Review: Green Mars

REDWORLDER RATING: 8.7/10

OVERVIEW:

The sequel to Red Mars, Green Mars is the story of Martian colonists working toward various (often competing) personal missions for the planet. The overarching conflicts include life-or-death struggles for control of the planet's resources, the terraforming effort (which is now very much in full swing), and experimenting with directions to take the planet economically and politically.

CONCLUSION:

Part of a true must-read trilogy for anyone who has any interest in Mars (make sure to do so after Red Mars). I also recommend it for it's idea sharing, it's literary attention to color and the beauty of the planet, and for some of its most endearing characters (my personal favorite being Michel Duval, the French-Martian trained psychologist). Nirgal, Nadia, Art, and Sax are very endearing in my opinion as well, and even the less endearing characters like Anne and Maya are damn fascinating to watch as they shape the future of the planet. 

MUSINGS:

I'm going to try something new with the book reviews here. Originally, I tried an overview, pros, cons, and a final word. This time, and maybe from now on, I'm going to try a much shorter overview and conclusion, followed by this kind of peak at the world or investigation into one of my favorite ideas of the book. For instance, with this trilogy, Robinson's use of color amazes me. He doesn't just use color for the titles in order to symbolize the progression of Martian terraformation (or "areoformation" as some in the book prefer to imagine). Color is used extensively throughout the books by his characters to get across distinct perspectives (literal perception of the environment, and psychological filters) when they look at Mars.

In Red Mars, and continuing with more urgency into Green Mars, is the question over whether Mars should retain its primal monochromatic beauty (the position of the faction known as Reds), or whether bringing to life a desert planet ultimately provides the greater meaning (people who take this position, or are just generally not with the Reds, are sometimes known collectively as "greens". Pointedly lowercase, as opposed to Reds, as they aren't a single faction so much as a host of different groups with very different priorities).

For a character like Anne, red is a color devoid of the pain and remorseless quality of life, while Hiroko sees the greening quality of the universe as the essence of purpose and beauty. In Green Mars, it's becoming increasingly apparent that the Red cause to maintain or return the planet to a pre-arrival state is lost. What's more, in spite of the explosive attempts at an uprising against the Earth-based metanationals in 2061, the revolution's goal was ultimately a total failure. The surviving colonists now either live under the wary eye of the returned and entrenched metanationals, or they've been in hiding in the Martian outback for years.

The newest generation, true natives of Mars, are coming into their own in this environment and beginning to determine for themselves what kind of world they want to see. The best of this new generation is Nirgal. Born in hiding, where a handful of the first colonists have formed a polar sanctuary under the southern ice. Nirgal tends to see things differently, demonstrating remarkable understanding and abilities, along with an equally remarkable approach-ability and humanity. Like Hiroko, Nirgal can easily see the defiant "green" force ("Viriditas" as Hiroko names it) fighting tirelessly to add more complexity to the universe. He can also appreciate the passive power of the "red" force that Anne loves (the only force she trusts), waiting out the green, seemingly unaware of the frantic tide of life. He can see the ordering tendency which he thinks of as white simultaneously resisting the chaos of the green, while helping it to gain purchase over the unhelpful red. The colors are useful symbols of these forces that pervade the actions and motivations of every character.

How much each character is willing to compromise their dedication to the purity of one "color" or another is an expression of the deeper conflict. How much change be allowed before what exists evolves so much that it's effectively dying to give way to what could be? Is the essence of Mars, and what it means to be a Martian, changing or dying? Or is it really coming into being for the first time?

How much order can be allowed to cut back on the complexity? Does too much "balance" represent an oppression that defeats the purpose of life? How can extremists with mutually exclusive goals overcome a common threat or oppression when the outcome of their victory will set a course in one direction or another?

These are the sort of questions that arise in Green Mars within the context of a changing planet and a second attempt at revolution (this time carefully organized by the old timers, and energized by the native generations). It's enthralling to see the events of change, and the balance that begins (with great difficulty) to take shape between the forces as people attempt to remake (or maintain) the status quo of the Red Planet.

