Attracted Quote by Martin Rees
“Ironically, it is only when disaster strikes that the shuttle makes the headlines. Its routine flights attracted less media interest than unmanned probes to the planets or the images from the Hubble Telescope. The fate of Columbia (like that of Challenger in 1986) reminded us that space is still a hazardous environment.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: NASA press conference, 2003, after Columbia disaster
Disasters draw attention, while routine achievements are overlooked, highlighting media bias toward tragedy.
In simple terms: Tragedy gets more coverage than routine success.
Key Takeaway
Value everyday achievements.
Themes
media bias
risk
public perception
Mood
somber
thoughtful
Type
analytical
informative
When to use this quote
- space missions
- news reporting
- public policy
- risk management
Key Concepts
attention economics
risk perception
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we better recognize and celebrate routine achievements?
A Different Perspective
Routine successes can be undervalued despite importance.
![“One critic complained to me that "Well, if you are right, we will have to rewrite the textbooks!" As if that were a bad thing ... [But], curiously, some of our most virulent critics are associated with NASA and the government. A NASA employee tells me that this attitude of opposition to impact…” quote by John Anthony West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f38/john-anthony-west-52277_bad-thing_one-critic-complained-to-me-that-well-if_1142735.jpg)
