--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: America's popular heroes have seldom been…" description: "\"America's popular heroes have seldom been its great thinkers, and even less its scientists. The success of TV's 'Big Bang Theory,' which seems to give ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/003/seth-shostak-2047_america_america-s-popular-heroes-have-seldom-bee_3040808.jpg" --- # America's popular heroes have seldom been its great… ![“America's popular heroes have seldom been its great thinkers, and even less its scientists. The success of TV's 'Big Bang Theory,' which seems to give the lie to this claim, is more the exception that proves the rule.” quote by Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/003/seth-shostak-2047_america_america-s-popular-heroes-have-seldom-bee_3040808.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/003/seth-shostak-2047_america_america-s-popular-heroes-have-seldom-bee_3040808.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/003/seth-shostak-2047_america_america-s-popular-heroes-have-seldom-bee_3040808.jpg) > “America's popular heroes have seldom been its great thinkers, and even less its scientists. The success of TV's 'Big Bang Theory,' which seems to give the lie to this claim, is more the exception that proves the rule.” [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Popular heroes dominate culture, while thinkers and scientists receive less recognition, though exceptions exist. **In simple terms:** Famous heroes outshine thinkers. Key Takeaway Value intellectual contributions. Themes culture recognition science Mood critical thoughtful Type observational commentary When to use this quote - education - policy - media coverage Key Concepts media influence public perception Questions to Reflect On - Why are thinkers less celebrated? - How can we elevate scientific voices? A Different Perspective Societal focus on fame can marginalize scientific work. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Big bang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-bang/) [Big bang theory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-bang-theory/) [Heroes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heroes/) [Lie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lie/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Scientists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientists/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Thinkers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinkers/) ## Related quotes > [ Bill Prady and Chuck Lorre, the guys who run that show \[Big Bang Theory\], are really funny and really smart, and the cast is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-spiner/bill-prady-and-chuck-lorre-the-guys-who-run-that-show-big-bang-theory/) [Brent Spiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-spiner/) > [I'd love to work with all the popular heroes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rockline-venkatesh/i-d-love-to-work-with-all-the-popular-heroes/) [Rockline Venkatesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rockline-venkatesh/) > [ When you have this long of a run \[in The Big Bang Theory\], you don't have to have something happen every episode. Like, Sheldon… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-helberg/when-you-have-this-long-of-a-run-in-the-big-bang-theory-you-don-t/) [Simon Helberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-helberg/) > [They've discovered that, where all the other galaxies are moving in one direction, ours is going in another. Now, the Big Bang theory says…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-schultz/they-ve-discovered-that-where-all-the-other-galaxies-are-moving-in/) [Dwight Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-schultz/) > [Hahaha, its from the Big Bang Theory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-wolowitz/hahaha-its-from-the-big-bang-theory/) Howard Wolowitz > [When we first started 'The Big Bang Theory,' I would get incredibly nervous because it's such a big show and I was just out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kunal-nayyar/when-we-first-started-the-big-bang-theory-i-would-get-incredibly/) [Kunal Nayyar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kunal-nayyar/) > [In the popular mind, if Hoyle is remembered it is as the prime mover of the discredited Steady State theory of the universe. "Everybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-hoyle/in-the-popular-mind-if-hoyle-is-remembered-it-is-as-the-prime-mover/) [Fred Hoyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-hoyle/) > [The Big Bang theory says nothing about what banged, why it banged, or what happened before it banged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-guth/the-big-bang-theory-says-nothing-about-what-banged-why-it-banged-or/) [Alan Guth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-guth/) > [ I mean, I'm the tag of the \[ Big Bang Theory \] show! That was one of the easiest jobs I've ever had. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-spiner/i-mean-i-m-the-tag-of-the-big-bang-theory-show-that-was-one-of-the/) [Brent Spiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-spiner/) > [I don't know if I trust the people that hang with me. is it God, or is it the big bang theory?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jedi-mind-tricks/i-don-t-know-if-i-trust-the-people-that-hang-with-me-is-it-god-or-is/) [Jedi Mind Tricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jedi-mind-tricks/) > [“As I do my best to haggle down the prices further, Mr. Williams responds with a pained expression on his face, “Oh my, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-brass/as-i-do-my-best-to-haggle-down-the-prices-further-mr-williams/) Simon Brass > [Chuck Lorre and I had been talking about doing one of his shows for a while. I said I'd like to do 'The Big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/chuck-lorre-and-i-had-been-talking-about-doing-one-of-his-shows-for-a/) [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) > [A proponent of the big bang theory, at least if he is an atheist, must believe that the matter of the universe came from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-john-patrick-kenny/a-proponent-of-the-big-bang-theory-at-least-if-he-is-an-atheist-must/) Anthony John Patrick Kenny > [Our entire universe emerged from a point smaller than a single atom. Space itself exploded in a cosmic fire, launching the expansion of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/our-entire-universe-emerged-from-a-point-smaller-than-a-single-atom/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [“Naval heroes are seldom immodest, but soldiers quite often are. It is said of one gallant general that publication of his book was delayed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-colville/naval-heroes-are-seldom-immodest-but-soldiers-quite-often-are-it-is/) John Colville ## More by Seth Shostak > [Studying Sol's interior by looking for analogous patterns on its incandescent face is known as helioseismology, an active - if largely unpronounceable - research…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/studying-sol-s-interior-by-looking-for-analogous-patterns-on-its/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [Some pundits have proposed that the aliens have come here to breed with us. Apparently, too much bike riding or something similar has rendered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/some-pundits-have-proposed-that-the-aliens-have-come-here-to-breed/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [As far as I can tell, the only unambiguous consequence of the claimed invasion of Earth by beings from another star system has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/as-far-as-i-can-tell-the-only-unambiguous-consequence-of-the-claimed/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [Look, science is hard, it has a reputation of being hard, and the facts are, it is hard, and that's the result of 400…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/look-science-is-hard-it-has-a-reputation-of-being-hard-and-the-facts/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [Give consideration to the fact that alien astronomers could have scrutinized Earth for more than 4 billion years without detecting any radio signals, despite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/give-consideration-to-the-fact-that-alien-astronomers-could-have/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [In a movie, it's often important to have aliens whose gestures and facial expressions can be 'read' by humans. And in the days before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/in-a-movie-it-s-often-important-to-have-aliens-whose-gestures-and/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [Sure, nobody will make a fortune if we figure out why the Big Bang happened. But just about everyone would like to know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/sure-nobody-will-make-a-fortune-if-we-figure-out-why-the-big-bang/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [If you could drive straight down, into a tunnel bored through the crust of the planet, you'd hit this molten mess in about an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/if-you-could-drive-straight-down-into-a-tunnel-bored-through-the/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [While I have always thought that the motivation for looking for E.T. was both self-evident and patently worthy, it's possible that I'm a victim…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/while-i-have-always-thought-that-the-motivation-for-looking-for-e-t/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [I studied Latin in high school, and I was reading stuff from Cicero. 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And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? 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