Starry Messenger: Cosmic Perspectives on Civilization

Neil deGrasse Tyson asserts that Starry Messenger is a cultural commentary written in response to social and political turmoil. Due to a lack of science literacy, the public confuses opinions and facts when discussing sociopolitical differences, and cultural divides often result in hatred and aggression.

Galileo Galilei, in his Sidereus Nuncius (published in 1610), first presented the cosmic perspective: the idea that Earth is not the center of the universe and that human eyes are unable to detect all natural phenomena. These ideas forced humanity to change its perspective to a more humble one. Tyson characterizes Starry Messenger “as a trove of insights” about various social topics, such as war, beauty, religion, and truth (7).

Disagreements arise because each person has a unique perspective that is influenced by knowledge, experiences, and understanding. Consequently, people divide themselves into categories, aligning themselves with those who are likeminded or similar in appearance. Although this groupthink mindset likely had evolutionary benefits, Tyson suggests a more rational and cosmic approach to achieve greater unity. He regards science as a core facet of humanity, rather than a cold, emotionless process, and notes that a rational perspective can only help resolve disagreements by exposing errors and truths.