A Story About Race Neil deGrasse Tyson

"In is 1989, I have never before in my life (and I believe to this day that was the first such occasion, EVER), that I have never before in my life have seen an interview with a black person on television, for expertise that had nothing to do with being black".

[@abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyznowi]

"If you don't want to make a difference in the world, go move to a different planet. What are you here for?"

[@Burrgametate]

I wrestled I am black and I graduated with a finance and Econ degree. When Neil said what he friend told him about helping black people out. Something hit me so hard. I felt like crying a little. I mean shit, I’ve grown up for so long being told that if you weren’t a drug dealer or a rapper or you talk proper English then you aren’t black enough. But on the other hand I had my elders tell me to use my powers to make he “black” situation better. I’ve having real trouble processing this. Never felt so conflicted

[@talalztube]

2 years on, i hope you followed your intellect rather than your heart

[@ernestabrogar4658]

I hope this person realizes that the answer may not come right away. But as Neil found the right calling, so shall he. Do what you do and the answer will come eventually.

[@ihaveadigbick.youreadthatw6309]

We love u!

[@robertopistone1179]

I am a teacher and the majority of my students are either black or Hispanic and I always try to guide them towards your path. I get a lot of resistance from them by comments such as, "I am heading to the NBA, NFL, etc.". I tell them great but have a Plan B in your back pocket just in case because it is incredibly hard to break into sports, music, television, movies, etc.

[@ronacosta1151]

If you're constructive, you're helping Black people. There's more than one way to help.

[@vasierlucas777]

This is an empowering interview.

[@ihaveadigbick.youreadthatw6309]

Niel Degrass Tyson you are a blessing to the world. I mean that.

[@edwardcopeland5069]

Science would be a blessing to the world! If we revered it, and taught it, we would have moved on by now.🤔 for this man really has no peers, are has very few.

[@coffeebreakcomedy]

I think Neil is so misunderstood...a lot of people hate him cause they think he's arrogant about people that don't know what he does, but I have never really seen that in him...if you watch him enough, you see that his enthusiasm is misunderstood and his precision is taken for "I told you so" arrogance.

[@theamorphousflatsch2699]

nah it's definitely a superiority complex

[@kirillzakharov7336]

@@theamorphousflatsch2699 bad joke. very bad joke.

[@barryhaley7430]

Man, you have contributed to nth degree to your culture from your scientific perspective but your communication skills and ability to educate. You have inspired more people, male, female, black, white, yellow, red etc. no one gives a shit what color you are. You have achieved MLK’s goal!

[@IssoufBa42]

Some people do give a shit, and as he said, he's been told very often to play basketball because he was black...

[@barryhaley7430]

@@IssoufBa42 I asked the question. Was he urged to play basketball because he was black or because he was a good athlete? Good athletes if all colors are usually urged to pursue athletics!

[@BarryHenline]

Early on, even before I started teaching (H.S. sciences) I was a great admirer of Carl Sagan. I actually met him for a few seconds at the NCSU Emerging Issues Forum on Feb 2, 1990 after his presentation. Years later I found out about how he and Neil met. Let me say Neil you are doing a great job carrying the flag of science and literacy forward.. and in your own style.

[@gonepostal474]

You made the right decision. The levels of that story are endless.

[@rolandcuthbert784]

Powerful brother. . .

[@Mainbusfail]

you can see he is making a difference in these students mindsets in this interview.. you are witnessing a culture that is getting ready to leap into.......great things to come.

[@karebear21]

Such amazing insight!

[@danielhicks]

I wish i was as smart and wonderful as Neil...

[@AmboMergNC]

love and respect

[@dangonzalez2680]

Smart fella. His whole theory regarding the variation of extremes in Africa? Hit the nail on the head! And he wins the most abrasive-est person in existence.

[@billcow3455]

I really love this interview.

[@SHIFTKICK]

Damn he wrestled too...I guess I have a good amount in common with Neil :)

[@matthewburson2908]

+SHIFTKICK You have a PhD in wrestling too? :)

[@ernestwilliams6123]

@@matthewburson2908ppl like you make me wish they they had a lame button

[@himmlerlovesbeer8867]

Neil definitely looks like the type to wrestle.

