30 years after Voyager launch, time to again ask who we are

The Golden Record mounted to the side of the space probe was meant to tell other worlds about life on Earth, but it also holds lessons for society today.

from the August 20, 2007 edition

Page 2 of 2

Page 1 | 2

The real value of the Golden Record, then, may not be what it tells other life-forms about us, thousands of years from now, but what it can remind us of here on Earth today.

We are closer to becoming, as Carter wrote in 1977, "a single global civilization." But while the Internet has allowed for an unprecedented ability to exchange cultural values and ideas, recent news stories illustrate that we also face ever-widening challenges: Polluted dust plumes from China now dirty the air over Los Angeles and San Francisco; Russia has planted its flag on the seabed of the North Pole; and Sara Lee Corporation has disclosed, in the wake of food safety concerns, that ingredients from more than a dozen countries may go into a loaf of its bread – a practice followed by many large food companies.

Counteracting climate change, reducing the threat of terrorist acts, and ensuring that all people have access to adequate water supplies are the kinds of problems that countries cannot solve in isolation. Our new global civilization will need to draw on insights, innovation, and cooperation from around the world.

The Kyoto Protocol, an international agreement to limit greenhouse-gas emissions, is the kind of cooperative effort needed to address a host of challenges. More than 160 countries have ratified the accord, although the United States is notably absent from this list.

In our new global civilization, countries will need to look beyond their own borders. Now, more than ever, whether we will be able to "survive our time" will depend on our ability to work together.

Thirty years ago, we asked the question – Who are we? – and found an answer in humanity's rich diversity, common goals, and great potential. The anniversary of the Voyager launch is a reminder that it's time to ask the question again.

Barbara Kerley is an award-winning children's book author and a former Peace Corps volunteer. Her latest book is a young adult novel about the Golden Record, called "Greetings from Planet Earth."

1 | Page 2