A softball sized eyeball washed up on a Florida beach.
Given the recent zombie attacks in Florida, we're inclined to say, "Where else would that eyeball surface but FL?!?"
That is our optimism coming to the forefront.
There are two basic ways to confront this sort of story. Let's take another example.
There's some fellow who's gathered the resources to launch a remote-controlled blimp with cameras over the North American Northwest Wilderness to try and capture images of Sasquatch. Here, the two basic reactions are clear. We could mock this fellow and talk about how unlikely it is that a large mammal remains undetected by scientists in North America, or we could celebrate the bravado spirit that drives this mission forward with the remote hope of finding something new.
Let's take another example. A new planet was discovered that orbits our closest neighboring star.
We could pessimistically focus on how this planet is too close to its sun to support life as we know it, or we could focus on the potential that this system may have other planets in the goldilocks position -- so close to us that communication is possible.
We say, why not assume the best? Why not see this as something to pursue, potential new life to be found? Why not embrace the mystery of life?
You should have called it "Optometrist!" ;) I like the way you tied all these together with the ongoing LoS theme of the "disappeared frontier". The depths of the sea, space....these I admit, are still sources of optimism for me, although I don't know how technology can surmount the vast distances involved in the latter. That's where the optimism comes in. If we can split an atom, maybe we can "fold" space....? I'm dubious on the sasquatch though!
ReplyDeleteI am disturbed at the implications of the analogy ... An eyeball treated like a softball isn't exactly a nekkid kegger.
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