May 19, 2010

We can put a man on the moon…

“We can put a man on the moon but we cant…” get people to stop using this statement as if it means anything of value.

We put a man on the moon because of a nationwide interest to do so, because of a need to be better than our ‘enemies’ and to improve our scientific and technological capabilities as a nation. (At least, this is what the history books tell me.)

This argument is just used for what some people think are common-sense needs, but don’t have the knowledge or energy to change themselves.

Yes, we, a united and driven country, can accomplish a lot. But no, ‘we’ don’t care enough about a better car engine, the worlds most giant pumpkin or a wind resistant umbrella (this was inspired by the uninspired Wall Street Journal article) to actually change those things.

Try this instead:

“It took a cold war to put a man on the moon, but I can ______________ just by working a little harder than everyone else.”