I highly recommend it (after reading Red Mars). Amazon link below:
http://www.amazon.com/Green-Mars-Trilogy-Book/dp/0553572393

Review: Red Mars

REDWORLDER RATING: 8.9/10

  I begin this review by saying that my intention for the last few months has been to find the best Mars books to recommend as part of my larger focus on fully defining areoculture. The trilogy to which this book belongs may well be the best series set on Mars ever written (so said the many reviews which lead me to it), and I fully intend to find out now that I've been drawn in. I'm already well into the sequel, Green Mars, and so far I maintain that Red Mars is a cornerstone of Red World literature.

  As Arthur C. Clarke is quoted as saying on the cover, "A staggering book. The best novel on the colonization of Mars that has ever been written. It should be required reading for the colonists of the next century."

   Red Mars begins in the in medias res, with the colonies on Mars established, and the "First Hundred" acknowledged with respect (almost reverence) as the elders who travel between the colonies propping up new projects with guidance and the occasional speech.

   From the start, we see that conflict between some members of the first colonists has been stewing for some time. The first chapter gives a taste of the exotic world, the innovations, and ends with a startling assassination before launching us back to the time before the First Hundred left Earth and into the mind of a different character.

   As the story of the First Hundred progresses, we switch every so often to a brand new perspective from one of the original settlers. Each have extremely distinct personalities, points of view, and agendas.

   From Earth to the space voyage, and the days of the first settlement to the widely settled and rebellious phase. From determinations to terraform in conflict with equal determination to maintain the pristine desert, or the arguably reckless desire to forge an independent society opposing those who would maintain ties with a destabilizing Earth. For nostalgia or greed or fear or sentiment or idealism, the motivations and shifting theaters make Red Mars both epic and engaging.

   The Science, from physical to psychological, and the Politics, social and planetary, feel real and engaging. Characters you route for might have agendas you hate, and vice versa. Watching them, experiencing what they experience, easily brings your own personality and positions into the Martian landscape that Kim Stanley Robinson created.

   By seemingly covering every possible position, idea, and character he could on a newly settled Mars (while maintaining a cohesive story), Robinson makes it feel like nothing more could be better written on the subject of settling the planet.  

  Pros:

• Kim Stanley Robinson takes the time to develop dozens of distinct personalities (how he does it seems to be illustrated explicitly in one chapter in particular actually), which love, ally, and hate each other in extremely successful ways.
• You really can't help but love some of those characters. You gain biases for some, which can wax and wane as the story progresses. Overall, the effect is that you feel you're integrated within these peoples' relationship network (the quiet person that gets invited everywhere, as it were).
• The story describes Mars both highly scientifically (particularly at the beginning of most chapters with fascinating information specific to Mars) and poetically (with long beautiful descriptions of landscapes and natural processes that make it easy to fall in the love with the planet the way only a local can).
• You route for the bad guys and the good guys at different times and to different degrees. What remains constant is a feeling that, even if you completely disagree with the actions of a character, you feel you understand them. The politics throughout is really well done, somewhat innovative, and the relationship dynamics are just as good.

  Cons:

• If you're not into the science, and you're in it only for the character development, there will be times when you feel less engaged. I recommend looking at these tangents as opportunities to get into character, to know what the First Hundred know, or what you might be expected to know as a settler yourself. To some extent everyone on Mars is a scientist.
• If you're not into poetry or relationships, you might similarly feel like you're on a tangent at times. In that case, consider that you'd find it unavoidable to appreciate the beauty of your new home and appreciate others, or risk dangerous depression and/or isolation from highly stressed peers. The point being, that even the challenges of this book seem to be tailored to preparing humans for a new world.
• The first chapter was the weakest with me, I would have preferred to start from the chronological beginning. Starting with the aforementioned assassination was fine for implying there would be conflict (and it certainly didn't disappoint), but I didn't love the characters or KSR's vision of Mars until after the first chapter ended. As it was, I was ready to give the book a shot, but I wasn't sold on it until I started the second chapter.

