You can see this attitude in the speech that was supposed to be given if Armstrong and Aldrin died up there.
They will be mourned by their families and friends; they will be mourned by their nation; they will be mourned by the people of the world; they will be mourned by a Mother Earth that dared send one of her sons into the unknown. In their exploration, they stirred the people of the world to feel as one; in their deaths, they bind more tightly the brotherhood of man. In ancient days, men looked at stars and saw their heroes in the constellations. In modern times, we do much the same, but our heroes are epic men of flesh and blood. Others will follow, and surely find their way home. Man’s search will not be denied. But they were the first, and they will remain the foremost in our hearts. For every human being who looks up at the moon in the nights to come will know that there is some corner of another world that is forever mankind. - William Safire's speech written for President Nixon in case Apollo 11 couldn't make it back from the moon.I just don't think a sentiment like this resonated with Armstrong. And it strikes me as hokey too. If you want to get a real sense of the grandeur of the moment then I recommend reading How Apollo Flew to the Moon
As far as the title goes, it is his name spelled backwards. :)
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