To promote and consciously choose paths of integrity as Galactic Citizens ...
The word galactic refers or pertains to the word milk – an opaque white fluid rich in fat and protein, secreted by female mammals for the nourishment of their young.
In the astronomical sense galactic refers specifically to our "Milky Way" Galaxy which looks like a milky streak in the sky when you can find a remote enough location, though most people in cities can't see it due to light pollution.
Our galaxy is referred to as the "Milky Way" for several reasons. The ancient Egyptians goddess Nut, which is dated to 2400 to 1300 BC making her the oldest of the mother/milk/sky goddesses. Nut is the ancient Egyptian goddess of the sky, stars, cosmos, and mothers; she is often depicted as a star-studded woman arching over the earth to protect it. In the depiction above I wonder if the deep blue coloring of Nut might have something do with the atmosphere of the Earth, which protects us from most of the harmful cosmic energies which come our way.
Daughter of Shu (air) and Tefnut (moisture). Shu's role is to hold up the sky (Nut) from the Earth (Geb) creating atmosphere and space where life can exist, hence the meaning of Shu, one who holds up. Tefnut provides moisture, dew, and rain, balancing Shu's, dry air. She is often depicted as a man with an ostrich feather (a symbol of truth, or of Ma'at a goddess personification of truth) in his headdress, sometimes holding up Nut with his arms upraised. Together Shu and Tefnut embody the dual forces of air and water, breath and substance crucial for cosmic harmony and life. The life-giving space between the earth and the void of deep space is the eden where life may efficiently operate.
Nut was the wife-sister of Geb (Earth) and mother to Osiris, Isis, Set, and Nephthys. Nut was represented as a celestial cow arching over the Earth. Nut symbolized rebirth for she swallowed the sun god Ra each evening and giving birth to him every morning. Nut is the overarching sky goddess often depicted as a star-covered woman or cow arching over the Earth.
Later, goddesses such as Bat, or Hathor whose identity as a "heavenly cow" surrounded by stars, mirrors that of Nut. Both goddesses are associated with the Milky Way, but Nut as the sky itself, and Bat/Hathor specifically as a personification of the Milky Way.
Representing the vault of heaven, Nut was believed to protect the Earth from the surrounding void. As a mother goddess, she was instrumental in the birth of the major deities. She is frequently depicted on the inside lids of sarcophagi, symbolizing her role in protecting the deceased and bringing them into her celestial body for rebirth. As a protector of the dead, she was invoked to shield souls in the afterlife, often depicted with outstretched arms.
Over 500 years later the Greeks developed the mythology into the story known as the "Milk of Hera," which explains that the celestial band of milky white stars is milk spilled from Hera's breast when she discovered she was nursing the infant Heracles, the illegitimate son of Zeus. It is the Greeks that give us the name galaxias literally meaning Milky Way, or road of milk.
So a galaxy is referring to the cluster of stars associated with a galaxy – defined as a massive, gravitationally bound system of stars, gas, dust, and dark matter, containing billions to trillions of stars and their solar systems, and all of the energy that is produced within, or passes through them.
Our own galaxy has been named by humanity to be the Milky Way as that is what ancient humanity some 4000+ years ago rationalized it to be.
The Milky Way is our own "galactic neighborhood."
The word Citizen refers to "city-dweller". City refers is from an ancient word meaning "to lie," also forming words for "bed, couch," and with a secondary sense of "beloved, dear." In effect a city is a place where humans "bed down" with their beloved, dear one(s).
In the legal sense, a citizen is a legally recognized member of a country or state. One either born there or naturalized (made a natural citizen as if by birth). A citizen owes allegiance to the governance of its beloved, dear (city) and is entitled to its protection, rights (like voting), and responsibilities (like obeying laws).
A Galactic Citizen, then, would be one who "beds down" with their beloved dear one(s) within a massive, gravitationally bound system of stars, gas, dust, and dark matter, containing billions to trillions of stars and their solar systems, and all of the energy that is produced within, or passes through them (the definition of a galaxy).
A Galactic Citizen would be one who was "born there" or who became a "naturalized citizen" as one who owes allegiance to its governance and who is entitled to to its protection, rights and reponsibilities.
So now we have the concept of what a Galactic Citizen is, but to what does "good" refer? Jesus is quoted in Mark as saying why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.
The word good is a reference to something that is "excellent, fine; valuable; desirable, favorable, beneficial; full, entire, complete;" or that is "beneficial, effective; righteous, pious." It is from an ancient word meaning "to unite, be associated, suitable."
The full meaning of "good" is multifaceted, broadly meaning having desirable, positive qualities like high quality, suitability, or moral excellence, and can describe things (a "good" book), people (a "good" person), or actions (a "good" deed).
