--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Putting a man in space is a stunt: the…" description: "\"Putting a man in space is a stunt: the man can do no more than an instrument, in fact can do less. There are far more serious things to do than indulge..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58a/vannevar-bush-16927_aspect_putting-a-man-in-space-is-a-stunt-the-ma_2645847.jpg" --- # Putting a man in space is a stunt: the man can do no more… ![“Putting a man in space is a stunt: the man can do no more than an instrument, in fact can do less. There are far more serious things to do than indulge in stunts. . . . I do not discard completely the value of demonstrating to the world our skills. Nor do I undervalue the effect on morale of the…” quote by Vannevar Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58a/vannevar-bush-16927_aspect_putting-a-man-in-space-is-a-stunt-the-ma_2645847.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58a/vannevar-bush-16927_aspect_putting-a-man-in-space-is-a-stunt-the-ma_2645847.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58a/vannevar-bush-16927_aspect_putting-a-man-in-space-is-a-stunt-the-ma_2645847.jpg) > “Putting a man in space is a stunt: the man can do no more than an instrument, in fact can do less. There are far more serious things to do than indulge in stunts. . . . I do not discard completely the value of demonstrating to the world our skills. Nor do I undervalue the effect on morale of the spectacular. But the present hullabaloo on the propaganda aspects of the program leaves me entirely cool.” [Vannevar Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vannevar-bush/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Spaceflight is a publicity stunt compared to more pressing scientific priorities, though it can boost morale. **In simple terms:** Space is flashy but not essential; Key Takeaway Prioritize critical scientific work over spectacle. Themes science policy public perception morale Mood analytical skeptical Type policy philosophical When to use this quote - research funding - education - public outreach - government planning Key Concepts propaganda technological demonstration resource allocation Questions to Reflect On - What scientific goals deserve priority? - How does public spectacle affect scientific morale? A Different Perspective May undervalue long‑term benefits of space exploration. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aspect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aspect/) [Can do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/can-do/) [Demonstrating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demonstrating/) [Effects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effects/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [He man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/he-man/) [Indulge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indulge/) [Indulge in](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indulge-in/) [Indulge Stunts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indulge-stunts-2308396/) [Instruments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instruments/) [Leaving me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leaving-me/) [Man Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-space-1271872/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moon/) [Morale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morale/) [Program](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/program/) [Propaganda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/propaganda/) [Serious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serious/) [Serious things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serious-things/) [Skills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skills/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Space Stunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space-stunt-2308395/) [Spectacular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spectacular/) [Star gazing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/star-gazing/) [Stunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stunt/) [Stunts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stunts/) [Things to do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-to-do/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) [Walking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/walking/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [The relationship between man and space is none other than dwelling, strictly thought and spoken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-heidegger/the-relationship-between-man-and-space-is-none-other-than-dwelling/) [Martin Heidegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-heidegger/) > [Man is not made for space. But with the help of biologists and medical doctors, he can be prepared and accommodated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wernher-von-braun/man-is-not-made-for-space-but-with-the-help-of-biologists-and-medical/) [Wernher von Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wernher-von-braun/) > [I don't see any god up here first man in space, while in space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuri-gagarin/i-don-t-see-any-god-up-here-first-man-in-space-while-in-space/) [Yuri Gagarin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuri-gagarin/) > [For tribal man space was the uncontrollable mystery. For technological man it is time that occupies the same role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/for-tribal-man-space-was-the-uncontrollable-mystery-for-technological/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) > [“As fantastical as America’s space ambitions might have seemed, sending a man into space was starting to feel like a straightforward task compared to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-lee-shetterly/as-fantastical-as-america-s-space-ambitions-might-have-seemed-sending/) [Margot Lee Shetterly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-lee-shetterly/) > [Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space, may have had his charms, but he really couldn't be considered hip.