Astronaut who realized 'big lie’ after spending 178 days in space explains how his view of the world has changed
We're all 'living a lie', according to an astronaut that hurtled through space for a whopping 178 days.
I'm sure if we all spent that many days orbiting Earth at a speed of around 17,500mph then the way we see things would drastically change.
Well, it certainly did for the former NASA spaceman Ronald Garan who orbited our planet a staggering 2,842 times as he toured global shuttles - including the International Space Station (ISS).
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Speaking to Big Think, he said: "When we see our planet from the perspective of space, certain things become undeniably clear.
"We keep trying to deal with issues such as global warning, deforestation, biodiversity loss as stand alone issues, when in reality they're just symptoms of the underlying root problem.
"The problem is that we don't see ourselves as planetary."
He explained that when he 'looked out the window' from the ISS he saw the 'paparazzi like flashes' of lightening storms, 'dancing curtains of Auroras' and the 'unbelievable thinness of our planets atmosphere'.
He continued: "In that moment I was hit with the sobering realization that that paper-thin layer keeps every single living thing on our planet alive.
"I saw an iridescent biosphere teaming with life, I didn't see an economy, but since our human-made systems treat everything including the very life-support systems of our planet as the wholly owned subsidiary of the global economy, it's obvious from the vantage point of space that we're living a lie."
Yes, the 62-year-old believes that mankind has the completely wrong outlook on day-to-day life - but it was only due to his literal out-of-this-world experience that he came to that conclusion.
The ex-astronaut turned philosopher grave a great insight into just how he envisions his new take on life.
Garan explained: "I wake up every morning on my bed, but I also wake up on a planet.
"In the long-term I'm very optimistic because I do see quite clearly a blossoming unity spreading across out planet, a blossoming awareness of our interdependent nature.
"That awareness will eventually reach critical mass, and when it reaches critical mass then we'll be able to solve the problems facing our planet."
He continued: "It should give us courage during these times to keep doing what we know to be right and to not give up hope because we are going to see the dawn.
"And when we can evolve from a two-dimensional 'us versus them' mindset and embrace the true multidimensional reality of the universe that we live in - that's when we will no longer be floating in darkness, we're going to leave the cave.
"It's a future that we will all want to be a part of - that's our true calling."
Joe Yates