city, cannot be cast aside as insignificant information… It creates a different perspective for the
entire humans’ experience. Religion, philosophy, even the fundamentals of biology must be
revised in the presence…” pg 497 book 2. In knowing the knowledge human beings have never
known before, the information has given them a new insight and a different perspective and
experience the humans will view the universe. In return, this has increased their awareness of
humans’ existence and evolution by not just understanding the wonders and marvels at the
‘unbelievable things’ but rather sees it as a ‘belonging’ which their existence in the alien world
could be shared by all the sentient creatures, humans included, in the universe. Thirdly, Nicole
utters the thought she has on seeing the magnificent view of Rama, “To my precious daughter,
Nicole, and all the young people of the world, I offer one simple insight. In my life I have found
two things of priceless worth – learning and loving. Nothing else – not fame, not power, not
achievements for its own sake – can possibly have the same lasting value.” pg 613 book 2. In her life
of endless pursuing of information and knowledge she wants, her heart has been opened up and
she has truly understood the meaning and purpose of her life. This has also made her to become a
role model and an inspiring person for the younger generation demonstrating that the knowledge
has enlightened her life and she has found what she deeply wanted.
Next, acquisition of information leads to wonders and thoughts. Firstly, on board the gigantic
spacecraft of The Node, Nicole thinks to herself “I too have never stopped being amazed, not
once during these thirteen months. But is this all there is? Were we brought all the way here from
earth just to be tested? And titillated by the existence of creatures from other worlds? Or is there
some other, deeper purpose?” pg 151 book 1. In acquiring information about her purpose of being at
the node, she has encounter all these questions that have amazed her. In finding the answers
which she will not be able to find makes it a wonder and mystery that she could think about.
Secondly, after Nicole disappointedly finds out that her children no longer need her as a mother,
she reflected on “Even her memory is better than mine… What a perfect solution to the whole
problem of ageing and dying… capture a person in the prime of her life, with all her powers
intact, and preserve her for ever as a legend, at least in the eyes of her loved ones.” pg 593 book 2. In
her minds of thoughts, she has wondered about the wonders and odds which could someday be a
useful scientific tool of substituting a ‘human robot’ instead of an actual real person to someone
who has loosed somebody. Thirdly, Nicole’s husband, Richard makes a comment when he is in
an alien factory “This place is absolutely amazing, stupendous. I can’t begin to assess what it all
means… not only are we not alone in this universe… we are not even near the top of the pyramid,
in terms of capability…” pg 80 book 2. Barely able to contain himself, Richard marvels and ponders
deeper into his troubling mind of the unlimited questions and thoughts he has. He finally knows
how small the humans’ world is compared to the immensity of the universe.
Lastly, acquisition of information affects humans’ ways of thinking. Max, a friend of Nicole
voices his doubt in the octospiders’ lair “I think deep down I always wanted to be an astronomer,
to see if I could understand the mysteries of the universe. But every time I thought about billions
of years and trillions of kilometers, I became depressed. I couldn’t stand the feeling of complete
and total insignificance that came over me. It was as if a voice inside my head was saying, over
and over, ‘Puckett, you aren’t shit. You are absolutely zero.’” pg 112 book 2. In his desire of
acquiring the information he has wanted it badly, it is all these information out there that has
debilitates his desires for knowing something significance and the things he wants to know. The
information itself has already makes a dramatic impact on him, depriving him from further
acquiring the information which makes him more afraid and less bold. Secondly, in a major
conflict between Nicole and her husband regarding Nicole having sex with the other man which
they think the man is more capable of producing males; the acquisition for knowledge has
affected their way of thinking in that they have lost any degree of ‘joy’, responsibility and their
ideal thoughts as being a parent associated with having a family. Thirdly, upon reaching their
home, Nicole’s daughter, Ellie speaks in disappointment “I have been going over everything in
my mind and it does not make any sense. I feel as if I have been betrayed. I thought I knew the
octospiders, I trusted them. In many ways I thought they were superior to us, but after what I saw
tonight…” pg 313 book 2. After seeking information and she knows what happens, she finally
realized that she has been used and relearned something depriving that will change her view
altogether. As a result, that has triggered and affected her ways of thinking towards her friends
and relationships altogether in the future.
Thus it is clearly seen from the quotations and conflict above that acquisition of information
indeed has affects humans in many ways. In learning something that humans could revere and
revise in their memory for ever, something astounding and marvelous that humans will inquire
endless and numerous questions and mysteries, or simply leading to drastic and unexpected
conflict that inflict and changes the views of the humans’ mind. No matter how the different ways
of changes there might be in acquisition of knowledge, human beings will learn something
valuable in life in return. That is what the matter most being a human living in the vastness of the
universe, seeking information that they are indeed not alone, but together with all the sentient
creatures in the vastness of space, we occupy and live and in search of truth and sense of
wonders and belongings, in the magnificent ‘cosmopolitans’ of stars and galaxies.