I was unable to attend, but its nice to see some of the event anyway.
The harsh reality is that even though I agree with literally EVERYTHING he said, we are such a definitive minority of the population that it makes me cringe. The ignorance and gullibility of my fellow man makes me sad, but the willingness of other men to exploit those traits makes my blood boil.
I have been a practicing scientist my entire career....20 years this July. I have been involved in biochemistry and bacteriology in one way or another for most of those years. I have witnessed first hand the evolution of a bacteria to develop traits that will eventually make it a unique species; and I have worked extensively on studies of the enzymes that make the metabolic pathways run in ALL life on Earth.
Having seen the engine room of life and understanding the chemical reactions and biochemical pathways that make it work has been my blessing and my curse. I am still as amazed and entranced as ever by the elegance of the citric acid cycle; or the amazing precision of the process of glycolysis or gluconeogensis. I know what I know and I have seen what I have seen, but I still must watch as millions will bleat out platitudes like "God said it. I believe it. That settles it." I long for the day when such things will be seen for what they are - pathetic attempts to hold onto the reigns of power by small minded, limited men.
Reality - whether viewed in biochemical metabolic pathways, or macro-evolutionary speciation, or simple physics - which predict where an object will land based on measurable and predictable variables or allows us to launch a satellite or build a skyscraper - is so much more amazing and stunning and fulfilling and meaningful than a fable about vengeful and hate-filled desert deities. The magnificence of the planet - let alone the solar system or the galaxy or the universe - is so much greater and more wondrous than worshiping a slave master deity who is watching over EVERYTHING; but is obnoxiously concerned with where someone places their penis or WHEN they do so, or with WHOM they do so, or IF they do so without first saying symbolic words or rituals!
Its been said before, and by better men than me, that humanity cannot ever reach our potential until we leave the nursery of our species childhood. In many ways, humanity is the child that refuses to move out of its parent's home, even though they are pushing 30!
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