January 7, 2010

Are You Willing To Be An Avatar?


Avatar the movie is a unique combination of cinematography, characters and storyline combining all three in a magical way to plants seeds that will hopefully germinate many questions about our own future as a species. Set light years away from Earth on Pandora where Earth corporations are mining a rare mineral that will solve Earth’s energy problems, a former marine comes face to face with the unexpected. Because the atmosphere on Pandora is toxic to humans, the Avatar program has been created where genetically created bodies suited to the atmosphere have been grown and human consciousness can be downloaded into the drivers seat of these bodies thereby enabling humans in Avatar bodies the freedom to move about freely in Pandora’s atmosphere.

Whether it meant to or not, right up the movie asks questions about the possibility of transferring consciousness from one body to another, thereby exploring immortality. What would it be like if we could change bodies when the one we were using was no longer useful? What if you could retain memories from one lifetime to another? How would that affect your “getting of wisdom” in a very long life? Can humans remain at our current level of development and become immortal? What would happen if we discover the technology to transfer consciousness before we gain the wisdom of extending the existence of people who use this to human detriment?

This is an issue raised by contactees who claimed to communicate with ETs far older than us and much further along in their social development. Could they have been using bodies suited to earth’s environment all along? As we progress down this avenue, and if we are successful at pulling off this technology in the future, how will it change our perspective of life, of All life, in the universe. Will we eventually see with the penetratingly spiritual eyes like the Na’vi people of Pandora?

Until that time, would it be best to develop a peaceful mentality so that when we do gain longevity, through whatever means, we won’t be unleashing harmful human behaviour in our corner of the universe. If so, how do we as a civilization change from a military power driven perspective to the spiritual perspective shared by the Na’vi? Would that be in our best interest anyway? And what are the steps towards gaining a deep reverence for all living things, to being in touch with what drives our humanity? How do we humans return to life as part of nature while healing our mental and emotional abstinence from it? All issues raised by the Na’vi lifestyle.

While some in the UFO community are blathering about not going to see the movie because they consider it portrays humans as a blight wherever they go, they’ve failed to identify Avatar as a unique film that is very relevant to the ET issue and that it should be mined for it’s riches. Wouldn’t it be a surprise if we could actually learn something from it?