Picture your favorite science fiction movies or TV series.  Maybe the classic The Day The Earth Stood Still comes to mind, or Independence Day, Star Trek, or even Back To The Future II.  Awesome spaceships, wouldn't you agree? 

Now, think about our own space program, and the crafts man has built.  While ours are awesome in their own right, they look pretty pathetic next to what our creative minds can envision.

My question is . . . why do you think that is?

Obviously, we can dream up phantasmagoric things, and the movie maestros can make them seem real.  And, obviously, we love to be scared out of our wits.  But why do we consistently depict our species as the underdog?  Is there an underlying insecurity in our national (or global) psyche?  Or is it just common sense that if beings could travel to Earth from wherever they originated they are obviously superior to us? 

The image of that humongous spaceship casting it's gigantic shadow over the Earth as it slowly approached its prey in Independence Day surely doesn't compare to the puny shadow (if any) our spacecrafts must throw down on our galaxy neighbors.

Maybe I just don't get the human obsession with space in general.  To me, there seems to be quite enough here on earth to keep all of us happy forever.   (Wonder where I was when the spirit of adventure was passed out?)  Should you decide to colonize Mars or another hospitable planet, send your e-mail and forwarding addresses so that I can stay in touch . . . but don't expect a personal visit.  Although I drive a Saturn, it is strictly earthbound.