Video: We Stopped Dreaming - Neil deGrasse Tyson (NASA & The Future)
Tuesday, March 13, 2012 at 03:08PM
Caution: small political rant to follow, read at your own risk
This video is about NASA, politics, science, aerospace, America and the future… and it gives me an opportunity to make a spiritual point as well. You may already know who Neil deGrasse Tyson is… I wouldn’t have recognized his name, but I did recognize his voice right away when I first watched this video. Neil has been tapped as an expert in many science related programs that have been on PBS, History and more. He’s got a lot of knowledge and has a great way of presenting what he knows.
I don’t know the specific origins of this video posted by youtuber Scrunchthethird, but it appears to be a montage of statements Neil has made related to NASA (and the money we invest in space science) set to video images that really help drive his message home. That message is basically that ’we stopped dreaming’ when it comes to exploring the universe (and the technologies that make that happen) and because of that we have somewhat lost our way. He also makes the very powerful point that the entire NASA budget in over 50 years of work is still LESS than the bank bailout of 2008/2009! The added point that the NASA budget amounts to 4 tenths of a penny out of every dollar brought in really puts some perspective on how little is spent on an agency that has so much impact on the way we all live.
As America continues to struggle with massive national debt stemming from wasteful and misguided spending in areas that the government should stay out of… like entitlements for retirement, health care and massive social programs, we have to look at the politics of what’s going on. Our leaders have made decisions over the last 40 years that have taken the focus off of what it is that makes the economic engine work and instead have cultivated a massive subculture of weakened people who drag our progress down. I’m not saying that these thoughts are specifically Neil’s, but these are the thoughts I have when I hear his powerful words in the video.
Screenshot from the 'We Stopped Dreaming' with Neil deGrasse Tyson video
There’s something very amazing in the human spirit about moving forward, exploring and trying to build a better world. I believe that comes from the Creator, by God’s design. Others certainly see that differently. From what I see about Neil, he has a hard time believing that there’s a benevolent God out there responsible for the Universe… but you might find it very interesting that he has stated at times (like in this video) that across the varied disciplines of science, on average, 40% of scientists in America pray to a personal God. Even more interesting to me is his assertion that among engineers and mathematicians that percentage jumps to 60. The idea that science and spirituality aren’t compatible seems to be challenged by those within the science field itself. I make this point to just bolster my idea that God has put in man the desire to understand His creation, and anything that stands in the way of this natural desire has the effect of diminishing the entire human experience.
Ultimately, it may simply be too late for the old America to resurface and lead the world into the future. But for most of us, I’m pretty sure we’d all like to see us give it a try by putting the right perspective back in place… and a step in the right direction would be adequate funding for NASA to explore the Universe (and discover the technologies needed to do that) - Thanx Neil for your very encouraging words concerning this!
Lastly, I’d like to make it clear my belief that all of mankind is far better off when the responsibility for taking care of those in need is left to the individual and not the government. We all have a huge responsibility to take care of those truly in need, but that is done more effectively and far less costly by real ‘neighbors’ instead of a cold, calculating and power-hungry entity like ‘government’.
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Reader Comments (6)
Nice clip. Space exploration of NASA will surely be at peak in a few years to come.
Hmm.. As an Atheist I have a witty response to this post, but I just talked myself out of it. I'm not going to change your opinion, just as your not going to change mine. Fortunately we live in a country that allows us each these opinions. Whatever percentage is given for "religious scientists" today, it is a much smaller percentage then in our past. I believe some day science will kill the delusion of god, although I doubt I will live to see the day. To quote Mr. Tyson directly:
"God is an ever receding pocket of scientific ignorance that is getting smaller and smaller and smaller as time moves on."
Moral of my point is this: I would rather read about airplanes, and will continue to do so on your blog..
Amen, Martt !
I think many people continue to dream, but the prospects seem dim for realization.
From its beginning in 1958, the NASA budget grew rapidly to 4.4% of the Federal budget in 1966. From that high point, it began to decrease, even before the moon landings. By 1969 it was down to 2.3% of the Federal budget. Except for a small bump in the early 90’s, it has continued to drop to its present 0.48%.
G.W. Bush’s “Vision for Spaceflight” was strictly PR. There was never any real funding for it proposed in his budgets. NASA was asked to do more and more with less and less with the expectation that eventually they would either die or become able to do everything with nothing.
To its credit, the Obama administration is trying to reconstitute NASA’s efforts and establish clear goals. The problem is that NASA does not have much in the way of advocacy going for it, and it is too easy to sacrifice any or all of its funding on the altar of budget restraint and fiscal responsibility.
As an agnostic atheist, I would tend to disagree with your creator argument. I follow Neil's writings, lectures, and presentations and you have to admit that like a southern Baptist preacher, he can get you fired up. We Stopped Dreaming is the latest in a long line of great speeches by a truly great man. Neil is continuing the the vision that Carl Sagen brought to us with his Cosmos series.
I do not need a god to be awed by the magnificence of the universe or by the magic of flight that I experience every time I hurl myself skyward in my open cockpit aircraft. I actually find comfort in knowing that this life, the only one I have to live, is more special to me because I do not get a second chance in any after life. All there is, is now.
Well said
Even better