  Final Word:

    As I said, this might well be a cornerstone of Martian culture, today and well into the future. The author feels highly proficient in his trade, and the book easily covers everything needed to satisfy even the most powerful hunger for all things Martian (trust me, I know). If you'd sign up to live on Mars, then there's no question - Red Mars will be a favorite. 

Get it from Amazon today, and enjoy!

Areodefined

Here are just some quick definitions I've improvised with the prefix "Areo-", relating concepts to Mars (Ares). Established precedents include Areology (the study of Mars), and Areography (mapping Mars):

Areoaesthetics (n): "The appreciation, production, and study of art, culture, and natural beauty relating to Mars." 

Areoculture (n): "The products of human life shaped by thought on or relating to Mars." 

Areophile (n): "A person who is attracted to the planet Mars."

Aresian (n): As an alternative to Martian, similar to the use of Terran instead of Earthling. "A person belonging to the planet Mars."

Red Sol Haiku

Red Morning Haiku

White sun rises late.

Weak wind lifts the finest dust.

Breath quickens with ease.

Red Noon Haiku

Canyons flood with light.

Cold mist boils free from ice.

Slow sweat runs unchecked.

Red Evening Haiku

Craters pool their shade.

Dead titans resist the night.

Plans make room for dreams.

Red Night Haiku

Stars gaze steadily.

The sons of War fly unleashed.

Tired hands caress.

  

  I think it's easier to translate the value of a place when it's described by an artistic tradition. So, adding to the body of art concerning Mars can only help us all appreciate the beauty possible on a new world. To that end, I've begun a "Red Sol" poetry section beginning with this post.

Review: Moving Mars

Redworlder Review Rating: 4.5/5

  This is my first book review for this blog. My intention is to focus primarily on Mars books, and write everything (including the synopsis) so that it's as clear and accurate for my fellow SciFi book lovers.

    Casseia Majumdar gives us an account of the most critical time in her life and human history. She traces the course of events that lead her from being a model "govmanagement" student to a starry-eyed revolutionary to a seasoned politician, appropriately terrified for the future of her planet. 

    We see Mars and Martian society through a number of perspectives, as Casseia's understanding of Mars (and Earth) deepens and evolves tremendously throughout the book.

    She belongs to one of the more powerful family syndicates that have traditionally managed a compartmentalized society on Mars, and we discover the many individual and partisan opinions of what the political future of Mars should be. 

    Casseia's personal development runs in parallel with that of Martian society as a whole. They both must learn to take on the immense responsibility of change with maturity and courage, a challenge Mars has so far avoided by its commitment to self reliance and independence.

    Earth's answer to avoiding the danger is unity, and the clash between the societies' insoluble approaches are leading humanity to the edge. Earth simply can't trust Mars with independence anymore, and unity would effectively mean the end of Martian society.

    Meanwhile, there are those who are in awe of Mars's past and the scale of what we have left to understand about the universe. Casseia is attracted, and intimidated, by the power of Charles Franklin's vision of Mars and reality.

    However, she isn't prepared to surrender herself or her planet to change on the wrong terms. Casseia must find a way for humanity to adapt to its newly found powers without sacrificing its soul.

  Pros:

• Excellent interplanetary dichotomy. Earth versus Mars in terms of politics, society, and science is very distinct and fascinating.
• Intricate but accessible history, cultural backgrounds, and geography on Mars. The story of ancient life on Mars is not central to the story's conflict, but it features prominently in the lives of key individuals. The fact that it's not at the center of the conflict actually serves the credibility of the richly imagined ecosystem.
• Well defined characters, for the most part. With the exception of a certain group of individuals which are basically interchangeable, the key players are recognizable and likable.
• Meaningful purpose. The contrast of life on Earth versus Mars, and their conflict, illustrates a very real problem we actually have to confront. Human-changing technologies won't wait for us to be ready for them, and they won't arrive one at a time. We can't guarantee unity, and we can't guarantee trust between empowered independent groups in reach of each other. If we don't take on appropriate levels of responsibility for the extreme power that will be available to us in the coming decades and centuries - it could well mean the end for humanity.

