Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield is in the Kootenays to speak at the Columbia Basin Symposium this weekend.
Friday morning Hadfield spent half an hour talking to the media. He started out the conversation by responding to a question about what kind of messages he would like to pass on to young people.
B次元官网网址淭he things we accomplish in life are kind of a reflection of the edges of our expectations,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淥ften our accomplishments in life are sort of limited by the horizons we have seen growing up. A large part as one of CanadaB次元官网网址檚 astronauts where I have had tremendous privilege, but also a pretty amazing perspective B次元官网网址� is to let other people perhaps see opportunities that they might not have realized existed.B次元官网网址�
When Hadfield speaks to students in Cranbrook later on Friday, he said he will feel his talk is successful if, B次元官网网址淏次元官网网址he students come away with a slightly expanded view of the world and their place in it.B次元官网网址�
He also spoke about the advantages that human invention has brought to the world.
B次元官网网址淲e are at an absolute zenith of quality of life around the world,B次元官网网址� said Hadfield. He listed the eradication or near eradication of diseases such as smallpox and polio and the jump in global literacy rates.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 technology and human inventiveness that allow those types of things to happen,B次元官网网址� added Hadfield. B次元官网网址淚 think that is something to focus on B次元官网网址� What do we need to do next and where should we be focusing?B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淲hat should people be doing here in the Columbia Basin next week? Thinking about their role within the province, their role within Canada, and CanadaB次元官网网址檚 role within the world. To me, that is really the focus of what we ought to be looking at.
B次元官网网址淲hen you get to ride on some of the most cutting-edge technology and see the world in a way we have never seen it before, makes you think about all of those opportunities but also responsibilities. With privilege, which I have been lucky to receive so much of, comes, I think, also a great level of responsibility.B次元官网网址�
Hadfield spoke to the fact that technology can only go so far B次元官网网址� it takes humans to interpret the facts in a meaningful way.
B次元官网网址淓xploration isnB次元官网网址檛 just scientific and technical, itB次元官网网址檚 human B次元官网网址� otherwise we would just send robots to do it,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淩obots donB次元官网网址檛 care B次元官网网址� we are the ones that matter. To have people interpreting what is happening is what is of real value and interest.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淥nboard the space station it seems a little remote and technical and clinical, but it is actually just six people up there,B次元官网网址� explained Hadfield. B次元官网网址淭hey are imperfect and doing their best and they are six emissaries of the other seven and a half billion on the surface.B次元官网网址�
Hadfield was happy to come to this corner of Canada, and as a skier, he said he was looking outside and wishing the snow was falling heavier.
B次元官网网址淭he Columbia Basin Trust that you folks have B次元官网网址� what a lovely legacy, what an enabling organization in order for people to see beyond just the regular day-to-day,B次元官网网址� said Hadfield of the organization that is sponsoring the event and asked him to be their keynote speaker.
The symposium B次元官网网址� SHIFT! Thriving in Change B次元官网网址� is taking place in Kimberley, but will be streaming online at .
