--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The idea that science is just some luxury…" description: "\"The idea that science is just some luxury that you'll get around to if you can afford it is regressive to any future a country might dream for itself.\"..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/523/neil-degrasse-tyson-143_afford_the-idea-that-science-is-just-some-luxur_491939.png" --- # The idea that science is just some luxury that you'll get… ![“The idea that science is just some luxury that you'll get around to if you can afford it is regressive to any future a country might dream for itself.” quote by Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/523/neil-degrasse-tyson-143_afford_the-idea-that-science-is-just-some-luxur_491939.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/523/neil-degrasse-tyson-143_afford_the-idea-that-science-is-just-some-luxur_491939.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/523/neil-degrasse-tyson-143_afford_the-idea-that-science-is-just-some-luxur_491939.png) > “The idea that science is just some luxury that you'll get around to if you can afford it is regressive to any future a country might dream for itself.” [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Viewing science as a luxury undermines long‑term national progress and equity. **In simple terms:** Science must be a public priority, not a privilege. Key Takeaway Invest in universal scientific education and research. Themes education equity progress policy innovation Mood concerned optimistic Type policy advocacy When to use this quote - National budgeting - education reform - research funding - public health initiatives Key Concepts Public good social responsibility economic development Questions to Reflect On - How can societies balance immediate needs with long‑term scientific investment? - What policies ensure science benefits all citizens? A Different Perspective Limited resources may force trade‑offs, but neglecting science harms future competitiveness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afford/) [Afford Regressive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afford-regressive-4207577/) [Any](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/any/) [Around](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/around/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Get](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/get/) [Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea/) [Itself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/itself/) [Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just/) [Just Luxury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-luxury-4207578/) [Luxury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luxury/) [Might](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/might/) [Regressive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regressive-1125080/) [Regressive Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regressive-future-4207576/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Science Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science-just-678191/) [Some](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/some/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) ## Related quotes > [Just because you're a luxury brand doesn't mean you have to have an attitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-ahrendts/just-because-you-re-a-luxury-brand-doesn-t-mean-you-have-to-have-an/) [Angela Ahrendts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-ahrendts/) > [Science is not just a topic we can step around or ignore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/science-is-not-just-a-topic-we-can-step-around-or-ignore/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Science is not just 'Here are some facts, learn that'. There's a thread through these stories that, if you know how to tell it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/science-is-not-just-here-are-some-facts-learn-that-there-s-a-thread/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [“There are fads ion science, just as there are fads in clothes”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/there-are-fads-ion-science-just-as-there-are-fads-in-clothes/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [Science is just magic with better PR.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/science-is-just-magic-with-better-pr/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [Really, some of the best 'X-Files' stories come right out of science. And you just apply that 'what-if' idea. Oh, what if this were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-carter/really-some-of-the-best-x-files-stories-come-right-out-of-science-and/) [Chris Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-carter/) > [All policies should be guided by science, not just whose voice is the loudest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-heinrich/all-policies-should-be-guided-by-science-not-just-whose-voice-is-the/) [Martin Heinrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-heinrich/) > [For me, science is just a bunch of tools - it's like playing the violin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/for-me-science-is-just-a-bunch-of-tools-it-s-like-playing-the-violin-2/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [The science just hasn't been done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-benbrook/the-science-just-hasn-t-been-done/) [Charles Benbrook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-benbrook/) > [For me, science is just a bunch of tools - it's like playing the violin. I just enjoy calculating, and it's an instrument I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/for-me-science-is-just-a-bunch-of-tools-it-s-like-playing-the-violin/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [The motto of science is not just Pauca but rather Plurima ex paucissimis - the most out of the least.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-bunge/the-motto-of-science-is-not-just-pauca-but-rather-plurima-ex/) [Mario Bunge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-bunge/) > [Typically, there's a drive in science to do something just to say you've done it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hendrik-poinar/typically-there-s-a-drive-in-science-to-do-something-just-to-say-you/) [Hendrik Poinar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hendrik-poinar/) > [“It’s not wheel science… just aim and fire.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-winters/it-s-not-wheel-science-just-aim-and-fire/) [Evelyn Winters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-winters/) > [Science is not just there for technology. It's part of what addressing who you are in the universe and understanding your place in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-m-krauss/science-is-not-just-there-for-technology-it-s-part-of-what-addressing/) [Lawrence M. Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-m-krauss/) > [That's really what science is just trying to figure stuff out, and I like figuring stuff out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-s-really-what-science-is-just-trying-to-figure-stuff-out-and-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Neil deGrasse Tyson > [I don't want to go into space because of war. I think we would if it was triggered. If China said they want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-don-t-want-to-go-into-space-because-of-war-i-think-we-would-if-it/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Quantum physics fluctuates all the time. But now the fluctuations are not just particles coming into and out of existence, which happens all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/quantum-physics-fluctuates-all-the-time-but-now-the-fluctuations-are/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [In the movie, the stars above the ship bear no correspondence to any constellations in a real sky. Worse yet, while the heroine bobs...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/in-the-movie-the-stars-above-the-ship-bear-no-correspondence-to-any/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [The Pacific is the best toilet for satellites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/the-pacific-is-the-best-toilet-for-satellites/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [... informed ignorance provides the natural state of mind for research scientists at the ever-shifting frontiers of knowledge. People who believe themselves ignorant of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/informed-ignorance-provides-the-natural-state-of-mind-for-research/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [If you seek only easy problems to solve, then ultimately, there'll be nothing about you to distinguish yourself from others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/if-you-seek-only-easy-problems-to-solve-then-ultimately-there-ll-be/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [The caricature of science is that we hold tight to the theories we have, and shun challenges to them. That's just not true. