In Response to Skeptic answer to "How is Neil deGrasse Tyson regarded by actual practicing astrophysicists?"

in #science7 years ago (edited)

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I am a huge fan of Dr. Neil degrasse Tyson, I am not an astrophysicist though, I am a mechanical engineer, I watched his series Cosmos during my undergraduate period, which was responsible to flip my perspective of viewing world. As I am a STEM field student and a follower, I greatly admire his efforts to bring scientific knowledge to non-scientific people, Science is definitely a key to solve the problems of mankind. Gradually I've got chance to know about a lots of other scientist who are living today and who are extraordinarily talented and admirable like Dr. Richard Muller, Victor T. Toth and Jess H. Brewer. And it was Quora who helped me to read their answers and get to know about the progress, controversies and researches on Scientific field specially theoretical and astrophysics.
Yesterday, I saw this question on quora, "How is Neil deGrasse Tyson regarded by actual practicing astrophysicists?" and one of the skeptic's answer goes like this:
"I asked an astronomer friend why astronomers and astrophysicists tend to be the best public communicators of science. For example, Carl Sagan and heir apparent Neil deGrasse Tyson. He suggested because astronomers have to be good public communicators to get funding. It’s one of few sciences that it’s very hard to argue you’ll get a better iPhone or microwave oven out of, even if you’re taking a long term view. Unlike, say, biomedical research, not many private companies are pouring money into pure astronomy. Astronomy is funded by the public. It’s critical to keep the public and politicians interested and excited about astronomy. So better you are as a pitchman, better compelling stories you can tell, the better you’re able to get the public to keep funding your research."
It sounds reasonable but does it mean that NDGT is solely focused on getting funding? I can be skeptic on this matter too. He is a real astrophysicist who has made his contribution during his phase as an active researcher, now he has brought a cosmic perspective among us which has been very pleasing for me, probably all of us, shitty politics, war and crimes you see around the world makes us unhappy after knowing the truth about cosmos , we question, "How ignorant and selfish we are?", "What's happening here?" I suggest not to be depressed about it, we must be happy that we have got an opportunity to know the truth to some extent about this vast universe and still more is about to come. Let go off reality on this matter.
Whatsoever be his purpose of being in the media, Let it be, NDGT is one of the wisest, smartest, cheerful and great scientific communicator living in the planet. If it wasn't for him, it was very unlikely in my case to see Carl Sagan cosmos series and I would probably be deprived of knowledge about the cosmos. I will always remain along his side and fight for science. In fact, we all should.

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I've seen a few of his talks live and listen to his podcasts often. He really is helping spread scientific knowledge. If only we had more people like him, then we could get rid of flat Earther's for good.