The new heroism - put a village idiot into a pressure cooker, seal it up tight, and shoot him at the moon.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Vonnegut critiques modern heroism by comparing it to placing a useless person in danger and sending them away.
- In plain terms
- He mocks modern heroism as wasting an idiot in a dangerous rocket.
- What can you take from it?
- Question what society defines as heroic today.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Who is a hero?
- Is danger necessary for heroism?
Another view
Space exploration often involves genuine risk and sacrifice.
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