Our children long for realistic maps of the future that they can be proud of. Where are the cartographers of human purpose?

Human beings have a demonstrated talent for self-deception when their emotions are stirred.

We need to reduce military budgets; raise living standards; engender respect for learning; support science, scholarship, invention, and industry; promote free inquiry; reduce domestic coercion; involve the workers more in managerial decisions; and promote genuine respect and understanding derived from an acknowledgement of our common humanity and our common jeopardy.

So those who wished for some central cosmic purpose for us, or at least our world, or at least our solar system, or at least our galaxy, have been disappointed, progressively disappointed. The universe is not responsive to our ambitious expectations.

We are made of starstuff.

The price we pay for anticipation of the future is anxiety about it

Wisdom lies in understanding our limitations.