  Cons:

• You can't just get by on the characters, this story was meant to be appreciated for its politics and setting.
• Unless you're into geography, you might get tired of all the (impressive) attention to detail concerning real world places on Mars. The descriptions of landscapes are fantastic, assuming you're enthralled by alien deserts.
• Be prepared to be pulled around quite a bit, physically and theoretically. The shift between very different locations could be jarring, as well as the mind-boggling ideas embraced late in the book.

  Final Word:

    If you're tired of swimming through mediocre books on Mars, here's an excellent find for you. The characters are endearing and do their work, but you'll be most satisfied if you've come to explore. You'll discover some impressive ideas, and a settled Mars you'll grow thoroughly at home with.

Get it from Amazon today, and enjoy!

TPA1 Demonstration

  As an addendum to the The Human Script, I thought I'd include a demonstration of what I created after the fashion of my favorite language/script site, Omniglot. Below is a sample of Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in three different forms.

From the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

  The first section is my script, TPA1 (Terran Phonetic Alphabet 1). I used the English-biased version since it's a lot easier to pick up and use as a native English speaker and typist. You can find the font file for it in The Human Script post.

  The second section is the short hand way I mapped phonetic English to a keyboard. ('E' is a long 'e', 'S' is a 'sh', 'T' is a hard 'th' - as in "them", 'D' is a soft 'th' as in "three", and so on. You can see the full mapping in the original post.)

  The final section is the Latin alphabet version of Article 1 of the Declaration of Human Rights.

  They'd all be read roughly the same way, this image is just meant to illustrate what the script looks like.

Rocks from Water

Photo Credit: Nasa

  On the left, a Martian rock formed in highly acidic water (photographed by Opportunity) and, on the right, one formed in very neutral water (from Curiousity). The one on the right, unlike the one on the left, belonged to an environment of relatively fresh water with chemical gradients that would have been conducive to the metabolism of microorganisms.

  Abundant warm wet environments persisted on Mars from (very) roughly 4.5 to 3.0 billion years ago (and water persisted on the surface even as the planet started to dry for another billion years or so). Within the same time span, Earth had abundant primitive life.

  Being smaller, and thereby cooling faster, Mars probably even had some hundreds of millions of years on Earth to harbor life first. I'd be fairly surprised if we found fossils of very complex life on Mars, but I'd be equally surprised if there weren't evidence of very primitive life hiding away in its most ancient rock formations.

  Honestly, I think there's a good chance Gale Crater itself might have a surprise in store for us.

  For more information, check out the source link:
  http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/spaceimages/details.php?id=PIA16833

The Human Script

  I felt the need to expend some creative energy, and what better way to do that than in a way which promotes humanism? So I created a phonetic alphabet that people might find attractive with the least cultural bias that I could manage. It's structure is based on the IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet).

  I was going for an interesting mix of logical construction with a multicultural appeal, so I've been calling it "Terran Phonetic Alphabet 1" or "TPA1".

  Check out the complete version, and the English-biased one, below as they are mapped to a "QWERTY" keyboard. Try them out yourself by installing the font files, which you can download from links further down the page.

Complete Terran Phonetic Alphabet 1

English-biased TPA1 (QWERTY based)

  I wanted to represent my interest in advancing the cause of humanity in general, and not leave anyone with the impression that my sole purpose is getting humans to Mars. It was a lot of fun to design, and I want to share it for the non-profit enjoyment of everyone.

  There are two free font files here:

Install Instructions: 

Download the .ttf font files you want, and place in your computer's Font folder. 

