Humans aren't as good as we should be in our capacity to empathize with feelings and thoughts of others, be they humans or other animals on Earth.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes humanity's shortcomings in empathizing with others, including both people and animals.
Neil Degrasse Tyson's quote highlights a critical aspect of human nature, pointing out that our ability to empathize with the feelings and thoughts of others is often lacking. This lack of empathy extends not only to fellow humans but also to other animals on our planet, suggesting that we have yet to fully realize our potential for compassion and understanding, which is essential for fostering better relationships and a more harmonious existence.
In practice
In a discussion about animal rights, this quote could illustrate the need for greater empathy toward all living beings.
The problem is that many people operate on the assumption that NASA should go to Congress every year with hat in hand and justify it every year. Well, I see it as the greatest economic driver that there ever was. Economic drivers don't need justification.
The press still thinks [global warming] is controversial. So they find the 1% of the scientists and put them up as if they're 50% of the research results. You in the public would have no idea that this is basically a done deal and that we're on to other problems, because the journalists are trying to give it a 50/50 story. It's not a 50/50 story. It's not. Period.
As a scientist, I want to go to Mars and back to asteroids and the Moon because I'm a scientist. But I can tell you, I'm not so naive a scientist to think that the nation might not have geopolitical reasons for going into space.
In just one year, the expenditure of of the U.S.'s military budget is equivalent to the entire 50-year running budget of NASA combined.
One of my great laments is that education today seems to have... be less about passion and more about process, more about tactic or technique.
Lots of people think, well, we're humans; we're the most intelligent and accomplished species; we're in charge. Bacteria may have a different outlook: more bacteria live and work in one linear centimeter of your lower colon than all the humans who have ever lived. That's what's going on in your digestive tract right now. Are we in charge, or are we simply hosts for bacteria? It all depends on your outlook.
Our defeat was always implicit in the victory of others; our wealth has always generated our poverty by nourishing the prosperity of others - the empires and their native overseers. In the colonial and neocolonial alchemy, gold changes into scrap metal and food into poison.
If we take the poor away from the Gospel, we won't be able to understand the whole message of Jesus Christ.
Thou hast a voice, great Mountain, to repeal. Large codes of fraud and woe; not understood by all, but which the wise, and great, and good interpret, or make felt, or deeply feel.
Skepticism, riddling the faith of yesterday, prepared the way for the faith of tomorrow.
There is nothing like death to say what is always such an artificial thing to say: The End.
What happens is consciousness operates in mysterious ways. One of those ways is that the old paradigm suddenly starts to die.
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