Half of my library are old books because I like seeing how people thought about their world at their time. So that I don't get bigheaded about something we just discovered and I can be humble about where we might go next. Because you can see who got stuff right and most of the people who got stuff wrong.
Interpretation
This quote emphasizes the importance of humility and learning from the past.
Neil Degrasse Tyson highlights the value of old books in understanding historical perspectives on knowledge and discovery. By examining how past thinkers viewed their world, we can appreciate the evolution of ideas and remain humble about our current understanding. Recognizing both the successes and mistakes of previous thinkers prevents arrogance in our own insights and encourages a proactive approach to future discoveries.
In practice
In a speech about education, one might use this quote to emphasize the importance of learning from historical texts.
The problem is that many people operate on the assumption that NASA should go to Congress every year with hat in hand and justify it every year. Well, I see it as the greatest economic driver that there ever was. Economic drivers don't need justification.
The press still thinks [global warming] is controversial. So they find the 1% of the scientists and put them up as if they're 50% of the research results. You in the public would have no idea that this is basically a done deal and that we're on to other problems, because the journalists are trying to give it a 50/50 story. It's not a 50/50 story. It's not. Period.
As a scientist, I want to go to Mars and back to asteroids and the Moon because I'm a scientist. But I can tell you, I'm not so naive a scientist to think that the nation might not have geopolitical reasons for going into space.
In just one year, the expenditure of of the U.S.'s military budget is equivalent to the entire 50-year running budget of NASA combined.
One of my great laments is that education today seems to have... be less about passion and more about process, more about tactic or technique.
Lots of people think, well, we're humans; we're the most intelligent and accomplished species; we're in charge. Bacteria may have a different outlook: more bacteria live and work in one linear centimeter of your lower colon than all the humans who have ever lived. That's what's going on in your digestive tract right now. Are we in charge, or are we simply hosts for bacteria? It all depends on your outlook.
Adversity cleanses the lethargies of man
There lies before us, if we choose, continual progress in happiness, knowledge and wisdom. Shall we instead choose death, because we cannot forget our quarrels? I appeal as a human being to human beings; remember your humanity, and forget the rest.
Where we have strong emotions, we're liable to fool ourselves.
You cannot be all things to all people. Be unique. Be different. Give to others what you want yourself. And do what you were made to do.
If you just remember to breathe and smile before you act, you’ll always make the right decision.
And although she was sometimes dissatisfied with herself, she felt unable to go beyond her own limitations. Books were safer.
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