(On my computer, for instance, this is C:\Windows\Fonts)

• Complete TPA1 version
• English-based TPA1 version

  One file is the complete version which can be used to write any human language and is mapped to the keyboard based on the organization of how each sound is made (the chart directly below is the IPA chart demonstrating every human sound mapped in this manner).

  The other is English biased, mapped with the standard QWERTY system in mind. The idea being that in the likely event that you'd want to just pickup TPA1 with the typing system you're familiar with without having to understand all the logic behind how the IPA is organized, you can. That being said, if you are interested in how I designed this project, check out the explanation section below.

The International Phonetic Alphabet

Explanation:

  Using the IPA chart's structure, which is based on how each sound is made, I devised the foundation for each symbol by numbering the columns (which relate to the source location of a vocalization, like the front of the mouth versus the back of the throat) and using an equal number of strokes to inform the structure of each TPA1 numeral.

(Therefore, '1' would have one stroke and stand for bilabial, '2' would have two and stand for labiodental, etc. '0' serves as the base for the vowel symbols, and distinguishes itself not by number of strokes but by the way those strokes leave an empty space.).

  From there, I applied diacritics (smaller symbols which modify bigger symbols) to each row (which represent how the sound is actually constructed at its location). The diacritics placement around the symbols would determine to which row the symbol belongs (for instance, "plosive" diacritics go above the "1" symbol to form 'p's and 'b's).

  To distinguish between hard and soft sounds that belong to the same position on the chart (like 'p' and 'b' respectively), I used a dot diacritic to mark hard sounds, and a line to mark soft sounds. So, 'p' is a '1' with a dot over it, and 'b' is a '1' with a line over it.

-end of explanation-

  It's by no means a perfectly logical construction, that's because it's as much art project as a logic exercise. Primarily, it's meant to be fun and hopefully inspire some to consider how communication and art can unite humanity. I'm fairly pleased with the look, and I hope you are too.

__________________________________________________________

All fonts © Derek St.Jarre. All Rights Reserved. No font created by Derek St.Jarre may be altered, embedded or redistributed without an additional license fee. Email for details.

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On Mature Earth

  When people advocate for human colonization of Mars, they try to help others understand it in terms of how it benefits Earth. Mostly, because that's the only way they feel they can make the case for going. The thought process, in turn, from listeners often involves perceiving the arguments made as explanations for how Mars might be considered "superior" to Earth by the would-be settlers.

  That's a fine position to take, assuming your intention is only to prioritize planets. It's important, as advocates for humanity, that we keep in mind that the priority is never about Mars itself. It's about explaining how colonization is best for humanity. Here's the truth that most proponents of colonization can't bring themselves to admit to Terraphiles: The fact is Mars will be, perhaps always, inferior to Earth in terms of providing for humanity materially.

  The problem with explaining the merit of Mars to a Terran is it's a little like trying to explain the merits of parenthood to the first and only human being, who must also reproduce asexually. There is a cost to the parent, and the fact is that the child will be at first (and perhaps always) inferior by comparison.

  We must decide whether reproduction is necessary, based on whether we value the future of life, but without any frame of reference for what multiple humanized planets would be like. That said, we should also consider the dividends paid by a unique relationship which, one might speculate, could outweigh the perceived cost to the parent.

  Mother Earth is really a misnomer. As we are, in effect, the living Earth, it would be more accurate to refer to the planet as "Mature Earth". It won't be a mother until it gives rise to a child beyond itself. A more honest argument therefore for Terran humanity to give rise to an Aresian humanity is the wonder of parenthood.

  Yes, infant Mars will be ugly and useless for a good while, but if Terrans give Mars a chance, they might be surprised how relieved they are for Mars's presence in Earth's golden years. If nothing else, as for all parents, we can bet our lives would never be the same.

Thoreau Of Mars

  It occurred to me today, when a commercial on YouTube used a quote from Walden, that the words sounded familiar in more ways than one. They were eerily similar to the ones I'd been allowing myself to express this month.

