once and for all; explain the monolith in 2001 space odyssey

[musiclawyer]

I have heard a lot of smart people chime in on what the monolith is or represents. I have my own opinion. What is yours.

[trof]

1. It's

Which I think should be evident to anyone.
:shrug:

[CrownPrinceBandar]

3. You're so right.

[realisticphish]

4. It's

[Deja Q]

2. It was created by a race of machine people...

for it is their reproductive organ, and without it they cannot make.

[gollygee]

5. When I see that, I always think of The Electric Company

that's probably not the direction you're headed in though.

[MrScorpio]

6. It was the guardian of Mankind

Helping mankind evolve from one level on consciousness to higher ones

[sundog]

7. ding

:toast:

[Enraged_Ape]

8. Someone once told me it was a complex...

hyperdimensional lifeform, that can only be comprehended in our reality as the black monolith shape. The hyperdimensional beings are guiding, ever so subtly, our evolution, based on our technological advancement.

This is why they post a "Sentinel" on the moon and another one in Jupiter's orbit. They help take us to the next level when we demonstrate that we're ready.

[MrScorpio]

10. You guys were doing some good drugs at the time

Right?

[Enraged_Ape]

11. Hey, I was 6 years old when I first saw that movie

And I loved it. Couldn't understand a whit of it, but I thought it was great. I thought anything that had ANYTHING to do with ASTRONAUTS was great.

[KG]

9. my god, it's full of stars!

[realisticphish]

12. read all the books

and it will help a LOT

[MichiganVote]

13. It is meant to symbolize knowledge

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

14. It's a multipurpose machine built by an alien race

Capable of, at least, be a communications device, reproducing itself, and squeezing giant hydrogen planets into stars.

[RPM]

15. it represents a penis

its a phallic thing....

[4_Legs_Good]

16. It's God/the divine

no question in my mind, at least if we're talking about the movie.

If we're talking about the novelization or the sequels (or the 2010 movie) then it's some kinda space portal/signpost.

david