--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is a lot of willful incompetence in…" description: "\"“There is a lot of willful incompetence in high altitude astronomy that is in the process of coming to light.”\" — Steven Magee" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cc/steven-magee-129_altitude_there-is-a-lot-of-willful-incompetence-i_2606337.jpg" --- # There is a lot of willful incompetence in high altitude… ![“There is a lot of willful incompetence in high altitude astronomy that is in the process of coming to light.” quote by Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cc/steven-magee-129_altitude_there-is-a-lot-of-willful-incompetence-i_2606337.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cc/steven-magee-129_altitude_there-is-a-lot-of-willful-incompetence-i_2606337.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cc/steven-magee-129_altitude_there-is-a-lot-of-willful-incompetence-i_2606337.jpg) > ““There is a lot of willful incompetence in high altitude astronomy that is in the process of coming to light.”” [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. High‑altitude astronomy suffers from deliberate incompetence that is becoming exposed. **In simple terms:** Willful incompetence in astronomy is being revealed. Key Takeaway Address and correct systemic failures in scientific fields. Themes science ethics accountability Mood critical concerned Type analytical investigative When to use this quote - research oversight - policy reform - science communication Key Concepts organizational behavior astronomy Questions to Reflect On - What evidence shows this incompetence? - How can accountability be improved? A Different Perspective The claim may be anecdotal without broader data. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Astrobiology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astrobiology/) [Astronomer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astronomer/) [Astronomical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astronomical/) [Astronomy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astronomy/) [Astrosociobiology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astrosociobiology/) [Incompetence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incompetence/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [Observatory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/observatory/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) [Willful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/willful/) ## Related quotes > [“Industrial liquid gas containers were left open and venting gas into the indoor environment in high altitude astronomy. On reflection, I realized that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/industrial-liquid-gas-containers-were-left-open-and-venting-gas-into/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“Very high altitude astronomy only works by ignoring established biological science”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/very-high-altitude-astronomy-only-works-by-ignoring-established/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“When I worked in high altitude astronomy, the worst sickness that I experienced was not at the 13,796 feet very high altitude summit of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/when-i-worked-in-high-altitude-astronomy-the-worst-sickness-that-i/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“During my time in high altitude astronomy, I routinely witnessed workers breathing medical oxygen, industrial carbon dioxide, nitrogen and helium gas as part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/during-my-time-in-high-altitude-astronomy-i-routinely-witnessed/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“When discharging industrial gas into the indoor environment in high altitude astronomy, we never wore breathing respirators that fed us oxygenated air at above…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/when-discharging-industrial-gas-into-the-indoor-environment-in-high/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“My memories of my time in high altitude astronomy indicate that there were no oxygen concentration monitors or alarms in the areas that liquid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/my-memories-of-my-time-in-high-altitude-astronomy-indicate-that-there/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“The toxicity of medical and industrial gas to the human depends on where it is used. A gas that is regarded as safe in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-toxicity-of-medical-and-industrial-gas-to-the-human-depends-on/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“Time's up on very high altitude astronomy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/time-s-up-on-very-high-altitude-astronomy/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“When I worked in professional high and very high altitude astronomy, I was completely clueless to what the long term biological hazards of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/when-i-worked-in-professional-high-and-very-high-altitude-astronomy-i/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“It was common to drink from plastic bottles and cans in high altitude astronomy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/it-was-common-to-drink-from-plastic-bottles-and-cans-in-high-altitude/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“High altitude astronomy is a strange world of oxygen starvation, sleep deprivation and radiation sickness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/high-altitude-astronomy-is-a-strange-world-of-oxygen-starvation-sleep/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“Extreme night shift work in high altitude astronomy is easily avoidable by using a split night shift where the first night shift starts before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/extreme-night-shift-work-in-high-altitude-astronomy-is-easily/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“With the benefit of hindsight, the biggest mistake that I made in life was working in the toxic field of high altitude astronomy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/with-the-benefit-of-hindsight-the-biggest-mistake-that-i-made-in-life/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“I have memories from my time in high altitude astronomy of being euphoric and giddy after discharging large amounts of industrial gas into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/i-have-memories-from-my-time-in-high-altitude-astronomy-of-being/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“One of my astronomy managers used to tell me that liquid nitrogen was harmless and was just liquid air. He would pour it onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/one-of-my-astronomy-managers-used-to-tell-me-that-liquid-nitrogen-was/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) ## More by Steven Magee > [“The global population of Earth are involved in the following corporate government experiments: The long term effects of - 1. Nuclear bomb fallout radiation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-global-population-of-earth-are-involved-in-the-following/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“The police ultimately pay the price for poor customer service when citizens become fearful of them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-police-ultimately-pay-the-price-for-poor-customer-service-when/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“It is unnatural to fear something natural.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/it-is-unnatural-to-fear-something-natural/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“The world is witnessing one of the greatest frauds the Florida government has ever engaged in.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-world-is-witnessing-one-of-the-greatest-frauds-the-florida/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) is largely an interrogation agency for whistle-blowers that extracts their full range of knowledge without upholding their legal rights.