  I realized that Thoreau's explanation for his going into the woods describes, almost perfectly, what I would consider one of the great purposes for settling Mars. While the conclusions of Walden, and Transcendentalism, certainly don't translate perfectly to my own visions of a settled Mars, the reasoning behind leaving the Earth can be understood in the reason for Thoreau's sabbatical. Here is the famous excerpt with a single modification, the substitution of "the woods" for "Mars".

  "I went to Mars because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practice resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms, and if proved to be mean, why then to get the whole and genuine meanness of it, and publish its meanness to the world; or if it were sublime, to know it by experience, and be able to give a true account of it in my next excursion."

                                               -Henry David Thoreau

  Taking a closer look at it, on Mars one must live deliberately or perish, but more to the point, a Martian settler wouldn't have it any other way for the same reasons Thoreau describes. The purpose of Thoreau was to find out what it meant to be human by introspection of the self reliant human being. Mars provides only what the human provides for him or herself. And as I said in my earlier post, The 78,000, the point in going is not to die but to live.

  I believe a Thoreau born to the 21st Century, having maintained most of his principles, would have seen the prospect of settling Mars as inviting to the human soul. A lifelong commitment to the desert may not have been for him, but I think he would have vehemently supported the reasoning behind Martian colonization.

  In Thoreau's time, the practical divisions of Earth were just starting to evaporate in earnest. The escape to self reliance in the woods was really a protest against the futility of doing so in the future. His society, founded in colonialism and self reliance, was swiftly modernizing and connecting with the whole world - but disconnecting from the individual struggle against and with the Earth. He left for the woods because he knew escaping to truly live on any part of an interconnected Earth would one day feel like brooding in the corner of a crowded room.

  What's more, in Thoreau's time, the shrinking wilds were still the best option, as even powered flight was yet to be invented. With Earth globalized, I would not be surprised if a modern Thoreau's own aspirations were directed offworld, if only to escape the pervasive crust of society we've encased ourselves in.  

  I believe, my speculation of Thoreau's modern perspective not withstanding, that the goal of living "deep","sturdily and Spartan-like", and reducing "life to its lowest terms" for the sake of a truly human experience is best served today on Mars.

  The greater the challenge and self-reliance, the more to discover about our humanity. To know life by experience, to really live and to see what humanity is made of, are the core values of Thoreau and of every colonial soul.

Curiosity Self Portrait

  This is the first post that falls under the "Images" section. These will normally have very little text from me. The idea is you can just click the "Images" button near the top of the page, and take a quick visual tour of Mars whenever you feel like it.

  I would like to point out that if you look to the lower left of the rover, you'll see the two tiny holes Curiosity drilled surrounded by gray dust. It looks kind of like a vampire bit into the John Klein rock formation. (I recommend clicking on the image.)

Photo Credit: NASA

  If you're interested, the source page for the image and more information is here. 

The 78,000

  I recently shared the news that 78,000 people applied to permanently move to Mars. I wasn't one of them, but that didn't stop me from expressing pride in the number. Of course the media made it sound like those applying were crazy, signing up to die on a rock in space for no reason.

  Someone even told me they hoped (for my sake) that I wasn't one of the applicants. That suggestion caught me off guard. Suddenly my failure to apply wasn't just irritating, the fact that I could reassure someone that I had not reached out for my ultimate dream, and that the world was happy about it, was just weird and unacceptable.

  I know what motivated those who applied (at least many of them), since I've felt the same drive my whole life. They signed up because they recognize that everyone else will die on this rock in space (and that where you die isn't the point), they signed up to be a part of a new world because they want to prove human value is a constant anywhere.

  They signed up to live on another world because they're not afraid to sacrifice personal comfort and security in pursuit of sharing meaning and opportunity with the rest of humanity.

  Applying to be part of a Martian settlement is really a humanist declaration. It declares that it's worth moving to new places, facing extreme challenges, and risking everything because life actually can have meaning and is worth glorifying.

