[lbryce]

No question about it. Couldn't agree more.

Having Armstrong speak underscores the sad, tragic state of affairs we find ourselves in.

My question is, if indeed, we have ourselves to blame, that is, if we've become complacent in a field that would have otherwise shown much greater accomplishment, why haven't we've seen advancement by other countries in programs that might have spurred innovation and expansion we've all imagined would have been developed by now, moon bases, the means to get there and back, namely the Russian federation? Has it all only been a matter of money?

What is, was the reason we lost interest in continuing the growth we had ratcheted up during the Cold War, stopped us from expanding upon the science and innovation? The fact is there wasn't much left to conquer in creating the hardware to spur growth, innovation. The space station-space shuttle merry-go-round proved highly pointless, the lack of vision, worthwhile projects to undertake is where the problem ultimately originates from,that has been the undoing of our space programs more than anything else.

[af_vet_rr]

My question is, if indeed, we have ourselves to blame, that is, if we've become complacent in a field that would have otherwise shown much greater accomplishment, why haven't we've seen advancement by other countries in programs that might have spurred innovation and expansion we've all imagined would have been developed by now, moon bases, the means to get there and back, namely the Russian federation? Has it all only been a matter of money?

Money, politics, inspired leadership/heroes.

The US was at its greatest when we were a nation of pioneers and explorers. Once we became a nation of settlers, we retreated back to earth orbit. Interesting how our society has declined at the same time and probably caused a decline in our exploration and pioneering efforts.

It's the same with other countries - England was at its greatest when it was exploring and colonizing and conquering all over the world, Spain, Italy/Rome.

There is one other thing that can push nations to achieve so much - adversity that forces them to rise to the occasion or perish. World War II did it for the Soviets and for the UK and US. The Cold War pushed the US and the Soviets to do some amazing things.

These days, and it applies to many other countries as well, we have become settlers and couch potatoes.

And many young parents have dropped the ball, and they let their kids grow up with videogames and movies and TV shows. They also spoil the hell out of their kids and many don't push them to achieve.

Plenty of kids can tell you who won the American Dancing Idols show, but couldn't name the first two men on the moon or the first few men who went into space.

Next time you're in the grocery store and you see a kid throwing a temper tantrum and the parents caving in and buying them whatever they want to get them to shut up, you are witnessing a kid whose parents will never push him to achieve anything. He's the one who is doing the pushing, pushing his parents around.