It signifies benefit, virtue, skill, adequacy, soundness, or pleasure, depending on the context, encompassing everything from a "good" job (well done) to "the good" as a moral concept.
So what are some of the characteristics of that which is good? Here is a short list based upon the various definitions used over time:
- Excellent
- Fine
- Valuable
- Desirable
- Favorable
- Beneficial
- Full
- Entire
- Whole or complete
- Righteous
- Pious
- Desirable
- Positive qualities
- High quality
- Suitability
- Morally excellent
- Virtuous
- Skillful
- Adequate
- Sound
- Pleasurable
Is there any doubt as to why the word good often contributes more to confusion than to resolution? Context is the KEY to what is being referenced. Good could mean skillful, or healthy, or desirable or any number of other words.
AI says it is one who fosters peace, respects diverse life forms, and acts with empathy, often prioritizing cooperation over conflict. Further, AI lists key traits as being informed on issues, adhering to ethical standards protecting shared environments, and contributing positively to the broader community.
AI lists as core characteristics of a Good Galactic Citizen:
- Empathy and respect, valuing all life forms, showing kindness, and respecting different cultures.
- Ethical behavior, adhering to laws, maintaining high more standards and acting responsibly.
We will touch on these again at the end of this presentation. AI continues:
- Community contribution, active involvement in improving society through many different means. Sharing knowledge is one specific way mentioned.
- Stewardship, protecting shared environments and resources.
- Constructive participation, engaging in thoughtful dialogue, being informed on current issues, and working toward common goals.
AI shares some examples of good citizenship in fictional contexts, below are but a few:
- Star Wars, a responsible citizen in the Republic/Empire eras might focus on upholding order, resisting tyranny, or contributing to the well-being of their local system
- Star Trek, promotes these core characteristics of good galactic citizenship in each of their franchises. The newest franchise, Starfleet Academy, does so, in a humorous and effective way within the setting of young people within an academic structure struggling to rebuild itself many years following its demise.
There are, of course, many other examples, but a good galactic citizen is someone who carries the qualities of excellence, value, desirability, favorableness, wholeness, righteousness, quality, virtue, or any of the other descriptors we have referred to. It is someone who "beds down" with their beloved dear one(s) within a massive, gravitationally bound system of stars, gas, dust, and dark matter, containing billions to trillions of stars and their solar systems, and all of the energy that is produced within, or passes through them (a galaxy).
Such a Galactic Citizen would be one who was "born there" or who was "naturalized" and is one who owes allegiance to its governance and who is entitled to to its protection, rights and responsibilities.
As you can see, a "good galactic citizen" could almost refer to just about anyone anywhere in the universe; at least to those who choose to develop their qualities of goodness to the highest level possible.
But as the qualities of goodness or excellence (a word meaning uncommonly superior; noble [a word derived from one meaning those who know and are known]) are always under development in us, I want to leave you with a resource that DSU offers towards this end.
Our newest college resource is CSI-Rewind. It has developed and posted a series of postings titled Principles, Protocols and Precepts. You can read through and chew on these concepts to help you develop your goodness, your nobility, to its highest level.
Briefly, these are:
Principle: From words originally indicating origin, source, beginning the word principle came to refer to many things from rule of conduct to beginning , to primary , to first one, etc. A principle is one of the fundamental tenets or doctrines of a system, law, or truth, on which others are founded. Because of its foundational nature its sense of a right rule of conduct or righteousness arises.
Protocol: From the Medieval Latin protocollum a protocol was a "first draft" of a work. It was derived from the Greek protokollon the first gluing indicating the first collection of a work. A protocol also refers to an official record of a transaction or to a diplomatic document. Thus a protocol is the first collection of a (diplomatic or official) work derived from principles.
Where principles are doctrines, protocols are written collections and precepts are examples of wisdom that are derived from principles and protocols.
The CSI-Rewind Principles, Protocols and Precepts are based upon ancient writings and modern interpretations. The Principles are derived from the Seven Laws of Noah, traditionally held as given by God to the "Sons of Noah", i.e. all of humanity. Our presentation uses etymology, the earliest meanings of words, and their definitions to reword the traditionally worded principles into as descriptive a presentation as I can make.
The Protocols likewise are given the same treatmenent. This time to the Ten Commandments. These are not just "rewording" these documents, they are a presentation of what the words used mean at their core. They are useful for deriving precepts for living.
The Precepts, of which a small number have been published and a large number remain to be created, are commentary on various "rules for living" derived from various sources. The precepts will continue to grow with time. Nearly 30 are in my work stack for creation.
Our hope is that this may be a valuable, or at least a useful, resource on your path towards become a Good Galactic Citizen.
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