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How will the significance of Genealogy change once we begin to colonize other planets?
After a generation, will those born on Mars consider themselves more Martian than American/French? Will the existence of humans born off the planet cause those who live on Earth to bond together? None of the teams will include two people of the same nationality so it is likely that all unions will be with someone of a different origin (if not ethnicity, then at least nationality).
There will be cultural differences obviously, I would think that the Martian humans would be smarter and have a higher gene pool of 'smarts' per say. They will not be sending the average person to Mars, they will likely be sending some of this planets smartest and brightest to help terraform the planet. After that it will be colonization and a new world, just think of the possibilities.
If you use the historic track record, those born on Mars will see Earth as 'the old planet'. They'll remember their origions and tell their children, but the unlikely chance of seeing Earth will push it past any strong connections sooner than, say, the first European settlers of north America began to be American over British. I'm not sure that someone raised on Mars with a different gravity could go back to Earth, something which would be of significance.
I'm not sure that those who settle on Mars will have only one of different origions to couple with, but its true the level of intelligence will be higher than your average group of humans. Add to that that parents who are intelligent and actively use it teach their children how to as well. Since there would be no easy way to call for the calvery, creative thinking would be taught from early childhood. It would likely be a new rewriting of human potential since the challenges would require it.
Its comparable with something bigger than the settling of a new continent which already has people on it. It's more on par with the first humans who wandered into what became Europe or Asia or any other place than from where they origionated.
Maybe because its a place they'll never see, the new Martians will begin to both idolize earth and seperate from it at the same time. And that ancestor who first set foot on the martian sands would be remembered.
Genealogy and ethnicity are two different things. My dad was from Bulgaria, where, unless a person happens to be a historian, he has no interest in genealogy. Growing up I just felt happy knowing I was Bulgarian, and there's a real tribal/family feel just to that.
That's a whole lot different than someone going to Mars. That person just isn't going to spontaneously forget the names of his ancestors.
If you want to know how ethnicity could change, look at the histories of colonial/immigrant countries (Such as the US, Canada, Australia.)
I find the assumption that we will indeed colonize Mars someday interesting. I dispute that assumption. Despite advances in technology it will remain prohibitively expensive. There is no breathable atmosphere there, for one thing.
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