  To settle for less than your potential and then claim your life is fully realized anyway is the real insanity. Assuming life has any purpose at all, meeting that purpose must require striving for excellence. The farther we push our potential, the more we affirm the fulfillment of meaning in our lives. To deny that is to reject the progress of living in favor of a paralyzed existence.

  Settling a new world is about living in spite of mortality, rather than just finding the warmest spot to kick the bucket. It's in the wake of adventurers that people committed to a need for normalcy will always find room to breathe until they can die on the rock of their choosing.

  The question isn't whether those 78,000 people are crazy. It's really whether you define being crazy by a courageous determination to find meaning by progress in this life, or by the determination to cloister oneself in static comfort because it's the "sane" thing to do.

  The 78,000 believe in realizing our fullest potential, and that it's worth the effort. So that you might believe it too, and as proof to our posterity, they'll test those principles with trial by fire. They may not want to live on Earth, but they believe in Earth. Can those against them really say the same?

  Can those who are desperate to control chaos, by clinging to norms and rejecting the unexpected, be said to truly believe in the world or in themselves? If we allow ourselves to think so, we risk joining the same people branded as shortsighted naysayers throughout history.

  My point is those 78,000 people believe in humanity. So do I. That's why they want to go to Mars, that's why they deserve our respect, but most importantly that's why they deserve more faith from us. If anyone has let us down, historically, it's the people who have insisted any attempt at accomplishment was foolish. I want to prove them wrong. And that's why I want to go to Mars.

Wells In The Desert

  The realization of a permanent Martian colony is our next great dream of opportunity. While it's true Mars threatens to overwhelm the plans of a lifetime, it offers us a second world for new ambitions to grow for generations. The Martian desert has the capacity to provide us with a true and permanent independence from our reliance on the oasis of Earth.

  But don't misunderstand me, I love the Earth. I see our world, as many do, by the comfortingly familiar environment of our time. The world, and the comfort it gives us, is worth fighting hard to maintain.

  Reliance on the familiar is not. The Earth maintains itself through change, so we must accept adaption as more than human nature. It must be an integral part of human civilization.

  This planet has had many magnificent phases and an extremely volatile history, the reality is a beautifully dynamic cycle of rampant growth checked by indomitable chaos. These are the two perspectives, the past and the present, which dominate a modern understanding of Earth.

  But there is at least one other perspective of our planet to which a small minority belong. They see our planet's greatest value not by those past or present conditions, but by its capacity to mean far more in the future. More than anything we've earned for it up until now. Though it's impossible to fully grasp, given the unfathomably massive scale of the scenario, take a moment to imagine the full potential of our planet.

  In some distant time, Earth could be remembered, even beloved, as the birthplace of humanity on other worlds by countless individuals. Hundreds of populated planets having their own unique histories, many far longer even than what we've written so far on our single planet, and each with stories at least as diverse as our own.

  These thousands of unique generations would owe their existence to the Earth. The original homeworld. With hindsight, they'd see easily that for humanity to die alone with the Earth would have been an unspeakably tragic waste of potential.

 Beauty isn't bound to the Earth, and neither are we. (Photo Credit: NASA)

  We should recognize the true definition of our posterity, and the crime we'd be committing by failing to reach beyond human civilization's paltry ten thousand years on Earth. The human story is capable of branching exponentially, sustaining and diversifying itself for eons in countless planet-sized theaters. Even if it turns out not to be achievable, just settling Mars certainly is. That many not be exponential, but it is double. Double the story, the chances, and double the meaning of humanity's future.

  In order to provide our planet and ourselves with a chance at even that kind of meaning, some of us want to go to Mars. Where the Moon was a tentative experiment, Mars could be the first permanent step forward.

  One day, hopefully, humanity will leave Mars behind, but if we get to that point it will be by following a precedent of securing humanity's future that we can set now on the red planet. To get to that point, we have to settle there first.

