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.
含羞草研究社淭he things we accomplish in life are kind of a reflection of the edges of our expectations,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淥ften our accomplishments in life are sort of limited by the horizons we have seen growing up. A large part as one of Canada含羞草研究社檚 astronauts where I have had tremendous privilege, but also a pretty amazing perspective 含羞草研究社� is to let other people perhaps see opportunities that they might not have realized existed.含羞草研究社�
When Hadfield speaks to students in Cranbrook later on Friday, he said he will feel his talk is successful if, 含羞草研究社満卟菅芯可绂the students come away with a slightly expanded view of the world and their place in it.含羞草研究社�
He also spoke about the advantages that human invention has brought to the world.
含羞草研究社淲e are at an absolute zenith of quality of life around the world,含羞草研究社� said Hadfield. He listed the eradication or near eradication of diseases such as smallpox and polio and the jump in global literacy rates.
含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 technology and human inventiveness that allow those types of things to happen,含羞草研究社� added Hadfield. 含羞草研究社淚 think that is something to focus on 含羞草研究社� What do we need to do next and where should we be focusing?含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淲hat should people be doing here in the Columbia Basin next week? Thinking about their role within the province, their role within Canada, and Canada含羞草研究社檚 role within the world. To me, that is really the focus of what we ought to be looking at.
含羞草研究社淲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.含羞草研究社�
Hadfield spoke to the fact that technology can only go so far 含羞草研究社� it takes humans to interpret the facts in a meaningful way.
含羞草研究社淓xploration isn含羞草研究社檛 just scientific and technical, it含羞草研究社檚 human 含羞草研究社� otherwise we would just send robots to do it,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淩obots don含羞草研究社檛 care 含羞草研究社� we are the ones that matter. To have people interpreting what is happening is what is of real value and interest.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淥nboard the space station it seems a little remote and technical and clinical, but it is actually just six people up there,含羞草研究社� explained Hadfield. 含羞草研究社淭hey are imperfect and doing their best and they are six emissaries of the other seven and a half billion on the surface.含羞草研究社�
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.
含羞草研究社淭he Columbia Basin Trust that you folks have 含羞草研究社� what a lovely legacy, what an enabling organization in order for people to see beyond just the regular day-to-day,含羞草研究社� said Hadfield of the organization that is sponsoring the event and asked him to be their keynote speaker.
The symposium 含羞草研究社� SHIFT! Thriving in Change 含羞草研究社� is taking place in Kimberley, but will be streaming online at .
