"What does it take for Americans to do great things; to go to the moon, to win
wars, to dig canals linking oceans, to build railroads across a continent? In
independent thought about this question, Neil Armstrong and I concluded that
it takes a coincidence of four conditions, or in Neil's view, the simultaneous
peaking of four of the many cycles of American life. First, a base of
technology must exist from which to do the thing to be done. Second, a period
of national uneasiness about America's place in the scheme of human activities
must exist. Third, some catalytic event must occur that focuses the national
attention upon the direction to proceed. Finally, an articulate and wise
leader must sense these first three conditions and put forth with words and
action the great thing to be accomplished. The motivation of young Americans
to do what needs to be done flows from such a coincidence of conditions....
The Thomas Jeffersons, The Teddy Roosevelts, The John Kennedys appear. We must
begin to create the tools of leadership which they, and their young
frontiersmen, will require to lead us onward and upward."
-- Dr. Harrison H. Schmidt, Senator, New Mexico
