Partying Vs Policy Making
Tonight's National Space Council Reception scheduled to last 2.5 hours. Tomorrow's actual National Space Council meeting will only last 2 hours. The cost of this pointless reception could have put many students through college to pursue a space career.#NationalSpaceCouncilParty pic.twitter.com/5lLuhwXhwm
— NASA Watch (@NASAWatch) February 21, 2018
Lol. However, you know schmoozing is an integral part of the policy making process. They’re not just talking about the Olympics.
One slight correction. Looking at the ratings, NOBODY is talking about the Olympics…..
Not surprising, the decline of Olympic ratings has been going on a while. The new generation is just not interested in nationalist competitions. Who won the most gold medals, or accomplished a “first” in space may have been important during the Cold War, but just isn’t that big a deal now. That is why space advocates trying to use the threat of China or Russia gaining in a new “space race” are ignored.
Baring the “nationalistic’ heritage, it’s too bad
people (new gen) don’t seem to be interested in seeing and celebrating the “human being” pushing itself to the limits of its capabilities in a
friendly competition. I guess one cannot care about such things when they only care about themselves.
Perhaps, but its also because of a generational shift in sports. A generation that was raised on video games instead of ball fields just naturally prefer watching/playing esports instead of the older physical ones.
https://www.cbsnews.com/new…
Gamers cash in and go pro in booming world of esports
Which of course has implementations in space policy because the new generation is likely to be far more interested in virtual exploration (telebotic) than going there in person. Hence the lack of excitement over sending humans into space.
TWO giant leaps of faith (or should we call them projected presumptions?) this time. Declarations about an entire generation based on…cherry-picked peripheral perceptions.
Actual sports (the old-fashioned, physical kind) remain a passion of kids all across the globe and most certainly here in the US. Just attend any HS football or basketball game anywhere across the country…and college sports? Sure seems like a mighty robust collective to me.
Yes, some kids do not partake of such physical pursuits but that has always been the case. However, I have two of my own (and they certainly aren’t exceptional in this regard) who are deeply passionate about competing in both environments. Kids love competition and challenges and improving themselves because it is in our nature as humans to do so. If kids spend too much time at video gaming to the exclusion of all else (far too many do), it’s time to take a look at their parents.
As for the ratings of the Olympics, all things are relative:
https://www.forbes.com/site…
The author notes in conclusion that
“Even with their declining audience, the Olympics remain a ratings juggernaut, which is increasingly difficult to find in this increasingly fractured media environment.”
Concerning Mr. Barker’s concern, the new generation IS interested in the performances of the athletes when they watch, just like during the Cold War; cheering for the home team was always the secondary thrill. To suggest that folks ever watched the Olympics primarily for the opportunity to ‘stick it’ to other nations with superior medal counts borders on ridiculous. Yes, everybody likes to win even if vicariously, but folks didn’t watch all those individual competitions beginning to end down through all those years merely for the sake of finding out who had won the most bling. Anyone could have obtained that kind of ‘thrill’ merely by reading the summary tabulations in the paper the next day.
Oh, I’m deeply worried about the impact of e-activities on the generations coming up behind us (http://www.thespacereview.c… and fear as Dr. M suggests a resultant declining interest in space exploration (not just human), but I doubt very much that video games are having much of an impact on participation (and interest in) real physical sports. I also doubt very much that such a decline (if actual) would have any immediate correlation with or connectivity to personal interest in space exploration.
Such a decline, I would suspect, would more likely be a different parallel manifestation/symptom of a much deeper problem.
NBC has been showing countless hours of Curling. Not surprising as it’s a double round robin. But for those who loveCurling it’s a bonanza!
Like me…
Keith, as someone who is home sick instead of enjoying the Florida event, PLEASE. Many of the companies funding this event are the leaders in CREATING and backing numerous fellowship and scholarship programs. This isn’t a zero sum game, and educating members of the Council and their staffs about space issues isn’t pointless.
Its a big pointless party Jim. These companies are only educating each other’s employees and friends. Tourists showed up yesterday hoping to see a space shuttle but the exhibit was closed (with no advanced notice) to prepare for the party. But its important that all of the space people get their free weekly reception.
It is a matter of psychological perspective in a system and society which is evermore narcissistic and mired in the instant gratification of the individual. Seeing these people have fun on the tax payer dime (most likely) and not seeing any fruits of their supposed labor is telling. And just because this behavior has always been done does not mean it is good or appropriate for the time.
Who in fact is footing the bill for the party?
It is my understanding that the reception itself was paid, in most part by various industry trade groups such as CSF, AIAA, Coalition for Deep Space Exploration whose funding comes from aerospace companies.
Jim – with respect – I am in sales, and I know the meaning of relationship building through social occasions. I also have received, and have done, much salesmanship for a given product during those occasions. Keith Cowing is excruciatingly accurate in his point. Unless there is true selfless leadership steering an event like this, and EVERY event like this, we all know what typically goes on – some progress, a lot of drinking, and partying.
Let’s simply be intellectually honest, call things as they are, and work tirelessly towards achieving a goal that we can all be proud of.
What about taxpayers? What’s in it for them? Yes, an over simplified question but yet almost all Americans are only spectators who occasionally see snippets of what’s going on in the space program.
OK so the reception was unnecessary to the council meeting – but no different than dozens held every night in DC – why is this such a big deal? Its private organizations funded by private companies not tax dollars (yes, they have NASA contracts – so what; so does the power company where NASA has facilities and the oil company that sells the government gas for its vehicle fleets; those kinds of companies have social events too).
As for the claim that this event would have funded several students to go to college – have you looked at the cost of college lately? This event almost certainly less than $100,000 – good luck getting multiple students through four years of tuition, room & board and, if everyone took your tight fisted approach, the workers at the visitor center and caterers wouldn’t be able to afford college for themselves and their families!