The Daily Dad Why Kids Don’t Want to Be Astronauts Anymore | NASA Astronaut Terry Virts & Ryan Holiday
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Oct 4, 2025 Why have kids shifted from dreaming of being astronauts to preferring careers like YouTuber? Former NASA astronaut Terry Virts explains how screen experiences may diminish the desire for real adventures. He emphasizes the importance of critical thinking in an AI-driven world and promotes reading as a spark for curiosity. The conversation explores how digital interests can lead to real-world activities, the value of public institutions, and the effects of Texas education policy on future aspirations.
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Cultural Shift In Childhood Aspirations
- Kids now aspire to be online influencers rather than explorers like astronauts.
- That shift reduces collective ambition for public-good achievements and exploration.
Raising Device-Free Teens Example
- Terry Virts recounts teens experiencing life through screens and not real events.
- He contrasts that with raising kids without devices to preserve real-world conversation and engagement.
Critical Thinking As AI Defense
- AI and instant access reduce incentives to study and think deeply.
- Future success will depend on teaching critical thinking to distinguish truth from AI hallucination.
