Neil deGrasse Tyson: The 3 Fears That Drive Us to Accomplish Extraordinary Things | Big Think

TL;DR

There are three drivers that account for the most expensive and ambitious projects in human history - praise of deity or royalty, war, and the search for economic return.

Transcript

So about a decade ago I realized that if we were going to go to Mars with people it would be really expensive, and so I thought to myself: what activities have human cultures engaged in, in the past that were as expensive as what it might be to go to Mars and what motivated them to spend that money? I was going to fill a whole book, "Motivations to... Read More

Key Insights

• 🤪 Going to Mars or any ambitious space exploration requires a driver that motivates society to invest heavily.
• 👏 The praise of deity or royalty is obsolete as a motivation for ambitious projects in modern times.
• 👾 War has historically been a significant driver, but it may not be suitable for peaceful space exploration.
• 👾 The search for economic return becomes the most viable driver for ambitious projects like exploring space.
• 🏑 The promise of economic return can shape a culture that embraces science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields, driving innovation and future economies.
• 👾 Space exploration involves multiple scientific disciplines, promoting advancements in biology, chemistry, geology, physics, and various engineering fields.
• 🌎 Reinvesting in ambitious projects can revitalize and reinvent nations, as America has done before.

Questions & Answers

Q: What are the three drivers that account for the most expensive projects in human history?

The three drivers are the praise of deity or royalty, war, and the search for economic return. These drivers have motivated projects like the pyramids, cathedral and church building, the Great Wall of China, the Manhattan Project, and the Apollo Project.

Q: Why is the praise of deity or royalty not a useful driver for ambitious projects in the 21st century?

The praise of deity or royalty was important in the past, seen in the construction of pyramids and grand cathedrals, but it is not relevant in modern times. Society has shifted away from these motivations, making it an ineffective driver for current ambitious projects.

Q: How does war serve as a driver for expensive projects?

War is a driver because it instills a sense of survival and the desire to protect oneself. Examples like the Great Wall of China and the Manhattan Project demonstrate how war has driven nations to invest heavily in projects that enhance their military capabilities and national security.

Q: Why is the search for economic return a crucial driver for ambitious projects?

Unlike praise of deity or war, the search for economic return is applicable in modern times. People have a natural aversion to dying and dying poor, hence the pursuit of economic gain becomes a powerful motivator. Ambitious projects like the Columbus and Magellan voyages were driven by the prospect of discovering new trade routes and wealth.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The speaker realized that going to Mars would be expensive and explored past human activities that were similarly costly to understand the motivations behind them.

• He found that the three main drivers behind expensive projects are the praise of deity or royalty, war, and the search for economic return.

• Since praise of deity or royalty is not relevant in modern times and war is an undesirable driver, the promise of economic return becomes the key driver for future ambitious projects like going to Mars.