Jupiter

[Do228]

Are both versions correct and which one is better?

1 Most earthlings are ungrateful individuals; they don't esteem Jupiter enough. Without him acting as milky way's Sheriff, a huge bombardement of asteroids and meteorites on planet Earth would make life for them very uncomfortable.

2 Most earthlings aren't shining with gratitude; they don't appreciate Jupiter enough. Without him absorbing the most dangerous asteroids and meteorites in the milky way, life for them on planet Earth would be very unpleasant.

 

[Tdol]

Who's supposed to be writing this? An alien?

 

[GoesStation]

Some aspects of each version are better. Write life would be very [adjective] for them.

Overall, I guess I like number two better. It's less heavy. Both sentences misplace asteroids. Virtually all of the dangerous ones come from within the solar system. Its asteroids are part of our galaxy in the same way everything else in the solar system is: they live there.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Are both versions correct? And which one is better?

1 Most earthlings are ungrateful individuals. They don't esteem Jupiter enough. Without him acting as the Milky Way's sheriff, a huge bombardment of asteroids and meteorites on planet Earth would make life for them very uncomfortable.

2 Most earthlings aren't shining with gratitude. They don't appreciate Jupiter enough. Without him absorbing the most dangerous asteroids and meteorites in the Milky Way, life for them on planet Earth would be very unpleasant.

A semi-colon isn't wrong, but a period or colon seems to make more sense to me. If you have a stylistic reason for using a semi-colon (like you love Somerset Maughm), then keep it.

And GS makes me wonder: do we really need protection from asteroids? I think of them like yetis: a nice excuse for a movie, but not an actual threat to anyone.

I choose Door Number Two, too. I prefer your use of appreciate and unpleasant. Shining, however, is an odd word choice. Do grateful people shine? Maybe. But glowing or beaming would be a little more likely, and ungrateful seems more to the point.

Anyhow, it's nice to know that Jupiter is ever vigilent. Thanks for the post!

 

[GoesStation]

And GS makes me wonder: do we really need protection from asteroids? I think of them like yetis: a nice excuse for a movie, but not an actual threat to anyone.

A single major asteroid strike could wipe out nearly all human life. The American space agency, NASA, is preparing a mission to test its technology for redirecting a threatening asteroid in case Jupiter misses one.

 

[Tdol]

Why are you using the term earthlings?

 

[GoesStation]

Come to think of it, it's quite a leap to claim that Jupiter absorbs the most dangerous asteroids and meteorites in the milky way. Our planet may be the only one in the galaxy known to harbor life, but that's not saying much given the size of the galaxy. This is important because an asteroid is only dangerous if it threatens life; who cares if an uninhabited, barren rock is smashed?

I think you should apply your statement to a somewhat smaller region of space.

 

[teechar]

Both sentences are a bit strange.

Hello kamui23, and welcome to the forum.
Note my corrections above.

Please also correct the info you provided on your profile page.

 

[Tarheel]

I would never refer to Jupiter as he. Also, a planet is totally incapable of appreciating gratitude.

 

[Skrej]

While not wrong, it's uncommon to use 'esteem' as a verb. A more natural phrasing would be using it as a noun - 'don't hold Jupiter in high enough esteem'.

 

[GoesStation]

I would never refer to Jupiter as he. Also, a planet is totally incapable of appreciating gratitude.

Even though I "liked" this post, I have to say that in the right context, personalizing a planet is an effective rhetorical device. I think this context is one where it could work.

 

[Tarheel]

Well, the Jupiter is the ruler of the skies, isn't he?

;-)

 

[jutfrank]

The deity after which the celestial body was named has been conceived as masculine for thousands of years. The -piter part of his name is cognate with modern English father.

 

[Tarheel]

In was in July of 1994 when Shoemaker-Levy 9 made the news by crashing into Jupiter. Just by being there Jupiter prevented the comet from hitting Earth, which would have rung like a bell. (The comet was torn to pieces, alk of which crashed into Jupiter, thankfully far from Earth.)