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexei-sayle/yuri-gagarin-the-first-man-in-space-may-have-had-his-charms-but-he/) [Alexei Sayle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexei-sayle/) > [Man must be in space - that is what we are destined for. There is nothing else that we can do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/majel-barrett/man-must-be-in-space-that-is-what-we-are-destined-for-there-is/) [Majel Barrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/majel-barrett/) > [Proposition one: time is a man, space is a woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-carter/proposition-one-time-is-a-man-space-is-a-woman/) [Angela Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-carter/) > [Pythagoras asks that we not let a friend go lightly, for whatever reason. Instead, we should stay with a friend as long as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-moore/pythagoras-asks-that-we-not-let-a-friend-go-lightly-for-whatever/) [Thomas Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-moore/) > [Yet compared with the serious things of life, fishing is after all rather trivial. The thoughtful angler must frankly confess this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-russell/yet-compared-with-the-serious-things-of-life-fishing-is-after-all/) [Harold Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-russell/) > [There's something about comedy, funny things, that people want to pass them along. Serious things and personal things are much more privately enjoyed. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-coulton/there-s-something-about-comedy-funny-things-that-people-want-to-pass/) [Jonathan Coulton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-coulton/) > [You sharpen your ideas by reducing yourself to the level of the people you are with and a sense of humour and a complete…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/you-sharpen-your-ideas-by-reducing-yourself-to-the-level-of-the/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [I love acting, and that's my passion. So I would love to do more movies and some serious things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selena/i-love-acting-and-that-s-my-passion-so-i-would-love-to-do-more-movies/) [Selena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selena/) > [When you come to America, it's a very serious thing. It's not like you arrive and they say, 'Hey, come on! Do movies!' I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-q/when-you-come-to-america-it-s-a-very-serious-thing-it-s-not-like-you/) [Maggie Q](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-q/) > [Respect is a serious thing in him who feels it, and the height of honor for him who inspires the feeling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-swetchine/respect-is-a-serious-thing-in-him-who-feels-it-and-the-height-of/) [Sophie Swetchine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-swetchine/) ## More by Vannevar Bush > [The camera hound of the future wears on his forehead a lump a little larger than a walnut.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vannevar-bush/the-camera-hound-of-the-future-wears-on-his-forehead-a-lump-a-little/) [Vannevar Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vannevar-bush/) > [If scientific reasoning were limited to the logical processes of arithmetic, we should not get very far in our understanding of the physical world.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vannevar-bush/if-scientific-reasoning-were-limited-to-the-logical-processes-of/) [Vannevar Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vannevar-bush/) > [Science has a simple faith, which transcends utility. Nearly all men of science, all men of learning for that matter, and men of simple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vannevar-bush/science-has-a-simple-faith-which-transcends-utility-nearly-all-men-of/) [Vannevar Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vannevar-bush/) > [Science can give mankind a better standard of living, better health and a better mental life, if mankind in turn gives science the sympathy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vannevar-bush/science-can-give-mankind-a-better-standard-of-living-better-health/) [Vannevar Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vannevar-bush/) > [The responsibility for the creation of new scientific knowledge - and for most of its application - rests on that small body of men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vannevar-bush/the-responsibility-for-the-creation-of-new-scientific-knowledge-and/) [Vannevar Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vannevar-bush/) > [If scientific reasoning were limited to the logical processes of arithmetic, we should not get very far in our understanding of the physical world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vannevar-bush/if-scientific-reasoning-were-limited-to-the-logical-processes-of-2/) [Vannevar Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vannevar-bush/) > [Science has a simple faith, which transcends utility. It is the faith that it is the privilege of man to learn to understand, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vannevar-bush/science-has-a-simple-faith-which-transcends-utility-it-is-the-faith/) [Vannevar Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vannevar-bush/) > [A belief may be larger than a fact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vannevar-bush/a-belief-may-be-larger-than-a-fact/) [Vannevar Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vannevar-bush/) > [It was through the Second World War that most of us suddenlyappreciated for the first time the power of man's concentrated efforts to understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vannevar-bush/it-was-through-the-second-world-war-that-most-of-us/) [Vannevar Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vannevar-bush/) > [Wholly new forms of encyclopedias will appear, ready made with a mesh of associative trails running through them, ready to be dropped into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vannevar-bush/wholly-new-forms-of-encyclopedias-will-appear-ready-made-with-a-mesh/) [Vannevar Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vannevar-bush/) > [Give these people money, let them play, and they'll come up with something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vannevar-bush/give-these-people-money-let-them-play-and-they-ll-come-up-with/) [Vannevar Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vannevar-bush/) > [The scene changes but the aspirations of men of good will persist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vannevar-bush/the-scene-changes-but-the-aspirations-of-men-of-good-will-persist/) [Vannevar Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vannevar-bush/) > [A