# Neil Armstrong death: Surprised at size of reaction? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 26, 2012, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrong-death-surprised-at-size-of-reaction/632729 "2012-08-26T16:49:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrong-death-surprised-at-size-of-reaction/632729/41 "2012-08-27T11:31:30Z")
He was old. Old people die. And something of a recluse, I’m sure many people thought he was already dead. Most people knew who he was, and they reacted solemnly and respectfully, but as he died a natural death after living the quiet life of a man who did his job well, there was no need for an outpouring of grief. It all seemed about the right level to me. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrong-death-surprised-at-size-of-reaction/632729/42 "2012-08-27T11:48:11Z")
Still, he’s an American hero. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrong-death-surprised-at-size-of-reaction/632729/43 "2012-08-27T12:20:57Z")
Don’t be silly. People who get paid millions of dollars to throw a ball around are heroes. ---
**Author:** ![Szlater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Szlater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Szlater)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrong-death-surprised-at-size-of-reaction/632729/44 "2012-08-27T12:24:22Z")
> [@Hippy\_Hollow](#): > > Not that I’m doubting you, but seriously? They knew Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong, and Michael Collins? I teach graduate students and even among my Ph.D. holding colleagues, I doubt that more than a handful would know all three. Armstrong is a slam dunk, and Aldrin is quite famous… but Michael Collins? No-one would figure him out. Or did they just need to name one?. Believe me, it surprised me as well and kinda threw me as I was being observed for my final assessment of my teacher training and I had expected that I would have to tell them. The assessor afterwards said to me that she was impressed by the class’ knowledge. The kids didn’t all shout out the answer but the majority had their hands up and the boy that I asked named all three in one shot. We did a hot seating exercise as part of the lesson and I had some of the kids come up and pretend to be the astronauts at their August '69 press conference, with the rest of the kids being the reporters and they really got into it. The girl who played Michael Collins was excellent, and came up with some great responses to how she felt being left alone in the command module. One of my favourite lessons ever. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrong-death-surprised-at-size-of-reaction/632729/45 "2012-08-27T12:24:51Z")
All I can say is this. In a few hundered years, no one will remember who the hell Kim Kardashian or Paris Hilton were, but Neil Armstrong, Yuri Gagarin and possibly Valentina Tereshkova will always be remembered. He will be rememebred as long as man exists. That is something. Much more profound than the recereational grief surroinding MJ or Diana’s death. ---
**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrong-death-surprised-at-size-of-reaction/632729/46 "2012-08-27T12:33:41Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > He was old. Old people die. > > And something of a recluse, I’m sure many people thought he was already dead. Shunning the spotlight does not make one a recluse. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrong-death-surprised-at-size-of-reaction/632729/47 "2012-08-27T12:39:55Z")
> [@Szlater](#): > > Believe me, it surprised me as well and kinda threw me as I was being observed for my final assessment of my teacher training and I had expected that I would have to tell them. The assessor afterwards said to me that she was impressed by the class’ knowledge. > > The kids didn’t all shout out the answer but the majority had their hands up and the boy that I asked named all three in one shot. > > We did a hot seating exercise as part of the lesson and I had some of the kids come up and pretend to be the astronauts at their August '69 press conference, with the rest of the kids being the reporters and they really got into it. The girl who played Michael Collins was excellent, and came up with some great responses to how she felt being left alone in the command module. > > One of my favourite lessons ever. That is fantastic. Finally, a positive story from the world of education. Maybe the girl is a [Jethro Tull](http://www.metrolyrics.com/for-michael-collins-jeffrey-and-me-lyrics-jethro-tull.html)fan. ---
**Author:** ![Olentzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90ced4/32.png) [@Olentzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olentzero)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrong-death-surprised-at-size-of-reaction/632729/48 "2012-08-27T15:08:52Z")
**cmyk** - Well played. Well played indeed. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrong-death-surprised-at-size-of-reaction/632729/49 "2012-08-27T16:57:49Z")
I think the fact that he remained out of the public eye for so long is a large part of it. John Glenn, who remains active and visible, will draw much more of a reaction. After his NASA career, Glenn was a senator for 25 years, taught at Ohio State, went back into space at age 77, and threw out the first pitch at the Indians game the day before yesterday. I don’t know what kind of an arm he’s got at 91, but the Tribe could probably use him. Neil Armstrong is a very, very important part of history, and ISTM that is where he wanted to remain. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrong-death-surprised-at-size-of-reaction/632729/50 "2012-08-27T17:13:27Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > My family and I just arrived home from a birthday party, and I was able to point my 9 yo son to the half-moon hanging in the sky. I got him to focus on the the dark patch, told him that is the Sea of Tranquility, and the first human to ever set foot on the moon, did so right in _there_ — and that very first footprint on _another world_ is still as fresh as the day he made it over 40 years ago. And that man just died yesterday, but that first footprint, which remains as clear as your boot print in fresh snow… the first one mankind can _literally_ point to as our first step beyond our own planet… will be there for as long as the moon will be. > > Then I just watched him stare silently at the moon, like he was looking at it for the first time. Oh yeah? You think you’re so smart. I don’t see you with a Fungineering degree. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrong-death-surprised-at-size-of-reaction/632729/51 "2012-08-27T17:16:37Z")
