Click, might be nice.
The velocity of light in a vacuum is the fixed constant of physical Reality; it is perceived and measured the same by all observers everywhere in the Universe. This diagram, the Light Cone, shows the relationship between Past, Present and Future in Time and Space based on the limits of what light permits us to observe wherever we are.
The region outside the expanding green Light Cone is beyond experience and perception. We can only wonder about it.
The Past is frozen forever and there is nothing any of us can do about it.
The Present is where I so much hope all of us will be celebrating with those we love and thinking fond thoughts of those who cannot celebrate with us.
The Future is infinitely malleable, plastic, changeable, and we have the Power to make it finer, more humane, less violent, even peaceful and respectful.
The only Limit to how wonderful the Future could be is our Imagination. I have only one New Year's wish, that we Dream of a finer Future. If enough of us Dream of a better Future, and accept nothing less, and refuse to be bullied or frightened into settling for anything less, the Future will take that shape, and our brief voyage through the Light Cone will not be wasted.
2 comments:
Bob . . . I love the New Years Einstein Minkowski Light Cone. Peace.
From the land like a mitten.
Ron
:-)
Well, the Artistic Challenge was to do a Happy New Year card WITHOUT a cliche. The old bearded guy and the baby. Janus the 2-faced god. Bubbly champagne. Fireworks. New Year and Christmas are occasions that practically force cliches on us by waving guns in our faces. (So for Christmas I just filched a Rennaissance master's Adoration cliche, the cliche is Jerome Bosch's fault, not mine. And a rather hi-tone uptown classy cliche it is, too.)
Fortunately, the Power to avoid cliches is one of the few virtues of being the world-acknowledged Drunk Driver of Visual Art.
I'd seen all the HNY cliches, and I'd seen the Light Cone. But I'd never seen any geek or nerd use them on his/her New Years Card.
But all by itself, the Light Cone is an interesting and curious object, but it's a bit dry and impersonal. (Well, it's a math and physics thing.)
New Years is above all a Sentimental occasion of Hope and Celebration. So I found the image of the lovely old Champagne bottle (on a site that sells not expensive Champagne, but expensive old Champagne bottles -- that's a 19th century classic).
And poured the Champagne of Hope and Celebration into the Light Cone. :-)
I'm going to be screwed when Giuliani gets elected and new Homeland Security laws demand all visual artists be certified and licensed.
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