Wonderbringers Newsletter with Monica Parker
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Hello Wonderseekers!
So what I’m about to tell you might sound suspiciously like a New Year's resolution (of which, you are well aware, I am not a fan) but trust me, it isn’t! Late last year, in the throws of suckitude, I set the goal of seeing the seven wonders of the world. It struck me as the ideal antidote to the crushing realisation of one’s finite humanness and I am currently in the planning stages of beginning that quest. Now, it is a little more complicated than pulling out the list of the seven wonders and calling a travel agent, primarily because most of the ancient ones have gone to dust, and there is no agreed-upon modern list.
A bit of history: The OG Seven Wonders was created by the poet Antipater of Sidonin (2nd-1st century BCE) as a sort of lyric Greek travelogue celebrating the exceptional achievements of the growing empire. Think of it as an aspirational text for Greeks who wanted to experience the finest of Grecian culture and engineering prowess. Not quite TripAdvisor or TravelTok, but a guide to wonders unseen nonetheless.
If you were charged with listing the seven original wonders, I’d imagine you’d get at least one of them but might struggle to recall all seven, so allow me to refresh your memory. The ancient list, all built between 2630BCE and 280BCE, included the Pyramids of Giza, the oldest of the original wonders and the only one still in existence today; Pharos of Alexandria, the most famous lighthouse of the ancient world; Hanging Gardens of Babylon, a series of terraced gardens ascribed to King Nebuchadrezzar II (which some say were acrophyll and only a figment of Antipater’s imagination); Colossus of Rhodes, an aptly colossal bronze statue which strode across the entrance to the harbour at Rhodes (this is one on my list should I figure out how to power up my time travelling DeLorean); the Statue of Zeus at Olympia, and lastly the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus. Those remain uncontested.
But the modern list is a bit more complicated. The most popular version of the modern list, derived in 2001 by the New 7 Wonders Foundation from a survey of 100 million votes and deliberation between 200 potential sites, includes the Taj Mahal, Chichen Itza, the Great Wall of China, and Machu Pichu, to name a few. But others find that list lacking, saying it should include different meaningful and monumental structures like Angkor Wat, the Acropolis and the Big Chicken*. Then, there are the natural wonders like Victoria Falls. Ha Long Bay and the Northern Lights. And we can’t forget the engineering wonders such as the Golden Gate Bridge, the Panama Canal and even the internet. As you can see, there’s quite a lot to keep me busy!
It’s not just the beauty and grandeur of these spots that compels me to visit them. More so, I want to understand what drives humans to explore, seek adventure, discover new knowledge, challenge their worldview, and leave the comfort of the known for the wonder of the unknown. That’s what I want to dig into, and it’ll be the basis for my podcast launching in mid-2025.
I want to make my own determination about which wonders should make the shortlist, and I need your help! Tell me: what would be on your wonders list and why? Have you seen any of these already? What did you think? I can’t wait to hear from you!
*Ok, this one is an inside joke for those from the ATL
Some wonderbringers for me this week:
Exploration is fundamental to human success: Discoveries inspire us, give us hope for a better future and pay off generously
The psychology of space exploration: and why it matters on Earth
From Galileo to Sagan: Famous Scientists on the Art of Wonder, the Mystery of the Universe, and the Heart of Science
I hope your re-entry to the world after the winter break has been pleasantly uneventful. A reminder to everyone that I will be holding a 2025 vision board session in March 2025. Get in touch if you’d like to join!
With wonder,
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