record, if it is to be useful to science, must be continuously extended, it must be stored, and above all it must be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vannevar-bush/a-record-if-it-is-to-be-useful-to-science-must-be-continuously/) [Vannevar Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vannevar-bush/) > [ The summation of human experience is being expanded at a prodigious rate, \[but\] the means we use for threading through the consequent maze to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vannevar-bush/the-summation-of-human-experience-is-being-expanded-at-a-prodigious/) [Vannevar Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vannevar-bush/) > [There will always be plenty of things to compute in the detailed affairs of millions of people doing complicated things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vannevar-bush/there-will-always-be-plenty-of-things-to-compute-in-the-detailed/) [Vannevar Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vannevar-bush/) [Explore all 38 Vannevar Bush quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vannevar-bush/) ## More Aspect quotes > [Why is wisdom so fair? Why is beauty so wise? Because all else is temporary, while beauty and wisdom are the only real and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/why-is-wisdom-so-fair-why-is-beauty-so-wise-because-all-else-is/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [It is according to the shapes that I lay the plans for victory, but the multitude does not comprehend this. Although everyone can see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/it-is-according-to-the-shapes-that-i-lay-the-plans-for-victory-but/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [I believe that simple, consistent shifts in our thinking and actions can lead to the miraculous in all aspects of our daily lives, including…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-bernstein/i-believe-that-simple-consistent-shifts-in-our-thinking-and-actions/) [Gabrielle Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-bernstein/) > [There is so much temptation to hold on to my career even more now. To try to micromanage and dictate every little aspect. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-lin/there-is-so-much-temptation-to-hold-on-to-my-career-even-more-now-to/) [Jeremy Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-lin/) > [I do miss the social aspect of sitting in a pub with a pint but you know what when I get down to it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ozzy-osbourne/i-do-miss-the-social-aspect-of-sitting-in-a-pub-with-a-pint-but-you/) [Ozzy Osbourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ozzy-osbourne/) > [Some say that you should not want money at all because the desire for money is materialistic and not Spiritual. But we want you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-hicks/some-say-that-you-should-not-want-money-at-all-because-the-desire-for/) [Esther Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-hicks/) > [Death is but an aspect of life, and the destruction of one material form is but a prelude to building up of another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/death-is-but-an-aspect-of-life-and-the-destruction-of-one-material/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I would call myself a Gnostic. Which means, I'm interested in pursuing and understanding the spiritual nature of things. A Gnostic is somebody seeking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crumb/i-would-call-myself-a-gnostic-which-means-i-m-interested-in-pursuing/) [Robert Crumb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crumb/) > [One can be a great artist without being a great technician. There have been many famous ballet stars who did not have the ideal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-bujones/one-can-be-a-great-artist-without-being-a-great-technician-there-have/) [Fernando Bujones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-bujones/) > [I love fall because I love the whole cuddling aspect of it, and a sweater dress has that vibe of I'm going to hunker…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-chastain/i-love-fall-because-i-love-the-whole-cuddling-aspect-of-it-and-a/) [Jessica Chastain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-chastain/) > [The socially redeeming aspect of golf lies in the vast number of lawyers and bankers and managers who play it, and when you think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/the-socially-redeeming-aspect-of-golf-lies-in-the-vast-number-of/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [I didnt like the Survivor shows because of the mean-spirited aspect, and women certainly were part of whatever conflict they would create.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-lawrence/i-didnt-like-the-survivor-shows-because-of-the-mean-spirited-aspect/) [Sharon Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-lawrence/) > [MAC allowed me to have complete freedom on the collaborations—from the shades, the look-and-feel, to the campaign visuals. I have to admit that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-treacy/mac-allowed-me-to-have-complete-freedom-on-the-collaborations-from/) [Philip Treacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-treacy/) > [I mean family is more important than anything in life. Family is important than my crew, D-Block, my rap career anything... It's the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/styles-p/i-mean-family-is-more-important-than-anything-in-life-family-is/) [Styles P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/styles-p/) > [Wealth is measured by the level of experience in all aspects of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/wealth-is-measured-by-the-level-of-experience-in-all-aspects-of-life/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Browse all 3,171 Aspect quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aspect/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Putting a man in space is a stunt: the man can do no more than an instrument, in fact can do less. There are far more serious things to do than indulge in stunts. . . . I do not discard completely the value of demonstrating to the world our skills. Nor do I undervalue the effect on morale of the spectacular. 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