Broadcast 569

This Deep Space Message was submitted by Ms. Meghann Ribbens, doctoral stuent at USC: To the Denizens of the Universe: My name is Meghann Ribbens, and I am a human of Earth. Let me describe for you what it is to be human: Our evolution has progressed with blinding alacrity, and is even now accelerating. It was only a few million revolutions around our star (a mere blink in the history of life on this planet) that a species arose vaguely resembling the remarkable creatures now communicating with you. The progress is owed to our insatiably curious natures, and our lust for comprehension, creation and perfection. Humans are continuously fertile throughout most of their lives, and therefore strive for the paragon of beauty in our physique and our creations. We love who we are and seek to further our own happiness; to that end, we strive ever create for ourselves the wealth and the joy that is worthy of the very best of us. I cannot take credit for the accomplishments of my ancestors and peers, yet I proudly offer for your perusal one shining example of all humans have thus far accomplished: Earth. The planet to which we were recently born has become our canvas, and we are now rendering it into our first masterpiece. At the time of this writing, there is only one work we have created in our shining image, but there are more to come. To be truly human is to strive tirelessly and endlessly to achieve one’s own limitless potential. There are those among us who masquerade as humans and seek only to parasitize those individuals who most deserve the awesome title, “human.” They would stifle our ambition, butcher our achievements and sell our dismembered carcasses wholesale to ravenous locusts. But these individuals will soon cease to matter. They have power only through the sanction of those who actually can create. When that sanction is withdrawn, the parasites will have no power of their own and will likely perish of their own insidious hatred of humanity. We humans have much to offer to you, and there is much we would learn from you. I am one in a chorus of voices that intone the worship of the ego, that sing the praise of the species. I am Meghann Ribbens, and I am proud to be human.