

Avoiding Risk Confines You to Mediocrity - brandong
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2008/07/how-not-to-pick.html

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coglethorpe
"That's one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind."

Neil Armstrong was a test pilot and knew more about risk taking than Godin
ever will. From what I know of Neil Armstrong, he represented the US with
dignity and humility and helped make NASA look like gods.

Even MTV wanted a piece of Armstrong's credibility in their initial ad
campaign. Armstrong was a purple cow on the moon and Godin only mentions him
to get some of that credibility in his post.

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m0nty
"They avoided risk, played it safe and chose someone who wouldn't make a
ruckus."

Yes, you really need someone who's prone to making a ruckus when you're flying
to the moon in a rocket-propelled tin-can.

Anyway, the final decision about who would go first was decided (to Buzz
Aldrin's everlasting disappointment) by a coin-flip. So it could have been
Aldrin who is celebrated as the first man on the moon, and Godin would
presumably be saying what a dull man he is as well.

What is so inspiring about the Apollo missions is the massive investment (in
emotional and financial terms) in a huge, co-operative endeavour which brought
together the best scientists, technicians and pilots of the day. They didn't
need a flashy front-man: they needed people with brains and nerves of steel.
It's an awe-inspiring achievement which (as Arthur C Clarke said) will outlive
all of us.

Recommended reading: "A Man on The Moon" by Andrew Chaikin.

