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That's a shame really. Recording history shouldn't be motivated by politics and other peoples' sensibilities being offended. Regarding Aleister Crowley being

That's a shame really. Recording history shouldn't be motivated by politics and other peoples' sensibilities being offended. Regarding Aleister Crowley being 'The Wickedest Man on Earth', not even close. If you've ever read M. Scott Peck's 'People of the Lie', then you know what I mean.

anigbrowl 12y ago
That was a title Crowley took for himself, as he enjoyed being a notorious figure. His actual behavior, though, amounted to little more than being a sex maniac and saying blasphemous things during a much more socially conservative era. His 'autohagiography' makes for entertaining reading if you can get past the turgid Victorian prose. As for Parsons, the Wired article is being a bit clickbaity. In the last paragraph: Wired.co.uk contacted JPL and we asked whether Parsons had been written out of the history books. Historian Erik Conway said: "Jack Parsons is included in history books and other venues, and in fact, his role is discussed in the JPL-involved standard history, JPL and the American Space Program by Clayton R. Koppes. Parsons was one of the original founders of JPL. He was the team's chemist and developed the first castable solid propellant used to power aircraft."
- mturmon 12y ago
  I agree, and I'd even upgrade your "a bit clickbaity" to "very clickbaity". I happen to work at JPL, and elements of the Parsons story are generally known to people at the lab. I just don't think they're that interesting. Certainly, complaining that the oddball philosophy of one of the four founders is not featured in the lab tour is ridiculous. People come on the lab tour to see robots and rockets, not to talk about occult side-interests. If you want interesting side stories, how about Qian Xuesen, who was also one of the original handful of JPL founders, and who was hounded from his position and went on to found the Chinese rocket program. (Discussed on HN previously, https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6905862 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6905862). That's a historical figure who has actual significance, not just odd/occult tendencies. The other interesting back story, besides Wehrner von Braun, is that of the principal founder of JPL, Theodore von Karman, who was a Hungarian Jew who left Europe in 1930. Von Karman was the first Director of JPL. Another founder with a back-story of considerable significance.
  - dang 12y ago
    You and others have a good point about the title. We've edited it to take out the linkbait. Great comment, too!
    - nkurz 12y ago
      As context for future readers, the submitted HN title was the same as the actual title of the article: "Occultist Father of Rocketry 'Written Out' of NASA'S History". Definitely link-bait, although unedited primary-source link-bait. (dang: Leaving notes when changing titles is great, thanks!)
debt 12y ago
So much rich history is likely lost because it deviated too far from the dominating narrative of the time.

anigbrowl 12y ago

That was a title Crowley took for himself, as he enjoyed being a notorious figure. His actual behavior, though, amounted to little more than being a sex maniac and saying blasphemous things during a much more socially conservative era. His 'autohagiography' makes for entertaining reading if you can get past the turgid Victorian prose. As for Parsons, the Wired article is being a bit clickbaity. In the last paragraph: Wired.co.uk contacted JPL and we asked whether Parsons had been written out of the history books. Historian Erik Conway said: "Jack Parsons is included in history books and other venues, and in fact, his role is discussed in the JPL-involved standard history, JPL and the American Space Program by Clayton R. Koppes. Parsons was one of the original founders of JPL. He was the team's chemist and developed the first castable solid propellant used to power aircraft."

mturmon 12y ago
I agree, and I'd even upgrade your "a bit clickbaity" to "very clickbaity". I happen to work at JPL, and elements of the Parsons story are generally known to people at the lab. I just don't think they're that interesting. Certainly, complaining that the oddball philosophy of one of the four founders is not featured in the lab tour is ridiculous. People come on the lab tour to see robots and rockets, not to talk about occult side-interests. If you want interesting side stories, how about Qian Xuesen, who was also one of the original handful of JPL founders, and who was hounded from his position and went on to found the Chinese rocket program. (Discussed on HN previously, https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6905862 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6905862). That's a historical figure who has actual significance, not just odd/occult tendencies. The other interesting back story, besides Wehrner von Braun, is that of the principal founder of JPL, Theodore von Karman, who was a Hungarian Jew who left Europe in 1930. Von Karman was the first Director of JPL. Another founder with a back-story of considerable significance.
- dang 12y ago
  You and others have a good point about the title. We've edited it to take out the linkbait. Great comment, too!
  - nkurz 12y ago
    As context for future readers, the submitted HN title was the same as the actual title of the article: "Occultist Father of Rocketry 'Written Out' of NASA'S History". Definitely link-bait, although unedited primary-source link-bait. (dang: Leaving notes when changing titles is great, thanks!)

debt 12y ago

So much rich history is likely lost because it deviated too far from the dominating narrative of the time.