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And I Will Go Sailing No More
Sep. 10th, 2012 09:46 amSo the Neil Armstrong display we had at work is already down, leaving behind a rather hollow feeling.
At first I was a little surprised: I didn't think I'd be quite so broken up about his death.* But the moment I got the news, it brought home, in ways that XKCD chart could not, that at this point the most astounding thing we've ever done is something in the past. Neil didn't open a floodgate. It was just a blip.
On the one hand, I'm perversely glad--he lived his whole life as a unique, mind-boggling explorer. Moonwalkers aren't exactly commonplace, so he kept a distinction in life and death that we might not have perceived had we continued traveling there and established permanent bases or an amusement parkWITH BLACKJACK! AND HOOKERS! or something.**
But on the other hand, I really hope his death does for others what it did for me--reminds us that if we don't do something soon, we are going to run out of people who can remember standing on ANOTHER FUCKING PLANET. And we need people who know, in the way only experience can teach you, that IT CAN BE DONE. I don't want to lose that certainty. I don't want to have to start over.
So I toast you: Neil and the other three vanished Moon Men, and another toast to the eight we still have. You guys know it's possible. Keep reminding us.
*Possibly because I wasn't entiredly convinced he could die. The other Apollo dudes were, y'know, dudes, but I've been under the subconscious impression that the Apollo 11 guys were selected because they were indestructible.
**Of course, even now some of his distinction has waned rather patheticlally. I went to work on August 25th and kept telling people "Neil Armstrong died!" and everyone under 40 replied with "Aww, after all this steroid scandal, too!"
At first I was a little surprised: I didn't think I'd be quite so broken up about his death.* But the moment I got the news, it brought home, in ways that XKCD chart could not, that at this point the most astounding thing we've ever done is something in the past. Neil didn't open a floodgate. It was just a blip.
On the one hand, I'm perversely glad--he lived his whole life as a unique, mind-boggling explorer. Moonwalkers aren't exactly commonplace, so he kept a distinction in life and death that we might not have perceived had we continued traveling there and established permanent bases or an amusement park
But on the other hand, I really hope his death does for others what it did for me--reminds us that if we don't do something soon, we are going to run out of people who can remember standing on ANOTHER FUCKING PLANET. And we need people who know, in the way only experience can teach you, that IT CAN BE DONE. I don't want to lose that certainty. I don't want to have to start over.
So I toast you: Neil and the other three vanished Moon Men, and another toast to the eight we still have. You guys know it's possible. Keep reminding us.
*Possibly because I wasn't entiredly convinced he could die. The other Apollo dudes were, y'know, dudes, but I've been under the subconscious impression that the Apollo 11 guys were selected because they were indestructible.
**Of course, even now some of his distinction has waned rather patheticlally. I went to work on August 25th and kept telling people "Neil Armstrong died!" and everyone under 40 replied with "Aww, after all this steroid scandal, too!"
