a view from the centre of the universe

..the surreal experience of xmas in the southern hemisphere is thankfully almost over! To cope with the stress of this time of year I retreated for an hour or so to watch a great DVD called: "The View from the Center of the Universe" created by and featuring Joel Primack, one of the worlds leading cosmologists, and Nancy Ellen Abrams, a philospher and writer. They give a presentation about how our perception of the the universe has direct implications for the way in which we interact with our world. If we are able to start using metaphors that posit us as a central interactive part of the universe, and also expand our perception to think in universal time scales, then our political decision making would be radically different and more effective in dealing with global issues. The latest research and thinking in cosmology is presented using excellent quality graphics and is worth watching simply for this.
To find out more go to:

http://www.viewfromthecenter.com/index.html

For those interested in getting some Nz "culture" as part of my blog...here is the view from the centre of the Waingaro Hot Springs Tavern...yikes!