Maybe you’ve noticed, but damn, the news has been depressing lately. Much of it is due to the perennially obnoxious habit of human separating themselves into tribes and then attacking each other, either literally or rhetorically. Maybe that’s a vestigial strategy from those early days when we needed to herd ourselves in the name of survival and compete, as groups, for basic resources. Nevertheless, a whole lot of unnecessary suffering seems to occur because we rigidly identify ourselves –– or have been forced by inequities into an identity –– based on race, class, religion, gender, sexuality, nationalism, and a thousand other tribe labels.
I won’t bother to ask, “Can’t we all just get along?”, because clearly, the answer is: “Nope. We never have and never will.” Still, it’s vital to take regular breaks from the fighting and focus on the many things humans have in common. Like, we all live under the same sky, and if you’ve ever paused to ponder it on a clear night, it’s freakin’ amazing. The Fort Worth Astronomical Society and the Fort Worth Museum of Science & History host one of their monthly Star Parties starting around dusk tomorrow (Sat Sept 6) in the Museum’s South parking lot. The event is free, but will be canceled if heavy rain occurs. Noble Planetarium staffers and sky geeks will be on hand with equipment and expertise to help sightseers explore the firmament knowledgeably. You won’t have to sing “Kumbaya” with your fellow stargazers, but this is a chance to put down your tribal weapons and feel awe-struck as a community.
