Neil deGrasse Tyson — "My goal is to get people to think about the universe, not just about themselves."
My goal is to get people to think about the universe, not just about themselves.
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More from Neil deGrasse Tyson
"If you want to know what it means to be alive, look at the stars."
"The universe is not obliged to be beautiful."
"The greatest discovery is to find something you love to do and then figure out how to get paid for it."
"Earth is a small planet, and we are not alone. We are not alone in the universe, and we are not alone on this planet."
"I'm not saying there are no aliens. I'm just saying the evidence is insufficient for me to conclude it."
About Neil deGrasse Tyson (born 1958)
American astrophysicist, Hayden Planetarium director, and Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey host who carries the Carl Sagan public-science mantle. Closely associated with Bill Nye (fellow science communicator) and Brian Greene (theoretical physicist and string-theory popularizer). For an intellectual contrast, see Ken Ham, founder of Answers in Genesis and the Creation Museum — Ham's career has been organized around defending biblical 6-day creationism — exactly the science-education position Tyson's mainstream-science communication is structured to refute.
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Understanding this quote
What it means
Tyson is expressing a desire to shift human focus outward—away from personal concerns and toward the vastness of the cosmos. When people grasp the scale of the universe, petty divisions shrink in comparison. Understanding our place among billions of galaxies fosters humility, curiosity, and a broader sense of shared humanity rather than narrow self-interest.
Relevance to Neil deGrasse Tyson
As director of the Hayden Planetarium and host of Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey, Tyson has dedicated his career to public science education. His books, podcasts, and media appearances consistently aim to make astrophysics accessible and emotionally resonant, reflecting his belief that cosmic perspective transforms how people treat each other and prioritize what matters.
The era
Tyson rose to prominence during a period of rising science skepticism, political polarization, and culture-war battles over climate change and evolution. His mission to inspire cosmic perspective was a direct counterweight to tribalism and shortsightedness, occurring alongside the 2014 Cosmos reboot, the social media era, and renewed debates about science's role in public life.
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