6 ms·

NASA Deletes Comic Book About How Women Can Be Astronauts

107 points by doener 2y ago

black_13 2y ago
[dead]
johnea 2y ago
[flagged]
MortyAnvil 2y ago
Always good to give the warning signs of fascism a read. POWERFUL AND CONTINUING NATIONALISM DISDAIN FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IDENTIFICATION OF ENEMIES AS A UNIFYING CAUSE SUPREMACY OF THE MILITARY RAMPANT SEXISM CONTROLLED MASS MEDIA OBSESSION WITH NATIONAL SECURITY RELIGION AND GOVERNMENT INTERTWINED CORPORATE POWER PROTECTED LABOR POWER SUPPRESSED DISDAIN FOR INTELLECTUALS & THE ARTS OBSESSION WITH CRIME & PUNISHMENT RAMPANT CRONYISM & CORRUPTION FRAUDULENT ELECTIONS
- palmotea 2y ago
  I went looking for a source for your list, as it definitely has a "polarized social media fever swamp" vibe. It appears that list was written by a little-known novelist who is often misrepresented as an academic, and gets things wrong: https://old.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/5r5dai/are_the_14_characteristics_of_fascism_outlined_by/dd51wyh/ https://old.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/5r5dai/are_t....
- riedel 2y ago
  No need for warning signs: I think the problem about the facism diagnosis is only that comparison to historical figures like the infamous austrian painter is misleading. Just call it palingenetic ultranationalism and we probably really quickly get agreement.
- doener 2y ago
  Elon Musk wants to save Western civilization from empathy https://edition.cnn.com/2025/03/05/politics/elon-musk-rogan-interview-empathy-doge/index.html https://edition.cnn.com/2025/03/05/politics/elon-musk-rogan-...
  - GolfPopper 2y ago
    I think that was the single most horrific thing I've seen from him. Since we're already discussing a novelist, I'll add some (spoken) lyrics[1], from "Sophia" by The Crüxshadows[2]: "The human animal is a beautiful and terrible creature, capable of limitless compassion and unfathomable cruelty. If you wish to find that which becomes the dividing line between mankind and other biological classifications, it rests not in brain size, dominance, or even emotional capability. It lies within the innate capacity for human beings to reflect on their actions and show regret. It is most certainly the ability to empathize that gives them their position. All mammals understand love and affection, but only man shows a propensity to place himself in the shoes of another life-form. Losing this capability, among individuals of the species reduces them below their much heralded position and readies the climate for the likely fall of man. A fall from grace." 1. https://songmeanings.com/songs/view/3530822107858623547/ https://songmeanings.com/songs/view/3530822107858623547/ 2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPaUvYPRzrM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPaUvYPRzrM
- cluckindan 2y ago
  Fascism, kakistocracy, what’s the difference?
- heavymetalpoizn 2y ago
  [dead]
trothamel 2y ago
Women have been astronauts for years. There are two in the International Space Station right now.
- 4887d30omd8 2y ago
  "In 2023, numbers released by UNOOSA showed that only 11 percent of the world's astronauts are women"
  - normalaccess 2y ago
    [flagged]
    - keeda 2y ago
      > Social Justice has yet to put a man on the moon. Here's another way to look at it: For most of history a significant portion -- probably the vast majority -- of the human population has been relegated to economically low-level labor for numerous reasons. Unfortunately, this has disproportionately affected specific groups of people, often through some form of social oppression, and has continued even as social norms have changed and global productivity and wealth have exploded. One upshot is that this has kept those people from contributing to global economic and scientific progress unless they could break out of the social strata they were born into. Hence, beyond fairness, "social justice" is also a way to increase the pool of people who can contribute. And in that sense, yes, social justice has absolutely helped put a man on the moon. Case in point: https://www.historyvshollywood.com/reelfaces/hidden-figures/ https://www.historyvshollywood.com/reelfaces/hidden-figures/
  - parl_match 2y ago
    A large part of that is that there aren't a lot of astronauts, and those who were selected for a substantial part of the space program had external forces selecting for men. A big requirement was someone who was an experienced pilot, likely from the military, with a proven track record of unusual planes. Women were explicitly prevented from that on-ramp. It wasn't until the 80s, 20+ years into the program, that the first truly civilian (no military experience) astronaut was selected. Maybe women are predisposed to qualities that make them less likely to be selected as astronauts? I don't think that's true, but even if it was... the selection size of astronauts to inspect from is simply too small to come to any good conclusion.
0cf8612b2e1e 2y ago
In Issue No. 1 of our First Woman graphic novel, you followed Commander Callie Rodriguez on her trailblazing journey to the Moon. A woman and a minority. Double plus ungood combination (sigh… /s)
hoboweasel 2y ago
I'd rather NASA made more experiments than comic books. Regardless if their content.
- iancmceachern 2y ago
  Im the opposite, I think things like this are the most important things they can be doing. Empowering the next generation of innovators, empowering people. People are who do those experiments...
  - normalaccess 2y ago
    Empowering to do what? If NASA spends all day making comics then will attract people that like making media about rockets and not rockets themselves. If NASA makes cool rockets then they will attract people that naturally align with their mission of making cool rockets. If you do [THING] get good at doing [THING] and you will attract people that also want to do [THING].
    - Gooblebrai 2y ago
      Is not as rigid as you picture it. Comics and books inspire people to get traits and achieve things like the characters from the stories. As an example: Elon, because of reading Isaac Asimov's Foundation and other sci-fi books, got inspired to do space stuff. Not to become a sci-fi writer (although that could have happened as well) Many scientists and engineers have been inspired this way when they were kids.
      - hulitu 2y ago
        > Comics and books inspire people to get traits and achieve things like the characters from the stories. Oh, so that's why crime stories are so popular. /s
    - JumpCrisscross 2y ago
      > If NASA makes cool rockets then they will attract people that naturally align with their mission of making cool rockets This reminds me of founders with a legitimately cool product being floored by their lack of sales and marketing efforts translating into a lack of sales. Nothing sells itself. If we want astronauts, we need to keep the astronaut brand in schools. Art is a proven way to do this.
ChrisArchitect 2y ago
Source: https://nasawatch.com/education/you-can-still-read-nasas-deleted-first-woman-graphic-novels/ https://nasawatch.com/education/you-can-still-read-nasas-del...
cbeach 2y ago
Isn’t this kind of messaging just horribly patronising for women? I’m interested to hear from women that got into STEM on merit - how do you feel about the institutional boosterism of your gender?
- IAmBroom 2y ago
  By your argument, my GI Joe and Lone Ranger toys were patronising toys that prevented me from getting into the military or horsemanship purely on merit. Proactively courting interest in children is completely orthogonal to "getting into" anything by merit. Millions of boys that didn't grow up to meet the requirements of military pilot positions, still yearned to be astronauts. Including, probably, 100% of those that did qualify. Encouraging children to aspire to greatness in their adult life is not patronizing in any way.
uncertainquark 2y ago
Even more concerning is community scientific documents researched specifically to serve NASA going offline in the name of DEI: https://jatan.space/scientific-documents-go-missing-from-nasa-lunar-community-website/ https://jatan.space/scientific-documents-go-missing-from-nas...
Jotalea 2y ago
I do not consider myself an active women supporter, but this is just, ridiculous. I mean, how does *this specific instance* affect in a bad way?

