24 hours after seeing Earth as a tiny speck in an endless black abyss, the Artemis II crew gave their first interview. And I was riveted. Their message was not subtle: “It’s a special thing to be a human, and it’s a special thing to be on planet Earth.”

Each member reiterated how rare and special our planet is, and while constantly hugging each other, they sought to remind us that from space, there are no boundaries, countries, or races.

You could tell their lives had been irrevocably changed, and that they were struggling to find the words to convey the importance to us of what they’d just witnessed.

The Overview Effect

Astronauts have been saying the same thing since the space program began: When you see our pale blue dot from a distance, you fully comprehend how rare it is. The magic isn’t out there somewhere. And it’s not on Mars. It’s right here, on this planet that we barely understand. At this moment, 99%+ of our deep oceans are completely unexplored. We have no clue what’s going on even just a few miles below our feet. Our ignorance of our own planet is boundless. And yet we seek to conquer others…

The Overview Effect is the name for the spiritual sense of one-ness that astronauts feel when they see Earth from a distance. And astronauts have been practically screaming at us to get the message: TAKE CARE OF THIS PLANET! STOP FIGHTING LIKE YOU AREN’T ALL THE SAME. WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER!

And like any profound message on YouTube, the comments tell the story. The trip was fake. It’s the democrats’ fault. If only Israel had done… Yuck.

In the face of one of humanity’s most powerful messages, the hate machine of social media can instantly trivialize it, making way for divisive, tribal bickering.

That’s why it’s our job—it’s our job to always remain focused on the big picture, and on the truth. Artemis II crew, I heard you. And I love you for it.

“For now, while we breathe and are among our fellow humans, let's cherish the qualities that make us human.”

— Seneca, Anger, Mercy, Revenge

The message has been the same for thousands of years: We need to live here and now on this planet. This is our lifeboat. This is our ship. We're the only crew we'll ever have.