[@ZeroCrystal]

PhD in wrestling? It's such a lame joke that Johnny Carson thinks it was garbage when he used it during a monologue. Have an upvote.

[@abrahamjackson6019]

Very inspiring story.

[@Tonybakerkaratefitness]

absolutely amazing!

[@soilofk]

Wow!!! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@BloggerMusicMan]

This is such a great story. :)

[@fazbell]

What a brilliant human.

[@56karlei]

I listen any time I see online, a interview with Mr. Tyson. I'm scared of outer-space. Sitting outside, at night, looking up at the dark with stars shining bright and my brain shut's down. I hope to find a interview on his thought's of "woke" teaching in school these day's.

[@alphacenturi8038]

Thanks Niel.

[@McDLT666]

He's so articulate!

[@goyonman9655]

1000th like

[@chrisfilet]

Guy, I'm writing a transcript of this story, can someone help me figure out what Neil said at 4:39? "would sit here like this, a little backdrop of books, kind of the __ set." Thanks a bunch!!

[@SarthorS]

+Liu Chaoran (Chris) OK, this is 8 months after you asked the question, but the word he used was erudite.

[@chrisfilet]

SarthorS Thanks man! I figured that out eventually but still I really appreciate your help

[@Aethelia]

Sounds like "Erudite".

[@jahanbin]

glad he didn't give up. Inspiring interview. here $1 tip *****

[@theedwardian]

???

[@MTBSamurai]

I love NDT he is so awesome

[@dezent]

9:45 Tay Zonday??!!

[@merletravis1073]

He is so smart, no wonder we Redditors tend to have higher IQ than most. - Aaron Longbottom

[@mbs306]

***** No shit sherlock

[@MrSousou9381]

Heeey...its you guys again. Yall working at the same place?

[@TonyRome402]

He is the embodiment of exceptional intellect in the inner city. Niels mother is Puerto Rican so he represents all black and Puerto Rican youth who grow up in an environment where your options are a career in crime or you become skilled enough to serve white people. Niel dares to not be racist; rather he embraces his gifts and proves that higher intelligence is actually a part of the black experience.

[@newthrash1221]

@9:45 lol

[@fps_mac6907]

9:44 lol

[@fps_mac6907]

nice b8 m8

[@duncanbleak3819]

Or... Just follow your passion and screw what others think!

[@richard1472]

Tell me about it. I build flying model airplanes, fly kites, and play the recorder. Do you think I give a damn what other people think? I do not. Because passions, once in motion, move themselves.

[@BlackfeatherAlexander]

10:50

[@JesusOrtiz-bq2pp]

Still too hung up on black vs white which does not exist

[@DTG_LOCKETT]

A house wife. A very common... later on... became a WHAT?!?!?!

[@fromnorway643]

Also known as homemaker, which the android Data in Star Trek TNG thought was some kind of construction worker.

[@jimmyquinn8338]

[@jimmyquinn8338]

“It is 1989, I have never before in my life, (and I believe to this day - that was the first such occasion ever), I have seen an interview with a black person on television, for expertise that had nothing to do with being black”. Neil deGrasse Tyson (America's best-known scientist and astrophysicist), as a black person, making history on FOX News 1989.

[@kylewarner4261]

While I do greatly admire the incredible amount of knowledge this man has, I just can't help but feel a bit uncomfortable whenever I see him. I think it's his, ehm, let us say ''darker complexion'' that makes me uncomfortable. -Kyle Warner, Atheist, Redditor, Republican

[@vsauceisepic]

I cant tell if your a troll, or trying to just make atheists redditors and republicans look bad,

[@buildingseven3519]

That's because he has been working with President Obama, or should I say Barack HUSSEIN Obama on POPULATION CONTROL by poisoning our food and water supplies so you have REASON to be hesitant to trust those PEOPLE. Investigate, think, learn. INFOWARS. learn the truth behind disinformation

[@merletravis1073]

As a fellow redditor, I certainly understand your scepsism. He has been proven to be one of the clever ones, though. - Aaron Longbottom

[@killah1077]

I've seen NDT on a lot of things, and I don't think I've ever thought of him as anything but nice.

