Ah, sweet summertime. The birds are chirping, the smell of BBQ wafts through the air, and the time to catch up on Netflix has arrived. Every summer has seen a Netflix obsession come and pass (I’m looking at you "Gilmore Girls") but the series that I am fixed on this summer is no other than Dr. Who.
Yes, the chronicle of a time traveling man/wizard/alien is not my typical cup of tea, but the last episode I watched where Earth was set to explode had me thinking, “If I could only have one item to represent the human race, what would it be?”
The history of mankind has been relatively short, but in 200,000 years man has adapted to survive extreme conditions, conquered engineering feats, and developed many cultures and languages. From the smallest drawing in a cave to the largest monument, mankind has forever left its mark on Earth. How could just one item represent humankind? Would a pyramid serve as a symbol for man’s strength and wit? Would a painting represent culture and intellect? The item I would send to represent the human race would be, humbly, an oyster.
An oyster parallels the story of mankind, specifically in regards to adaptation and the ever present will to survive. Mankind has successfully built shelters, cured illnesses, and conquered obstacles inflicted upon the human race. On rocky shoals or embedded on the seafloor, oysters clump together and create communities. Each oyster is equipped to handle extreme conditions, such as rough tides, by burrowing beneath the grainy sand to survive another day. When an oyster comes into contact with a parasite or irritant during normal functions such as eating and breathing, the oyster will create a circular object to block the entrance of where the parasite entered. This circular object is only found when an irritant inhibits normal function. This object, with all its beauty and splendor, is a pearl. In troubling situations, an object of beauty still forms, demonstrating how even in times of hardship, marvels can occur.
Just like the oysters that bunch together for safety and security, mankind has advanced through adaptation and the building of communities. Through famines, plagues, and war, the human race has not merely survived, but thrived.
If you could send one item to represent the human race, what would it be and why?
