I still remember my first space shuttle model. It was a Revell space shuttle and launch tower model kit, and it was fantastic. You have to understand that I grew up at the tail end of the Cold War. Back then, the space race was a real thing. Every American boy and girl loved models of space shuttles and model rocketry. Space shuttle models were not just for nerds in those days, although even if they were I would have had one. Nonetheless, even the jocks in our class would secretly possess a model space shuttle. After all, going into space was the dream of every one.
I sometimes think that things have changed too much since those days. On the one hand, it is a good thing that we no longer have an enemy that dominates every aspect of our life. Since the Cold War ended and the evil Empire fell, our government is finally free to start acting rationally again instead of coming up with policies dominated by fear. On the other hand, sometimes I think that we have lost something. Every time I pass a store and see a space shuttle model on the shelf, I think about how much that used to signify.
Nowadays, there are more exciting things than a space shuttle model. Nowadays, there is virtual reality, the Internet, and all that jazz. Nonetheless, even though our world is a little bit bigger, I think the dreams that our kids have are a little bit smaller. They simply do not have the passion that we once had. Many of them are pessimistic and unhappy. Our cultural heritage of always being a country of great hope is being lost. Maybe it is not significant, but none of my son's friends have built a space shuttle model.
Tomorrow is my son's birthday, and I am going to get him a space shuttle model. He is much different than I was at his age. I used to love model airplanes, but he collects video games instead. Space shuttle models are something that he has never expressed an interest in. Nonetheless, he asked me a little bit about the early days of the space program the other day. He asked what it was like growing up during the space race. Instead of just telling him about it, I am going to get him space shuttle models, books on the time, and some other material. Hopefully, I will be able to rekindle in him some of the wonder that I had at his age.
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