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/the-caricature-of-science-is-that-we-hold-tight-to-the-theories-we/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [New generations of humans inherit the acquired discoveries of generations past, allowing cosmic insight to accumulate without limit. Each discovery of science therefore adds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/new-generations-of-humans-inherit-the-acquired-discoveries-of/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [I've said multiple times that the world's first trillionaire is going to be the person who exploits the resources of asteroids, the natural resources…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-ve-said-multiple-times-that-the-world-s-first-trillionaire-is-going/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [ They \[scientists of centuries past\] call on God only from the lonely and precarious edge of incomprehension. Where they feel certain about their explanations,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/they-scientists-of-centuries-past-call-on-god-only-from-the-lonely/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [We explore our environment, more than we are compelled to utter poetry, when we're toddlers. We start doing that later. Before that happens, every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/we-explore-our-environment-more-than-we-are-compelled-to-utter-poetry/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [You can't have people making decisions about the future of the world who are scientifically illiterate. That's a recipe for disaster. And I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/you-can-t-have-people-making-decisions-about-the-future-of-the-world/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Science surrounds you. It's not something that you can step aside, step over or push out of your way because you were never good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/science-surrounds-you-it-s-not-something-that-you-can-step-aside-step/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [The idea that God resides in the unknown is what philosophers call the God of the gaps. And we have this thing called science,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/the-idea-that-god-resides-in-the-unknown-is-what-philosophers-call/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Everybody's got money for vacation time. Look at how much we all spend just to get - well, I get sick on the loop-the-loop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/everybody-s-got-money-for-vacation-time-look-at-how-much-we-all-spend/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) [Explore all 1,143 Neil deGrasse Tyson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) ## More Afford quotes > [We can't afford any president to fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-beck/we-can-t-afford-any-president-to-fail/) [Glenn Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-beck/) > [Just because you can afford it doesn't mean you should buy it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suze-orman/just-because-you-can-afford-it-doesn-t-mean-you-should-buy-it/) [Suze Orman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suze-orman/) > [I am not a Ph.D. in economics or a doctorate in literature that I can afford to take my singing lightly. Even if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kailash-kher/i-am-not-a-ph-d-in-economics-or-a-doctorate-in-literature-that-i-can/) [Kailash Kher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kailash-kher/) > [Now I'm having to live with sales of around 50,000 per album - but I'm pretty content with my place in the general scheme…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-knopfler/now-i-m-having-to-live-with-sales-of-around-50-000-per-album-but-i-m/) [David Knopfler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-knopfler/) > [I was lucky because I got so successful so early, and when you get successful early, then you can afford to be a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-von-furstenberg/i-was-lucky-because-i-got-so-successful-so-early-and-when-you-get/) [Diane von Furstenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-von-furstenberg/) > [I have crooked toes from wearing boots that didn't fit me because that's all I could afford as a kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lomu/i-have-crooked-toes-from-wearing-boots-that-didn-t-fit-me-because/) [Jonah Lomu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lomu/) > [The most common reason new mothers return to work sooner than they'd like to is because they can't afford to go without their salaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexa-von-tobel/the-most-common-reason-new-mothers-return-to-work-sooner-than-they-d/) [Alexa Von Tobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexa-von-tobel/) > [This fatigue can not afford to do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israa-ali/this-fatigue-can-not-afford-to-do/) [ISRAA ALI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israa-ali/) > [A good player is a good player, it's just that we cannot afford signings that do not work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-dyche/a-good-player-is-a-good-player-it-s-just-that-we-cannot-afford/) [Sean Dyche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-dyche/) > [I'm not the most talented writer in the world. I know that. But I also know that I'm disciplined, that I work my butt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-b-coe/i-m-not-the-most-talented-writer-in-the-world-i-know-that-but-i-also/) [David B. Coe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-b-coe/) > [Unfortunately, some people go to a restaurant, and they aren't really there to enjoy themselves. They're there because they think they deserve to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dinicol/unfortunately-some-people-go-to-a-restaurant-and-they-aren-t-really/) [Joe Dinicol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dinicol/) > [Nobody has so many friends that he can afford to lose one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/nobody-has-so-many-friends-that-he-can-afford-to-lose-one/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [My earliest memories were when my mom would put me in the plays that she was in because she couldn't afford a babysitter... she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-applegate/my-earliest-memories-were-when-my-mom-would-put-me-in-the-plays-that/) [Christina Applegate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-applegate/) > [In Washington journalists can afford to live almost as well as people who work for a living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/in-washington-journalists-can-afford-to-live-almost-as-well-as-people/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [I'm a little bit tough because I can't afford to get my heart broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandi-glanville/i-m-a-little-bit-tough-because-i-can-t-afford-to-get-my-heart-broken/) [Brandi Glanville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-glanville/) [Browse all 784 Afford quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afford/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The idea that science is just some luxury that you'll get around to if you can afford it is regressive to any future a country might dream for itself.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Neil deGrasse Tyson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/the-idea-that-science-is-just-some-luxury-that-you-ll-get-around-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Afford" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/the-idea-that-science-is-just-some-luxury-that-you-ll-get-around-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/523/neil-degrasse-tyson-143_afford_the-idea-that-science-is-just-some-luxur_491939.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/523/neil-degrasse-tyson-143_afford_the-idea-that-science-is-just-some-luxur_491939.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/523/neil-degrasse-tyson-143_afford_the-idea-that-science-is-just-some-luxur_491939.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The idea that science is just some luxury that you'll get around to if you can afford it is regressive to…” — Neil deGrasse Tyson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Neil deGrasse Tyson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The idea that science is just...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/the-idea-that-science-is-just-some-luxury-that-you-ll-get-around-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/the-idea-that-science-is-just-some-luxury-that-you-ll-get-around-to/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```