107 points by doener 2y ago

black_13 2y ago

[dead]

johnea 2y ago

[flagged]

MortyAnvil 2y ago

Always good to give the warning signs of fascism a read. POWERFUL AND CONTINUING NATIONALISM DISDAIN FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IDENTIFICATION OF ENEMIES AS A UNIFYING CAUSE SUPREMACY OF THE MILITARY RAMPANT SEXISM CONTROLLED MASS MEDIA OBSESSION WITH NATIONAL SECURITY RELIGION AND GOVERNMENT INTERTWINED CORPORATE POWER PROTECTED LABOR POWER SUPPRESSED DISDAIN FOR INTELLECTUALS & THE ARTS OBSESSION WITH CRIME & PUNISHMENT RAMPANT CRONYISM & CORRUPTION FRAUDULENT ELECTIONS

palmotea 2y ago
I went looking for a source for your list, as it definitely has a "polarized social media fever swamp" vibe. It appears that list was written by a little-known novelist who is often misrepresented as an academic, and gets things wrong: https://old.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/5r5dai/are_the_14_characteristics_of_fascism_outlined_by/dd51wyh/ https://old.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/5r5dai/are_t....
riedel 2y ago
No need for warning signs: I think the problem about the facism diagnosis is only that comparison to historical figures like the infamous austrian painter is misleading. Just call it palingenetic ultranationalism and we probably really quickly get agreement.
doener 2y ago
Elon Musk wants to save Western civilization from empathy https://edition.cnn.com/2025/03/05/politics/elon-musk-rogan-interview-empathy-doge/index.html https://edition.cnn.com/2025/03/05/politics/elon-musk-rogan-...
- GolfPopper 2y ago
  I think that was the single most horrific thing I've seen from him. Since we're already discussing a novelist, I'll add some (spoken) lyrics[1], from "Sophia" by The Crüxshadows[2]: "The human animal is a beautiful and terrible creature, capable of limitless compassion and unfathomable cruelty. If you wish to find that which becomes the dividing line between mankind and other biological classifications, it rests not in brain size, dominance, or even emotional capability. It lies within the innate capacity for human beings to reflect on their actions and show regret. It is most certainly the ability to empathize that gives them their position. All mammals understand love and affection, but only man shows a propensity to place himself in the shoes of another life-form. Losing this capability, among individuals of the species reduces them below their much heralded position and readies the climate for the likely fall of man. A fall from grace." 1. https://songmeanings.com/songs/view/3530822107858623547/ https://songmeanings.com/songs/view/3530822107858623547/ 2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPaUvYPRzrM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPaUvYPRzrM
cluckindan 2y ago
Fascism, kakistocracy, what’s the difference?
heavymetalpoizn 2y ago
[dead]

trothamel 2y ago

Women have been astronauts for years. There are two in the International Space Station right now.

