I have been totally stunned for the last few days since six women went to space and returned. Stunned — not just by the achievement itself, but by the sheer amount of hate, judgment, and unsolicited opinions it triggered.
We are so blessed to live in an era where we have instant access to information from almost every corner of the world. Yet at the same time, our keyboards have become weapons, and we have all magically turned into “experts” in every possible field. I know — pardon my sarcasm — but that’s how it feels these days.
Judgment from behind a keyboard, where no one has to confront anyone face-to-face, is easy.
I wonder: what would happen if you had the chance to sit across from the crew members? Would you tell Katy Perry she didn’t deserve to be on that flight because she’s “just” a singer? Would you tell Gayle King that if she was stressed about going to space, she shouldn’t have gone? Would you tell Amanda Nguyen that her scientific experiments — and her incredible advocacy work for sexual assault survivors — are irrelevant?
You wouldn’t. You’d want a selfie. You’d post about how inspiring it was to meet them. You’d tell your friends how blessed you were to be in the room.
If you still believe you would shout hate in their faces — I’m sorry, but something is fundamentally broken, and I truly hope you find the help you need.
Unfortunately, as a society, we’ve allowed the internet — alongside all its incredible opportunities for access, expression, and connection — to also become a weapon of mental mass destruction. The basic skills of kindness, curiosity, support, and human decency are becoming rare. I’m not talking about constructive questions or respectful debate — we need those. I’m talking about conscious, deliberate hate.
To all the haters, here’s a question: What do you contribute? How do you add to the society you live in?
Because maybe this is part of the bigger challenge we face: Many people live inside echo chambers, limited in perspective, and when given a chance, they choose to use whatever weapons they have — words, comments, misinformation — to mentally destroy others. It’s a strange hobby. Personally, I’d rather spend that time reading a good book (I totally recommend the book by Amanda Nguyen “Saving Five: A Memoir of Hope”) and engaging in real dialogue with people who challenge and expand my thinking.
Maybe what we need more than ever are spaces for real dialogue. Spaces where ideas are welcome. Where respect is given by default. Where collaboration and mutual understanding are the starting points, not the exceptions.
Spaces where the future of humanity can be discussed and cocreated.
Spaces that encourage human potential to flourish. Spaces where, when someone feels the urge to vomit their hate onto social media, they instead take a run around the block — or call their therapist.
Coming back to the flight: we should take a moment, breathe, and realize how monumentally important this moment truly is.
Let me tell you why: Historically, women, girls, minorities, short people, people with different accents, people wearing big glasses — anyone who, for whatever reason, has been perceived and treated without the love and attention they inherently deserve — you name it — haven’t exactly been overwhelmed with support, recognition, or encouragement. Let’s be honest. Opportunities weren’t handed out evenly. And space? It was never seen as a place for “people like us.”, for women.
But now? Six women just went to space. And it’s a win for every little girl who now might dream a bigger dream. It’s a spark. A signal. A seed of possibility.
And let’s not forget: In many parts of the world, women are still fighting for basic rights. Even in so-called “progressive” countries, true equality is recent, fragile, and incomplete. Here in Switzerland, women only gained the right to vote a few decades ago. Let that sink in.
Here’s why this moment matters even more:
- Representation changes perception. When you see someone like you doing something extraordinary, it rewires your brain. It plants the belief: I can do that too. (Please, take a moment and read about these incredible women: Aisha Bowe, Amanda Nguyen, Kerianne Flynn, Gayle King, Katy Perry, and Lauren Sánchez.)
- Diversity isn’t a trend — it’s the future. Inclusive exploration brings better innovation, deeper empathy, and broader progress. (It’s not like the old ways of doing things without diversity worked that well for humanity, right?)
- Moments like these shape culture. Culture shapes policies, funding, leadership pipelines, education programs, and social norms. It has a ripple effect much larger than a single flight.
- It expands the narrative of who space is for. Space has long been imagined as the realm of elite astronauts and specialists. This mission sends a clear message: space is for dreamers, scientists, artists, advocates, everyday people — for humanity. And this is just the beginning. Not so far from now, you and I might have the chance to go to space. How exciting is that!
- It shows that courage comes in many forms. Courage is not the absence of fear — it’s acting despite fear. Whether it’s launching scientific experiments, speaking out against injustice, or simply daring to take up space (literally and metaphorically), each woman on this mission redefines what bravery looks like.
- It reminds us that emotion belongs in exploration. You can be stressed, scared, excited, nervous — and still go to space. You don’t have to be emotionless to be strong. Vulnerability doesn’t weaken missions — it strengthens humanity’s presence wherever we go.
- It sparks generational change. Every young girl (and boy) who sees this mission now carries a slightly expanded idea of what’s possible. That small expansion changes families, communities, and entire nations over time.
- It challenges outdated myths about merit. The gatekeeping argument that only “the best of the best” deserve to go to space is rooted in a narrow, outdated definition of merit. This mission shows that different forms of excellence deserve recognition — in science, art, storytelling, resilience, and more.
- It shifts imagination itself. Because at the end of the day, space exploration is driven by imagination — by the ability to envision worlds we haven’t yet touched. And when imagination becomes more inclusive, the future becomes infinitely richer.
Instead of feeding outrage culture and tearing down what’s new with angry tweets, maybe we could focus on building something better. Something more aligned with the values we say we believe in.
Because complaining isn’t the value I want to pass down. Creating is.
And listen — I know what it feels like not to get enough support. I know how exhausting it is to dream while being doubted.
But here we are. Alive. Capable. With voices and hands that can build a future better than the one we inherited.
Please use your voice for good. Use your hands to build what hasn’t been built yet.
Because this isn’t just about six women in space. It’s about all of us — and the world we’re capable of creating.
#WomenInSpace #space #MoonshotThinking #SpaceForEveryone #Innovation
And here are a few creative invitations from our extended communities:
- Future of Humanity goes to Basel! Last 4 dates for speakers to express their interest: here.
- Submit Your Wish & send it with us to the Moon here.
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