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/occupational-safety-health-administration-osha-is-largely-an/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“The medical profession is a money making con, they will keep you sick on a variety of expensive prescriptions and on a yo-yo into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-medical-profession-is-a-money-making-con-they-will-keep-you-sick/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“There is a time and place for electromagnetic shielding and I regard it as a last resort due to the long term biological problems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/there-is-a-time-and-place-for-electromagnetic-shielding-and-i-regard/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“To riot or not to riot, that is the question.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/to-riot-or-not-to-riot-that-is-the-question/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“Publicly telling the truth on social media can be one of the most effective healing journeys.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/publicly-telling-the-truth-on-social-media-can-be-one-of-the-most/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“The W. M. Keck Observatory is the only employer that has surprised me during my employment with urine tests for illegal drugs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-w-m-keck-observatory-is-the-only-employer-that-has-surprised-me/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“I will do everything I legally can to shut down the toxic Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) project atop Mauna Kea.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/i-will-do-everything-i-legally-can-to-shut-down-the-toxic-thirty/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“The difference between President Trump and Steven Magee? Steven Magee publicly acknowledges his mental illnesses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-difference-between-president-trump-and-steven-magee-steven-magee/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“There were a lot of stressed out people in the company as we were discovering how dangerous the DeSoto Solar Farm was!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/there-were-a-lot-of-stressed-out-people-in-the-company-as-we-were/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“Interacting with a corrupt government judge is futile.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/interacting-with-a-corrupt-government-judge-is-futile/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“I knew I was disabled when everyday home activities became overwhelming!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/i-knew-i-was-disabled-when-everyday-home-activities-became/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) [Explore all 1,204 Steven Magee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) ## More Altitude quotes > [Change your attitude and gain some altitude. Believe me, you'll love it up here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/change-your-attitude-and-gain-some-altitude-believe-me-you-ll-love-it/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [“I will do everything I legally can to shut down the toxic Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) project atop Mauna Kea.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/i-will-do-everything-i-legally-can-to-shut-down-the-toxic-thirty/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“I knew I was disabled when everyday home activities became overwhelming!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/i-knew-i-was-disabled-when-everyday-home-activities-became/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“Over 275,000 people had signed to end the construction of the TMT telescope at the Mauna Kea Observatories (MKO) by week 20 of the protest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/over-275-000-people-had-signed-to-end-the-construction-of-the-tmt/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“The toxicity of medical and industrial gas to the human depends on where it is used. A gas that is regarded as safe in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-toxicity-of-medical-and-industrial-gas-to-the-human-depends-on/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [It is not your aptitude, but your attitude, that determines your altitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/it-is-not-your-aptitude-but-your-attitude-that-determines-your/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [“Summit Lag occurs when a summit worker is kept in a permanent state of mal-acclimatization.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/summit-lag-occurs-when-a-summit-worker-is-kept-in-a-permanent-state/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“My interest in astronomy took me to the premier astronomical observatories in the world before I developed occupational diseases and became disabled at age…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/my-interest-in-astronomy-took-me-to-the-premier-astronomical/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [Climbing at altitude is like hitting your head against a brick wall - it's great when you stop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-darwin/climbing-at-altitude-is-like-hitting-your-head-against-a-brick-wall/) Chris Darwin > [Attitude and not the Aptitude decide the Altitude you reach in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/attitude-and-not-the-aptitude-decide-the-altitude-you-reach-in-life/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [“Plastic bottles of Gatorade were given free to very high altitude workers on Mauna Kea and they were advised to drink it while on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/plastic-bottles-of-gatorade-were-given-free-to-very-high-altitude/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [With the altitude in the Rocky Mountains, the ball jumps off your foot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-tucker/with-the-altitude-in-the-rocky-mountains-the-ball-jumps-off-your-foot/) [Justin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-tucker/) > [I believe it is our attitude that determines our altitude. It is our attitude that allows us to soar above those things that would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-d-jakes/i-believe-it-is-our-attitude-that-determines-our-altitude-it-is-our/) [T. D. Jakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-d-jakes/) > [“It's your ATTITUDE not your APTITUDE that ultimately determines your ALTITUDE!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-your-attitude-not-your-aptitude-that-ultimately-determines-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Poor diet combined with high altitude exposures may bring increased risks of illnesses and cancers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/poor-diet-combined-with-high-altitude-exposures-may-bring-increased/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) Browse all 214 Altitude quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“There is a lot of willful incompetence in high altitude astronomy that is in the process of coming to light.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Steven Magee" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/there-is-a-lot-of-willful-incompetence-in-high-altitude-astronomy/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Altitude" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/there-is-a-lot-of-willful-incompetence-in-high-altitude-astronomy/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cc/steven-magee-129_altitude_there-is-a-lot-of-willful-incompetence-i_2606337.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cc/steven-magee-129_altitude_there-is-a-lot-of-willful-incompetence-i_2606337.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cc/steven-magee-129_altitude_there-is-a-lot-of-willful-incompetence-i_2606337.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There is a lot of willful incompetence in high altitude astronomy that is in the process of coming to light.” — Steven Magee", "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": "Steven Magee", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“There is a lot of willful...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/there-is-a-lot-of-willful-incompetence-in-high-altitude-astronomy/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/there-is-a-lot-of-willful-incompetence-in-high-altitude-astronomy/#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 } } ] } ```