  I believe in humanity, and the power of symbols. We've always used them to guide ourselves. They have given our ideals and institutions something tangible to rally behind. One of the oldest, and the most vital to who we are is the concept of a New World.

  A New World is the ultimate symbol of opportunity. It lead prehistoric people to new continents. It lead enterprising adventurers and desperate pilgrims throughout human history to establish colonies around the Mediterranean, throughout Asia, and to the Americas. And even with all the empty lands of Earth claimed, it leads us still to whatever settled place can offer the brightest promise of a new beginning.

  It's vital to avoid stagnation in order to thrive, and this has always been our most successful strategy. We force ourselves to adapt to new circumstances, and force societies to adapt to new people.

  Earth is settled now. It's becoming a great community, but room for truly independent progress is shrinking. Individuality is not the same as independence, the progress made by a few nations now tends to carry the rest forward. Independent adaptation on Earth is giving way steadily to a single collaborative progress.

  Though slow initially, a New World offers a fresh opportunity for independent growth. Eventually, Mars could prove invaluable to the people on Earth. Limited interaction between independent communities invigorates invention and trade, while providing a buffer against the mistakes of one side.

  Without the challenge of a frontier, innovation in settled places becomes too homogeneous, and wanes. Progress is paid for out of principle, rather than need (other than "the need for innovation"), and skirts the line of stagnation.

  The fact is, we progress most effectively when working against hardship. We focus on maintenance when we find our lives are stable. We spend whatever surplus capital we have on sustaining our comfort for as long as possible, at the expense of true preparation. Simply put, it's not enough to invest in a relatively certain future. Real sacrifices must be made now, in a survival context, to generate appropriate levels of innovation.

  Our homeworld is just one tiny oasis in an endless desert. Mars may seem just a dry riverbed by comparison, but its water is there to be accessed.

   All I want for us is the freedom and long-term survival that a desert people enjoy by mastering their environment. The universe is our environment. Mars would be our first well in the desert.

  I imagine pointing out a small light in the sky to my children and saying, "That's where we all come from. That's where humanity began. That's Earth." How could a powerful reverence for our homeworld not take root if we offer our children such a sentiment?

  And not just offworld, on Earth parents could point out Mars to their children and say, "See that light? That's our other world, Mars. People live there too, other children just like you." The power of that simple idea might well inspire generations on Earth like never before. It would inspire them to reach for the stars in a way that knowing a handful of men once set foot on our moon long ago, and then came home, will never do.

  For the record, I find the Moon awe inspiring. One of my great heroes is Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon. Aldrin himself has consistently advocated for permanent human settlement of Mars, and warns against another race to the moon. (Check out his perspective here.)

If Earth is an island, the Moon is its lovely reef. (Photo Credit: NASA)

  The story of human civilization doesn't need to be limited to some ten thousand years on a single planet. What we've accomplished so far can be a prelude to so much more meaning. Imagine the rest of our collective stories and accomplishments multiplied over two worlds, let alone hundreds or thousands. The more worlds, the longer that amazing story can go on.

  I think that's worth the sacrifice. I feel it's worth my life (much as I value it personally), and I do whatever I can to secure it for humanity.

  That would include leaving on a one-way trip to an empty world with just a few other people for company. As a builder of Mars, I'd feel embraced by the billions of humans behind me, and the trillions I hope are yet to come. I'd never feel lost, because I'd be exactly where I most want to be - at the edge of securing a long and beautiful destiny for humanity.

  If permanently severing immediate contact with most of humanity and Earth, committing to living there the rest of my life away from the only home I've ever known is necessary to protect and glorify our species, then that's what I would do.

  I'd live on Mars because I believe in the sacrifice, and it would pay so high an honor in serving humanity that no one could reasonably deny it if they truly understood what was being offered them. The chance to show that our love for each other supersedes our desire for comfort and security.

  That's the honor that a well builder derives from leaving the oasis behind, and entering the desert for their people.