A parable
There was a world of robots, all of which carried on mechanically with their eyes downcast. They did little more than eat and sleep, but this made them happy, for the happiness of robots is in fulfilling their programming. And all was harmonious.
One day an aberrant robot looked away from his work for one moment and gazed at the sky. Immediately he was dazzled, for he beheld the stars and planets and - most brilliant of all - the sun. He watched as they turned in their appointed harmony, and suddenly was no longer satisfied with his programming. Instead, he began to roam the world with his head held high, saying to everyone he met: "Look up! Look up!"
Looking up was not as easy for every robot as it was for this one. And so many disbelieved him, and said there was no sky. Others began to quarrel over what was in the sky and what it meant. Still others said: "It is dangerous to see the sky. Here, I will look up so that you need not look yourselves." But a few did see the sun and stars, and did not argue, but simply carried forth the cry: "Look up!"
And there was chaos and confusion, for the harmony of the sky conflicted with the harmony of the robot-world. And the monuments built by the upward-looking were torn apart by those with their eyes downcast, and lay in ruin. And there was battle and death and despair. But the cry went forth: "Look up!" And gradually it prevailed.
And when the last robot turned his head to the sky, and saw for himself the celestial spheres, all was once again in harmony - not the instinctive harmony of the robots, but the conscious and exalted harmony of the stars.
One day an aberrant robot looked away from his work for one moment and gazed at the sky. Immediately he was dazzled, for he beheld the stars and planets and - most brilliant of all - the sun. He watched as they turned in their appointed harmony, and suddenly was no longer satisfied with his programming. Instead, he began to roam the world with his head held high, saying to everyone he met: "Look up! Look up!"
Looking up was not as easy for every robot as it was for this one. And so many disbelieved him, and said there was no sky. Others began to quarrel over what was in the sky and what it meant. Still others said: "It is dangerous to see the sky. Here, I will look up so that you need not look yourselves." But a few did see the sun and stars, and did not argue, but simply carried forth the cry: "Look up!"
And there was chaos and confusion, for the harmony of the sky conflicted with the harmony of the robot-world. And the monuments built by the upward-looking were torn apart by those with their eyes downcast, and lay in ruin. And there was battle and death and despair. But the cry went forth: "Look up!" And gradually it prevailed.
And when the last robot turned his head to the sky, and saw for himself the celestial spheres, all was once again in harmony - not the instinctive harmony of the robots, but the conscious and exalted harmony of the stars.