Quote from inandlong:
Like gawking at the traffic accident on the other side of the freeway. As the traffic is slowing I am saying, 'c'mon folks, don't gawk...' all the while I am trying to fool myself and sneak quick glances to see what happened.
We can be so pathetic sometimes... at least I can.
During the period of the "space" race, when the advancement of space flight was considered a show of superiority over the Russian space program, and thus a victory for democracy over communism, the space program of today is mostly lost from our consciousness. Now it is nothing more than a scientific process, with no real tie to the political aspects.
Still, space exploration represents to many an American the hope and faith Americans put in science as the savior of mankind's problems.
So, even an accident is viewed as a "loss" beyond the lives of the victims and their immediate family.
It becomes an "American" failure, and is probably over dramatized for that reason.
Space flight, dating back to the beginning and the vision of Kennedy and others, was viewed by the world as something symbolic of America's future.
It frightens Americans to think that we are not in control. I always find it interesting for a country who claims to have such faith in God, to be so fearful and worrisome during periods and events like this.
In reality, this "tragedy" is no more tragic than a team of scientists who perish doing work in Antarctica due to a mechanical problem, or underwater scientists who perish do to mechanical failure or weather related causes.
People project onto events their own consciousness, their own fears and hopes.
. I'd be better off doing my weekend chores.
