On May 14, 1961, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the world’s first human to orbit the Earth.
Almost 60 years later, he is still the first individual to experience what scientists refer to as the overview effect.
This phenomenon occurs when people see the planet from a distance and realize that it’s not a place where racial, religious, and economic conflicts are prevalent.
It makes people’s disagreements seem petty and shows the Earth as a whole.
In an interview with Big Think, Ron Garan, an astronaut and humanitarian, discussed how people can help fix the planet’s problems by developing a planetary perspective.
Since he became an astronaut, he has traveled over 71 million miles in space. After seeing the Earth from above, he realized that it’s more fragile than he thought.
As he looked out his window, he saw auroras dancing in the background, flash of lightning storms, and curtains of glittering light.
He then realized that the Earth’s atmosphere is thin, and it keeps sustaining life on Earth.
He then realized that the Earth’s environment is filled with life. However, despite the various features that he saw, he still felt that humanity is living a lie.
Since the Earth’s systems are owned by the global economy, it’s clear that people are not prioritizing the planet’s well-being.
According to Garan, we need to move from thinking about the economy, to thinking about the planet, society, and economy.
He noted that being unable to develop a planetary perspective is a major factor that prevents people from solving various global issues.
Despite the various advantages of our economic activities, it’s still very sad that people are neglecting the planet.
Like Garan, actor William Shatner also experienced the same feeling of grief when he saw the Earth from space.
In his written response, Shatner said that it was the most difficult experience he’s ever had.
The contrast between the harsh environment of space and the warm embrace of Earth below filled Garan with sadness.
Every day, he learned about the increasing threat to the planet. He noted that humans have destroyed various ecosystems and species due to their interference.
He said that until people understand the fundamental structure of all reality, peace will not be possible on Earth.
Despite the alarming situation on Earth, Garan is still optimistic that people can still achieve a better understanding of the world’s complex reality.
He believes that eventually, people will be able to transcend their two-dimensional mindset and embrace a multi-dimensional reality.
