Lights in the Sky: A 'Guiding Light' or a Distraction?

Unless you’re immersed in a Hallmark Christmas movie marathon, you’ve heard about the mysterious lights in the sky over the Eastern and Western coasts of the U.S. Even Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, just up the road from my home in Cincinnati, restricted air space due to drone activity.?

Moana 2, the animated Disney feature, has earned more than $700 million at the global box office since its release.?

And 15 years ago this year, CBS’s “Guiding Light” went off the air.

What on Earth do these three phenomena have in common??

Mysterious Lights in the Sky

• The FBI says there’s been an “overreaction.”
• The Department of Defense said they don’t know if they’re malcious or criminal.
• The thousands of tipsters who have reported drones, planes and other unsettling lights in the nighttime sky over eight U.S. states prove there’s something in the air.?

Based on multiple news reports, government officials are taking the reports seriously. Have you seen unexplained lights in the sky??

Moana 2: What is Wave Finding?

A modern-day wave finder shared the cultural significance of the almost mythical navigation called “wave finding.” Popularized by Disney’s Moana (released in 2016) and in Moana 2 (in theaters now), wave finding is the scientifically effective way our ancestors navigated the open oceans. By memorizing the stars, tracking their movements through the night sky, as well as understanding sea swells, these ancient seafarers did not use modern equipment or GPS to find their way.?

Today, modern-day wave finders navigate the Pacific Ocean, including the notable journey between Hawaii and Tahiti, using nothing more than these traditional methods.?

This makes me think about how communicators today use tools like AI, spellcheck and other programs to make our writing more crisp and concise. If we think of chatGPT as the equivalent of GPS in this analogy, we can go faster and farther by leveraging technology to improve our work or synthesize complex information. Check out how my former colleague Ian Nickey used AI to turn the dull 5,549 pages of the agency budget requests submitted to the Office of Business and Management into a lively and informative podcast.?

Using tools that can simplify our work and make it easier for our audiences to consume is not “cheating” any more than using modern technology to navigate across the ocean. When we combine technology with our learned traditions, like effective news writing, analysis, and creativity, we can unlock new potential in ourselves and use our resources more impactfully.?

Share your successful application of AI/chatGPT examples with us!

What’s your ‘Guiding Light’

In 1937, Procter & Gamble essentially invented the soap opera as the original sponsor of “The Guiding Light,” then a 15-minute program on NBC Radio. P&G was the production company when the program leaped to television, from 1952 to 2008.?

Even if you’ve never watched a soap opera, if you spent any time at home during the 1970s and 1980s, you’ll remember the program on during day-time TV, and that iconic lighthouse. A lighthouse, of course, is a beacon for navigation. (If you need a reminder, may I share the absolutely iconic Helen Reddy singing “Candle on the Water” from the Pete’s Dragon film).?

That brings this entire thread together: what light are we navigating toward? What lights are a distraction? And how do we distinguish what light is meant for us rather than someone else?

As we reflect on the past year – including our accomplishments, our wish list, or that never-ending to-do list – we continually look for the real guiding light that gives meaning to our work, and connects us to our purpose.?That's what we'll be thinking about over here at Space to Village - when we aren't scanning the skies for aliens!