THE JOURNAL OF ASTROSOCIOLOGY VOLUME 1

VII.ConclusionHumans have always held a curiosity towards the cosmos and, as previously argued, havefelt inherently connected to the universe. Moreover, although today we live in a highlyrationalized society, a sense of mysticism permeates through human thought and identity. Theimportance of technology, rationality, and logicality in late modernity highlights a society inwhich scientific understanding is more highly valued than belief – factual knowledge triumphsmysticism and imagination, and Weber’s concept of disenchantment is more applicable to ourmodern day than ever before.The concept of disenchantment illuminates our feelings of separation with the universe,and the binary perspectives from which we view the cosmos unmistakably widens this separationand creates a sense of dualism. The mundane, bureaucratized world we reside in may inspire aquest for re-enchantment, and space travel could be a considerably important outlet for anindividual to experience a sense of wonder and awe, and to regain a feeling of unity. This questfor enchantment could well be elucidated through secondary narcissism, but new-age religions aswell as thematic and phenomenological analyses of astronaut’s experiences of space strengthenan overall sense of a desire for unity, particularly because of the emphasis on ‘feeling’ andacceptance rather than understanding. However, the scientific community is not satisfied with amere “experience of unity”, but seeks unification in theory and some theorists question whetheran experience of unity can exist at all. Nevertheless, science and unification can be compatible ifone takes on a paradigm of new quantum theories, which allows paradoxically for both to bevalid.This discussion has attempted to shed some light on the desire for a sense ofenchantment. Freud’s notion of primary and secondary narcissism is useful in understanding theindividual’s longing for unification and connectedness, and Lasch’s utilization of this concept tothe development of capitalism certainly supplies some insight into the individual’s aspiration toyearn for more. The idea proposed in this argument, that the individual has simply grown wearyof the rationalized world we live in and craves something that is not scientificallyunderstandable, is not an outlandish one. The human race has been trying to achieve unificationand enchantment for centuries through a variety of means such as religion, meditation, andhallucinogens; and now space travel could possibly be another means to achieve this state ofbeing. However the chase for unity and enchantment can not only be viewed as an abandonmentof theorization, secondary narcissism and omnipotence, but also as spiritual narcissism – an egocenteredquest for identity – as one tries to possess the experience rather than accept it.Studying and promoting these feelings of unity experienced in outer space outside ofspacefarer’s traditional contexts (such as religious institutions) has the potential to revolutionizehuman practice by making these experiences and their values the ultimate goals of our society, inturn transforming it to become one with nature and therefore the entire cosmos. If peoplebelieved that unification with the universe is achievable and that institutional and personalboundaries could be demolished, then there may be fewer conflicts between religious and othersocietal groups. Perhaps the answer lies in shedding one’s identity, in changing our perspectiveof how we experience the cosmos, or in spirituality, defined by Evans as a “basic transformativeprocess in which we uncover and let go of our narcissism so as to surrender into the mystery outof which everything continually arises” (Evans, 1993, p. 4). In any case, it would requiresignificant social and cultural change; that is, increased movement toward a spacefaring society© 2015 Astrosociology Research Institute91