[quote=“Hippy\_Hollow, post:36, topic:632729”] . He shunned the spotlight and didn’t fly again. /QUOTE] I suspect he and many of the other astronaut pioneers would have never had the chance to fly again because “we” couldn’t “risk” loosing a hero. Which is pretty damn sad when you think about it. I think it quit possible Neil saw the writing on the wall and left for that reason. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrong-death-surprised-at-size-of-reaction/632729/52 "2012-08-27T18:24:47Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > In a few hundered years, no one will remember who the hell Kim Kardashian or Paris Hilton were, but Neil Armstrong, Yuri Gagarin and possibly **Valentina Tereshkova** will always be remembered. The tennis player, right? ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrong-death-surprised-at-size-of-reaction/632729/53 "2012-08-27T18:31:59Z")
> [@Simple\_Linctus](#): > > And also a bit :rolleyes: at many of the news reports which seem to start off “Neil Armstrong, first man on the moon…” - who the hell doesn’t know who Neil Armstrong is? You can’t be serious. General media news reports are meant to be written to be informative even to the ignorant. I would write it that way each time if I were writing for a mainstream newspaper or TV report. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrong-death-surprised-at-size-of-reaction/632729/54 "2012-08-28T00:46:50Z")
> [@Sudden\_Kestrel](#): > > Shunning the spotlight does not make one a recluse. It doesn’t? Well it does make you “something of a recluse” which is what I said. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrong-death-surprised-at-size-of-reaction/632729/55 "2012-08-28T01:09:40Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > It doesn’t? Well it does make you “something of a recluse” which is what I said. Okay guys. Lets agree that it’s somewhere between recluse and rabid attention whore and call it a day 🙂 I think it’s pretty cool that what may be and will most likely forever be the most famous person in mankind’s history was a guy that was shy, unassuming, and non attention seeking. Just think of some of the personality types we COULD have ended up with instead. I’m going to go out and look at the moon yet again tonight and shed another tear or two. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrong-death-surprised-at-size-of-reaction/632729/56 "2012-08-28T01:52:50Z")
I mentioned Armstong’s death to a couple of people at work today, and they basically said, “Yeah I heard that” – and that was it. End of discussion on the matter. That seemed very odd to me for some reason. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrong-death-surprised-at-size-of-reaction/632729/57 "2012-08-28T02:28:19Z")
I’m 46. The invention/expansion of the internet was a bigger change/advance for my generation than probably any other. And until the Olympics, I had no idea who ‘invented’ it. And I still don’t remember his name, though I’ve heard it since. Never heard it before. Some things are just taken for granted 🙂 Also, how many folks thought he was already dead, hrm? When people grow to the stature of heroes, their human bodies become kind of irrelevant. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrong-death-surprised-at-size-of-reaction/632729/58 "2012-08-28T02:32:03Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > My family and I just arrived home from a birthday party, and I was able to point my 9 yo son to the half-moon hanging in the sky. I got him to focus on the the dark patch, told him that is the Sea of Tranquility, and the first human to ever set foot on the moon, did so right in _there_ — and that very first footprint on _another world_ is still as fresh as the day he made it over 40 years ago. And that man just died yesterday, but that first footprint, which remains as clear as your boot print in fresh snow… the first one mankind can _literally_ point to as our first step beyond our own planet… will be there for as long as the moon will be. > > Then I just watched him stare silently at the moon, like he was looking at it for the first time. I love this. THIS is how one learns history. Memorizing facts just isn’t the same thing at all. Edit: Same fo **r SZlater** ’s exercise. ---
**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrong-death-surprised-at-size-of-reaction/632729/59 "2012-08-28T03:42:38Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > It doesn’t? Well it does make you “something of a recluse” which is what I said. I don’t agree. He did his job, amazed the masses, and then went on with his preferred lifestyle, one that involved friends and family and normal social interactions. That’s not in any way reclusive; it’s normal behavior. It’s only the relentless attention seeking we see now that makes it seem out of the ordinary. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrong-death-surprised-at-size-of-reaction/632729/60 "2012-08-28T13:03:28Z")
> [@Sudden\_Kestrel](#): > > I don’t agree. He did his job, amazed the masses, and then went on with his preferred lifestyle, one that involved friends and family and normal social interactions. That’s not in any way reclusive; it’s normal behavior. It’s only the relentless attention seeking we see now that makes it seem out of the ordinary. And besides teaching he served on corporate boards and on space committees (_Challenger_ accident investigation) and he _would_ make a public appearance or give an interview or endorsement if he felt the event, organization or cause merited his support and when he did he seemed an affable character as long as the conversation didn’t go into things that are NOYB. Yes, it is _by comparison with the modern cult of the celebrity_ someone who achieves what he did and then simply takes his bow and quietly exits stage right may seem to people “something of a recluse”, BUT at the same time, the old spacemen seem to stay away from the front pages in general – how much do you see in mass media of any other surviving “Golden Age” astronauts, except for Aldrin and Glenn? Lovell had a small bump after the Apollo 13 movie ([even appeared in an ad with Ride and Aldrin endorsing Louis Vuitton](http://www.collectspace.com/review/louisvuitton_journey01-lg.jpg)) but that’s about it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrong-death-surprised-at-size-of-reaction/632729.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-armstrong-death-surprised-at-size-of-reaction/632729.md?page=4)