“The Great American Eclipse” Helped to Unify the Nation

 

 

Americans are granted precious little time to gaze upon heavenly apparitions before their attention is lassoed back to the anxious routines of domestic life and the endless news cycle of unspeakable catastrophes. For this reason, the total solar eclipse of 2017 was- despite our societal preoccupations with the banal and morbid- a historically remarkable event that had a unifying-even therapeutic- effect on our nation’s psyche. 

 

Those who were fortunate enough to experience the sensation of total blackout, the pronounced temperature drop, and the specter of a 360 degree sunset, often claimed that it was life changing. But even for those who only caught a partial glimpse, the virtuous meaning of human beings admiring the work of nature’s divinity was a tremendous morale boost to our entire country. From Madras, Oregon to Charleston, South Carolina, individuals of all ages, races, religions, political affiliations, economic backgrounds, gender identities, and education levels joined together in a communal experience that showcased the awe inspiring beauty of our shared home. As a cosmic metaphor for national healing, it reminded all of us that we are more connected than we realize.

 

The eclipse was also a marvelous triumph for science that highlighted the majestic power of human intelligence. The 1,700 mph silhouette may have appeared magical and halo-like, but the phenomenon happened exactly as the astronomers and cosmologists said it would. Whether in Jackson Hole, Wyoming or Nashville, Tennessee, the diagonal shadow of the umbra moved at the exact speed the calculations predicted. In the words of famed astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson: “There is no science in this world like physics. Nothing comes close to the precision with which physics enables you to understand the world around you. It’s the law of physics that allow us to say exactly what time the sun is going to set, what time the eclipse is going to begin, what time the eclipse is going to end.”  

 

With deGrasse Tyson's words in mind, I hope that the next generation remembers that special moment in time and seizes it to dedicate their moral and intellectual allegiance to the enterprise of science. I also hope that my fellow Americans use this rare opportunity to consciously turn away from self-absorption, scientific ignorance, and fear of the unknown to more fully embrace the gift of universal appreciation and wonder that is available to all of us. If interpreted as a message to overcome our prosaic disputes and to unite as one people, there is much that we can gain from this event. As Victor Hugo once wrote: “Nation, like stars, are entitled to eclipse. All is well, provided the light returns and the eclipse does not become endless night. Dawn and resurrection are synonymous. The reappearance of the light is the same as survival of the soul.” 

 

George Cassidy Payne is a SUNY adjunct professor of philosophy, case manager at Willow Domestic Violence Center, and co-founder of the Lower Falls Foundation. He can be contacted at george@gandhiearthkeepers.org.