same God knows us by name and wants to have a relationship with us. Be God's friend.
  - quercusa 5y ago
    In case you've never seen it, check out the Eames's Powers of Ten.
  - quesera 5y ago
    Charles and Ray Eames made a film in 1977 with a similar idea: https://www.eamesoffice.com/the-work/powers-of-ten/ https://www.eamesoffice.com/the-work/powers-of-ten/
ernopp 5y ago
I love this quote from Edgar Mitchell (Apollo 14) on seeing Earth from the Moon: You develop an instant global consciousness, a people orientation, an intense dissatisfaction with the state of the world, and a compulsion to do something about it. From out there on the moon, international politics look so petty. You want to grab a politician by the scruff of the neck and drag him a quarter of a million miles out and say, "Look at that, you son of a bitch."
curtainsforus 5y ago
I'm sure it's hyped up to the point that if you went up there, expecting a cosmic experience, you'd be disappointed.
curtainsforus 5y ago
I'm sure it's hyped up to the point that if you went up there, expecting a cosmic experience, having imagined and simulated it a million times, you'd be disappointed by the reality.
- geoduck14 5y ago
  I'm ready to be disappointed.
- dylan604 5y ago
  I used to think that about the Grand Canyon, then I went. Nope, it's just as impressive as they say being there experiencing it in person vs looking at all of the videos/images available. Seeing an image that required a special lens to take it all in looks nice. Standing in the same spot the camera was is a completely different experience when you have to turn your head left/right to see the same thing the image does. Anyone that says different has not actually taken the pepsi challenge

I always wonder what happens to you psychologically when you see something like this. As one of the astronauts I mean. Surely, once you've returned, nothing will be as it used to.

Leszek 5y ago

It's called the "overview effect": https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overview_effect https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overview_effect

squarefoot 5y ago
I can get just a tiny grasp of the power of that sight just by looking at the photos, and can't imagine what would be like experiencing it in 1st person. This brings the hope that one day when every human would be able to experience it, we'll create a utopistic Trek-ish reality in which people suddenly become less selfish and put the common good above idiocies such as nationalism or the pursuit of immense wealth at the expense of others. Hopefully one day seeing the Earth from orbit will become sort of a rite of passage for kids.
ernopp 5y ago
I wonder how we could get more people to experience this effect... Something like what Stewart Brand did by pushing for and publicising the first whole earth picture (in part via the Whole Earth Catalog) but more for the internet age. I was toying with an idea of a site called "Get Some Perspective" where you'd start off with a FPS view and as you scroll you gradually zoom out, eventually to the whole observable universe. You could send this link to people if they're being short-sighted, callous, etc and hopefully instill a bit of the Overview effect in them...
- bboreham 5y ago
  Prior art: the “Total Perspective Vortex” https://hitchhikers.fandom.com/wiki/Total_Perspective_Vortex https://hitchhikers.fandom.com/wiki/Total_Perspective_Vortex
- distances 5y ago
  I think you're toying with the dangerous Total Perspective Vortex [0] as described by Douglas Adams: The Vortex is now used as a torture and (in effect) killing device on the planet Frogstar B. The prospective victim of the TPV is placed within a small chamber wherein is displayed a model of the entire universe - together with a microscopic dot on a microscopic dot bearing the legend "you are here." The sense of perspective thereby conveyed destroys the victim's mind; it was stated that the TPV is the only known means of crushing a man's soul. [0] https://hitchhikers.fandom.com/wiki/Total_Perspective_Vortex https://hitchhikers.fandom.com/wiki/Total_Perspective_Vortex
  - geoduck14 5y ago
    This will crush your soul if you consider you are insignificant, but let me help. The entire universe is ENORMOUS and we are but tiny specks. But the same God who made all of that, made us, too. And that same God knows us by name and wants to have a relationship with us. Be God's friend.
- quercusa 5y ago
  In case you've never seen it, check out the Eames's Powers of Ten.
- quesera 5y ago
  Charles and Ray Eames made a film in 1977 with a similar idea: https://www.eamesoffice.com/the-work/powers-of-ten/ https://www.eamesoffice.com/the-work/powers-of-ten/

ernopp 5y ago

I love this quote from Edgar Mitchell (Apollo 14) on seeing Earth from the Moon: You develop an instant global consciousness, a people orientation, an intense dissatisfaction with the state of the world, and a compulsion to do something about it. From out there on the moon, international politics look so petty. You want to grab a politician by the scruff of the neck and drag him a quarter of a million miles out and say, "Look at that, you son of a bitch."

curtainsforus 5y ago

I'm sure it's hyped up to the point that if you went up there, expecting a cosmic experience, you'd be disappointed.

curtainsforus 5y ago

I'm sure it's hyped up to the point that if you went up there, expecting a cosmic experience, having imagined and simulated it a million times, you'd be disappointed by the reality.

geoduck14 5y ago
I'm ready to be disappointed.
dylan604 5y ago
I used to think that about the Grand Canyon, then I went. Nope, it's just as impressive as they say being there experiencing it in person vs looking at all of the videos/images available. Seeing an image that required a special lens to take it all in looks nice. Standing in the same spot the camera was is a completely different experience when you have to turn your head left/right to see the same thing the image does. Anyone that says different has not actually taken the pepsi challenge