I was having a conversation this morning with my 22 year old son about the 40th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moonwalk. I of course, as do many others, remember where I was at that exact wonderful moment in time. I was trying to explain to him the feelings and pride that we, as Americans, had at that time. How it felt to watch all the Gemini and Apollo lift offs, counting that slow countdown from 10 to 1, along with Mission Control.
There was a certain feeling that we had then, that is missing now. I guess it was the same feelings of exploring the unknown that had fascinated mankind through its history. The last frontier of sorts. We have come so far in so many ways over the last 4o years. We have conquered the world of electronics and all it has to offer. We have opened ourselves up to people all over the world through internet access. But, with all these advancements we seemed to have lost that feeling of adventure that we all felt on that July day 40 years ago.
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Yeah. For Boomers, Space was the future, a definite reality, we were all going there some day. For succeeding generations, Space is a fantasy out of the past, a place they can never go, except on TV or at the movies. That great hope has gone from real to imaginary in just one generation.
Not to worry, the Chinese will go. Maybe they’ll let us ride along. There may be private expeditions too, for millions per seat. Eventually, we’ll have to seed another planet, or risk losing the only intelligent species in this part of the universe, so far. Those left behind will be the ones without great wealth, nationalistic pride, or imagination.
It’ll be nice and quiet here, waiting for a huge comet or an asteroid to wipe us out. If we need excitement while we wait, we can always catch a Sci-Fi movie, straight out of the mythology of a lost belief-system. The New Frontier really was the final frontier. But we ain’t boldly goin’ anywheres.
As long as we’re all gonna be stuck here, we’re gonna go on awarding the Cosie’s. Yours is here, Willpen. With our thanks for the good blogging and our congratulations. Live long & prosper!
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So well put Cosa. Wouldn’t it be nice to get rid of all the politicians and neophytes that are a pimple on the ass of humanity.
You put it so in perspective for me. That is the difference between then and now. Our reality, lived and enjoyed with all the pride that went along with it, verse their fantasies which are lived out in video games and over produced special effects movies.
Thank you for the award. I am humbled by it.
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NO! You’re supposed to be PRIDED, not humbled! Anyway, keep up the good work, we all enjoy & appreciate it.
I still take some inspiration from the heroes of my youth: They stood in the same dirt as me and looked up at the Moon and said, “We’re going there.” Starting from nothing, in less than ten years, they went.
How? Like the Chinese say, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Then you just keep on steppin’. So, if a buncha gearheads can build a stairway to heaven, each one of us can prob’ly manage our own little dreams.
I think we all just need our ju-ju back. We can’t get it from our “leaders,” or celebrities. We have to generate it ourselves. I think maybe that’s what this Internet thingy is for. So we made up the Cosie’s to help generate good ju-ju. It’s just one small step…
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Where was I?
I thought I was on the moon…now I can’t remember.
You may not be that far off. Are you even old enough to remember this?
Nope, I was just two years old. Still, I was probably there. Come on.
I was in gradeschool watching it on TV.
So was I. Well for the actual moon walk I was at a sleepover at my friends house. All I remember is a gaggle of 14 year olds jumping up and down in our baby doll pajamas.
I remember going outside that night, looking up at the moon and marveling at the thought that people were up there walking around. The fact that those people were Americans made it even better. I was teaching first grade at the time and realized in shock that my students were born after Alan Shepherd had flown in space. I also remember watching a 747 fly over the school during its testing period and being amazed that an object that huge could actually fly.