Almost 20 years ago, the space philosopher and author, Frank White introduced a concept known as the "Overview Effect" in his book "The Overview Effect: Space Exploration and Human Evolution." This phenomenon occurs when astronauts are able to view earth from an outside perspective in space. According to Frank White, it is a life-altering experience that "transforms astronauts" perspective of the planet and mankind’s place upon it." Around 500 astronauts to date have had the unique opportunity of earth-gazing outside of our planet and have shared similar feelings of awe and newfound feelings of interconnectedness to humankind as a whole.
Frank White became one of the co-founders of The Overview Institute whose main purpose is to promote awareness on the Overview Effect in order to create feelings of unity on a deeper and more impactful level rather than focusing on earthly matters such as national boundaries or conflict. By separating yourself from earth, it becomes more apparent that we live on a tiny and fragile planet that must be carefully preserved for future generations. The creative media organization, Planetary Collective contacted White in early 2012 in hopes of creating a documentary on the Overview Effect. Soon after, on the 40th anniversary of the famous Blue Marble photograph taken of the earth from space, Planetary Collective shared their short documentary film featuring interviews and commentary from a select group of astronauts and philosophers.
The film explores feelings associated with experiencing the Overview Effect and further implications for the state of our planet. The five astronauts interviewed give personal stories on their firsthand experiences earth-gazing and the aesthetic impact it has on a person's outlook toward Earth. One experience recounted by the Apollo 14 astronaut, Edgar Mitchell is one in which he "fully understood that the molecules in [his] body and the molecules in [his] partner's bodies had been prototyped in some ancient generation stars, in other words it was pretty obvious from those descriptions, we're stardust."
The philosopher David Loy makes an interesting point that with the brief moment of awe, you are able to let go of yourself and all of your worries. Instead, it becomes possible to transcend the sense of physical separation from our home planet and realize on a deeper level that, as humans, our lives are integrated through living on this "beautiful blue, green ball." The aesthetic impact associated with experiencing the Overview Effect is one in which understanding that the Earth is one system of coherence and unity. From a cosmic perspective, we are able to see and recognize Earth as a planet and the sun as a star.
Upon Edgar Mitchell's return from his visit to the moon in 1971, he discovered the phrase salva corpus amanti from a local university to help make sense of his literal "out of this world" experience. He puts it in perspective when he explains that "you see things as you see them with your eyes, but you experience them emotionally, viscerally as it was ecstasy and a sense of total unity and oneness."
After this realization, it becomes easier to identify ourselves with the planet we live on. We are one with the Earth, so if the Earth dies then we die. The problem becomes more than fixing an economic or political system of environmental reform. The basic understanding of who we are as people is at stake. As inhabitants of our amazing planet Earth, it is crucial to take a sustainable approach in preserving our home rather than a destructive approach.
