Today, in our remembrance of the life of Neil Armstrong, we acknowledge his personal accomplishment, and his symbolic role in history. I remember staying up late over 40 years ago to see his first step onto the moon’s surface from our black and white TV. And I remember the earlier speech by President John F. Kennedy that challenged a nation to dream bigger, not smaller. In remembering Neil Armstrong, we also remember a way of life, a feeling about life that inspired us to overcome challenges, and to “shoot for the moon.” We remember when inspirational leadership promised the moon, and when the world watched every flickering black and white minute of it.
Remembering is more than memorizing with flash cards. Remembering is more than a banner that says “We Will Never Forget” that is brought out for an annual event. Remembering is a deeply reflective activity. So how should we remember Neil Armstrong? The news channels, by their nature, focus on recent events, not reflective remembrance. So in their coverage of today’s memorial service and historic perspective, the website experience was a mixed bag. I visited ABC, BBC, CBS, CNN, Fox, NBC News, and USA Today.
Some covered the story on their front page, as a world event. Some listed a link under U.S. News. And others buried it even deeper under the topics of Science or Technology. This difference in categorization is a lesson in taxonomy. Was this just a technical topic? Does this story only have U.S. interest? Maybe our ability to remember is reflected in our ability to categorize, but also to advance. Forty years ago, I was not thinking about just the technology or being an American. So today, I remember Neil Armstrong, for his personal accomplishment and character, for his place in world history, and for all that he symbolized in a challenging and worthy organizational goal.
Remembering is more than memorizing with flash cards. Remembering is more than a banner that says “We Will Never Forget” that is brought out for an annual event. Remembering is a deeply reflective activity. So how should we remember Neil Armstrong? The news channels, by their nature, focus on recent events, not reflective remembrance. So in their coverage of today’s memorial service and historic perspective, the website experience was a mixed bag. I visited ABC, BBC, CBS, CNN, Fox, NBC News, and USA Today.
Some covered the story on their front page, as a world event. Some listed a link under U.S. News. And others buried it even deeper under the topics of Science or Technology. This difference in categorization is a lesson in taxonomy. Was this just a technical topic? Does this story only have U.S. interest? Maybe our ability to remember is reflected in our ability to categorize, but also to advance. Forty years ago, I was not thinking about just the technology or being an American. So today, I remember Neil Armstrong, for his personal accomplishment and character, for his place in world history, and for all that he symbolized in a challenging and worthy organizational goal.
RSS Feed