Tranquility Base + 50: The America of my youth.

The most unifying moment of the 20th Century was broadcast around the World live fifty years ago tonight. For a few days in July 1969, all members of the human species stood in awe of the most colossal undertaking in their collective history. That Sunday night, when Neil Armstrong climbed down onto the Lunar surface and described his action as “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” the American nation had reached the summit of its destiny. As a wide-eyed 10-year-old watching it happen in real time, it has always remained a defining memory of my youth. It is impossible even now to not be humbled by such an achievement of a nation despite being beset by so many social and economic problems. The success of Apollo 11 made anyone, especially those of us enjoying the halcyon days of our childhood, feel like there was no obstacle we could not overcome with hard work, determination, imagination and motivation.

Between July 1969 and December 1972, there were a total of six successful Moon missions. Aside from the “successful failure” of Apollo 13, I recall an almost routine feel to the later subsequent moonshots. I also remember wondering why there would be no more Apollo missions after #17. At the time Apollo 17 splashed down, the Space Shuttle program was blue sky over the horizon. All the same, finding a reason to be proud of my country was easy regardless of whatever propaganda I was being spoon fed at school, church or on TV. NASA and the crew of Apollo 11 established the gold standard of American technocracy: Men on the Moon. That is the America of my youth.

The America of my middle age feels a lot different because it is a lot different. Fifty years ago tonight, in spite of all the its flaws and failures of national character, America was respected by friend and foe alike. Given that fear of the “other” has become a mainstay of political strategy fed by a narcissistic cult of personality, America appears too afraid and its leadership too inept to be respected by most of the rest of the World let alone feared. When we look into the proverbial national mirror and see a terrifying reflection of self-serving excess, we must demand an answer to the query of what we must do to get back to the America constructed by “the best and the brightest” that produced results like Apollo 11. I’m sure it will be an answer that a lot of Americans won’t want to hear.

Fifty years ago tonight is perhaps another awkward milestone. Neil Armstrong’s giant leap was an indicator of how far mankind had come since realizing there is a universe outside our earthly bounds. Looking back, technology has evolved to focus on making life easier and improving the creature comforts of the individual. Sadly, due to a multitude of factors and influences, the American national character has devolved to keeping our values stuck in a time warp before Sputnik. This has proven to not be a productive combination. Looking back on Apollo though, I still feel the pride of all humanity through the hope it instilled in my heart and that of so many others. We have proven that we can go further and longer through collaboration, teamwork and tolerance. Such is my vision for a grand Yankee Ingenuity restoration project. Until we are able to bring that to fruition, I will stick with that defining memory of my youth, fifty years ago.