[@pankajvaishnavi]

What on earth did I just read?

[@SanjayKumar-wz4zs]

This was hard to watch.

[@amplifiedbible07]

Why?

[@benjaminmarsh8962]

As a Redditor and atheist, although Black Science Man may seem to talk the talk, I'll have you know that when we compared battlestations at Atheismcon 2014, I was running Call of Duty: Ghosts (a god tier game for you non-gamers) at 120FPS, ultra settings, while he could barely run it at 40. As the saying goes, ''Judge a man not by their character nor intelligence, but by the size of their battlestation''. -Creamy Beef, moderator of /r/science and /r/pcmasterrace

[@mackslubnyy]

Obama dees nuts

[@DJLRRT]

ahhhh Neil deGrasse Tyson, adding to the division and theroy that there are diffrent races of human. how special.

[@SkullIslandNative]

Oh shut up ....

[@SuperHuia]

was very disappointed to hear Neil( a respected scientist/a person I respect too) reference to 'race' and imply to skin colour has a racial definition. Notwithstanding the obvious discrimination and prejudice that exists in society ...sometimes even scientists can be ignorant as hell. There are no races of humans currently described or excepted by evolutionary geneticists yet the silly word persists.

[@rell127]

SuperHuia You must misunderstood what he was saying when he was saying it's perceived how Black people are treated in America.

[@SuperHuia]

Jerel Boza understood this but its the usual problem of how someone immediately perpetuates the false concept of human race ..with minor variation of skin tone. By doing so perpetuates the misunderstanding that most folk have abot it. The idea that a trait should be used to define race is as ridiculous as someone defining eye colour and hair colour as race categories too.

[@rell127]

SuperHuia He understands pigment shouldn't matter he's mad public speeches about it. Tho many people don't feel that way. Also coming from a community who is misrepresented he's saying that people of mine and his background. Also not saying that should matter but just imagine not being properly represented or only being shown negative images of one's self. He's saying it felt amazing thinking about it what he could be perceived as as another person who does have color pigment has to inspire to be like. For instance imagine how many kids felt watching let's say Michael Jordan. Or even how many Asian Americans felt watching Bruce Lee. He's not saying race should matter but rather encouraging people of all backgrounds go for your dreams.

[@SuperHuia]

Jerel Boza have never in my 60yrs of life said or thought of someone as white or black. It's not that l dont notice difference but that these concepts are weird. Notwithstanding no one has ever been black; no one has ever been white ......we are all just shades of brown. Further irritation occurs when someone claims they have *color* and others not. We all have colour. It's only because we have words for things like this that we are overly concerned with them. There is a tribe in Africa that has no word for the colour blue and consequently cannot see the difference between green and blue. Words matter and the language used in these discussions endorses bad ideas rather debunk them. 99% of the countless folk I've talked too believe that there is a black race and white race. And listening to this conversation will not undermine that idea.

[@rell127]

SuperHuia I don't believe there is any race expect the human race. Tho I see how people treat each other and how I been treated. I agree his words matter but I believe his message was to encourage other black people to become scientists. Now that being said I heard about that tribe but couldn't find any information on on them myself.

[@flynnspragg7164]

10:50 So Bored... soo sooo Bored.

[@preciousone3721]

Go!!! It's too HIGH for you your brain could explode!!! So much inactivity up there that you have become used to

[@inframatic]

Exactly why the democrat’s brand of equality is full of ‘positive’ segregation. ‘how does your race feel about the sun exploding?’ perfect response from neil

[@jimbearone]

Why does it seem that the only people who bring up Race are people of color? Why do women say they are treated disrespectfully while they are bashing Men? If you want respect try respecting others and letting others live as they please.

[@s.m.g.2166]

Black Victim Complex...