4887d30omd8 2y ago
"In 2023, numbers released by UNOOSA showed that only 11 percent of the world's astronauts are women"
- normalaccess 2y ago
  [flagged]
  - keeda 2y ago
    > Social Justice has yet to put a man on the moon. Here's another way to look at it: For most of history a significant portion -- probably the vast majority -- of the human population has been relegated to economically low-level labor for numerous reasons. Unfortunately, this has disproportionately affected specific groups of people, often through some form of social oppression, and has continued even as social norms have changed and global productivity and wealth have exploded. One upshot is that this has kept those people from contributing to global economic and scientific progress unless they could break out of the social strata they were born into. Hence, beyond fairness, "social justice" is also a way to increase the pool of people who can contribute. And in that sense, yes, social justice has absolutely helped put a man on the moon. Case in point: https://www.historyvshollywood.com/reelfaces/hidden-figures/ https://www.historyvshollywood.com/reelfaces/hidden-figures/
- parl_match 2y ago
  A large part of that is that there aren't a lot of astronauts, and those who were selected for a substantial part of the space program had external forces selecting for men. A big requirement was someone who was an experienced pilot, likely from the military, with a proven track record of unusual planes. Women were explicitly prevented from that on-ramp. It wasn't until the 80s, 20+ years into the program, that the first truly civilian (no military experience) astronaut was selected. Maybe women are predisposed to qualities that make them less likely to be selected as astronauts? I don't think that's true, but even if it was... the selection size of astronauts to inspect from is simply too small to come to any good conclusion.

0cf8612b2e1e 2y ago

In Issue No. 1 of our First Woman graphic novel, you followed Commander Callie Rodriguez on her trailblazing journey to the Moon. A woman and a minority. Double plus ungood combination (sigh… /s)

hoboweasel 2y ago

I'd rather NASA made more experiments than comic books. Regardless if their content.

iancmceachern 2y ago
Im the opposite, I think things like this are the most important things they can be doing. Empowering the next generation of innovators, empowering people. People are who do those experiments...
- normalaccess 2y ago
  Empowering to do what? If NASA spends all day making comics then will attract people that like making media about rockets and not rockets themselves. If NASA makes cool rockets then they will attract people that naturally align with their mission of making cool rockets. If you do [THING] get good at doing [THING] and you will attract people that also want to do [THING].
  - Gooblebrai 2y ago
    Is not as rigid as you picture it. Comics and books inspire people to get traits and achieve things like the characters from the stories. As an example: Elon, because of reading Isaac Asimov's Foundation and other sci-fi books, got inspired to do space stuff. Not to become a sci-fi writer (although that could have happened as well) Many scientists and engineers have been inspired this way when they were kids.
    - hulitu 2y ago
      > Comics and books inspire people to get traits and achieve things like the characters from the stories. Oh, so that's why crime stories are so popular. /s
  - JumpCrisscross 2y ago
    > If NASA makes cool rockets then they will attract people that naturally align with their mission of making cool rockets This reminds me of founders with a legitimately cool product being floored by their lack of sales and marketing efforts translating into a lack of sales. Nothing sells itself. If we want astronauts, we need to keep the astronaut brand in schools. Art is a proven way to do this.

ChrisArchitect 2y ago

Source: https://nasawatch.com/education/you-can-still-read-nasas-deleted-first-woman-graphic-novels/ https://nasawatch.com/education/you-can-still-read-nasas-del...

cbeach 2y ago

Isn’t this kind of messaging just horribly patronising for women? I’m interested to hear from women that got into STEM on merit - how do you feel about the institutional boosterism of your gender?

IAmBroom 2y ago
By your argument, my GI Joe and Lone Ranger toys were patronising toys that prevented me from getting into the military or horsemanship purely on merit. Proactively courting interest in children is completely orthogonal to "getting into" anything by merit. Millions of boys that didn't grow up to meet the requirements of military pilot positions, still yearned to be astronauts. Including, probably, 100% of those that did qualify. Encouraging children to aspire to greatness in their adult life is not patronizing in any way.

uncertainquark 2y ago

Even more concerning is community scientific documents researched specifically to serve NASA going offline in the name of DEI: https://jatan.space/scientific-documents-go-missing-from-nasa-lunar-community-website/ https://jatan.space/scientific-documents-go-missing-from-nas...

Jotalea 2y ago

I do not consider myself an active women supporter, but this is just, ridiculous. I mean, how does *this specific instance* affect in a bad way?