#85. “We Choose To Go To The Moon” - The Iconic Speech
How Kenedy inspired Americans on the space journey
Welcome to the blog post #85! Click here to read more from previous posts.
Last weekend, I watched an iconic speech that, even after 62 years, continues to shape human’s ambition in space exploration and inspire generations. It was John F. Kennedy’s “We Choose to Go to the Moon” speech, delivered at Rice University in 1962.
Widely regarded as one of the most memorable speeches of his career, it outlined a bold vision for space exploration and brought a sense of hope and unity to the nation.
Though only 18 minutes long, the speech’s impact is profound. I listened to it multiple times, but even that wasn't enough to fully grasp its brilliance.
I decided to analyze the speech’s structure, patterns, and the storytelling techniques that made it so compelling and timeless.
The more I dissect his words, the more I admire Kennedy’s mastery of storytelling. Here, I’ll break down some of the most powerful techniques he used to inspire his people and unite them behind the space journey.
Framing the Narrative
Kennedy sets the stage by framing the moment in history with a sense of urgency and importance. Right from the beginning, he introduces tension by placing the speech in the context of a pivotal time:
"We meet at a college noted for knowledge, in a city noted for progress, in a State noted for strength, and we stand in need of all three, for we meet in an hour of change and challenge, in a decade of hope and fear, in an age of both knowledge and ignorance."
By acknowledging the challenges and fears of the time, he creates anticipation for what’s to come. Kennedy doesn’t just acknowledge progress; he emphasizes the scale of what is at stake.
For example, his line, “The greater our knowledge increases, the greater our ignorance unfolds,” acknowledges the technological advancements while underscoring the monumental nature of the upcoming space mission.
Powerful Metaphors
Kennedy employs a vivid metaphor by compressing 50,000 years of human history into a 50-year timeline, making the abstract concept of technological advancement easy to grasp and emotionally compelling. This metaphor brings novelty into his speech, which I find really interesting.
"No man can fully grasp how far and how fast we have come, but condense, if you will, the 50,000 years of man's recorded history in a time span of but a half of a century. Stated in these terms, we know very little about the first 40 years, except at the end of them advanced man had learned to use the skins of animals to cover them. Then about 10 years ago, under this standard, man emerged from his caves to construct other kinds of shelter. Only five years ago man learned to write and use a cart with wheels. Christianity began less than two years ago. The printing press came this year, and then less than two months ago, during this whole 50-ear span of human history, the steam engine provided a new source of power.
Newton explored the meaning of gravity. Last month electric lights and telephones and automobiles and airplanes became available. Only last week did we develop penicillin and television and nuclear power, and now if America’s new spacecraft succeeds in reaching Venus, we will have literally reached the stars before midnight tonight.”
This condensed historical timeline emphasizes the rapid acceleration of technology and helps the audience feel the weight of the moment they are living in.
It draws the audience into the urgency of the space race and puts the magnitude of space exploration into a context that resonates deeply. By simplifying the narrative, Kennedy transforms dry historical facts into something both relatable and inspiring.
Vivid Analogies
To make the complexities of space exploration more relatable, Kennedy uses striking analogies that put the audience at ease with difficult concepts. For example, he compares the precision needed for the Mariner spacecraft to a familiar image: a missile landing within the 40-yard lines of a football stadium.
"The Mariner spacecraft now on its way to Venus is the most intricate instrument in the history of space science. The accuracy of that shot is comparable to firing a missile from Cape Canaveral and dropping it in this stadium between the 40-yard lines."
This analogy helps the audience visualize the extraordinary challenges of space travel in terms they can easily understand. It turns a complex scientific achievement into something concrete and comprehensible and inspiring.
Statistical Amplification with a Humanizing Touch
Kennedy skillfully incorporates statistics to underscore the scale and significance of the mission, adding weight and credibility to his argument. For example, he highlights the rapid growth of the nation’s scientific manpower:
"This Nation's own scientific manpower is doubling every 12 years at a rate of growth more than three times that of our population as a whole."
In discussing the space budget, Kennedy further emphasizes the scale of commitment with:
"This year’s space budget is three times what it was in January 1961, and it is greater than the space budget of the previous eight years combined."
However, Kennedy doesn’t leave these figures hanging in the abstract. He humanizes the immense numbers by making a comparison that grounds them in everyday life:
"That budget now stands at $5,400 million a year—a staggering sum, though somewhat less than we pay for cigarettes and cigars every year."
By contrasting the grand and revolutionary (space exploration) with the mundane and even harmful (cigarettes), Kennedy masterfully gives the audience a relatable context for the immense budget, showing that the cost of space exploration is both justified and manageable.
Rhythmic Techniques
Kennedy employs rhythmic language to create a cadence that makes his points more memorable and emotionally resonant. Consider this phrase:
"an hour of change and challenge, in a decade of hope and fear, in an age of both knowledge and ignorance."
The rhythm helps underscore key themes, allowing them to stand out and evoke an emotional response from the audience. Repetition of phrases also reinforces his message:
“And this will be done in the decade of the sixties. It may be done while some of you are still here at school at this college and university. It will be done during the term of office of some of the people who sit here on this platform. But it will be done. And it will be done before the end of this decade.”
The repeated phrase, “It will be done,” asserts certainty and confidence, making his argument all the more convincing. His cadence not only conveys information but also engages the audience on an emotional level, much like a musical performance.
The Rule of Three
One of the most effective rhetorical techniques Kennedy uses is the Rule of Three, which creates a rhythm and structure that is pleasing to the ear and easy to remember. Throughout the speech, Kennedy uses this principle to emphasize important ideas:
"the unknown and the unanswered and the unfinished"
"new ills... new ignorance... new problems... new dangers"
"space... the moon... the planets"
"no strife... no prejudice... no national conflict"
The use of three-part phrasing gives the audience a sense of completeness, making the ideas he presents more compelling and persuasive. When combined with repetition, it creates a powerful rhetorical effect, as seen in one of the most iconic passages:
"We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win."
By repeating “because” and “one,” Kennedy creates a sense of urgency and determination, while using the Rule of Three to reinforce his core message.
Introducing a Villain
Every great story has a villain, and in Kennedy’s speech, he subtly introduces one: complacency and inaction. He acknowledges the temptation to rest and wait, but he positions these attitudes as obstacles to the nation’s progress:
"So it is not surprising that some would have us stay where we are a little longer to rest, to wait."
By framing complacency as the enemy, Kennedy calls the nation to unite in action, pushing forward into space rather than looking backward.
Creating a Sense of Urgency and FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)
Kennedy triggers a sense of urgency by presenting space exploration as a race America cannot afford to lose. His line:
"The exploration of space will go ahead, whether we join in it or not, and it is one of the great adventures of all time..."
plays on the audience's fear of missing out, suggesting that if the United States lags behind in space exploration, it will lose its leadership on the global stage. Considering the context of the Cold War with the Soviet Union at that time, this message strongly motivates and triggers the audience to act right away.
Call to Action
Kennedy ends on a high note with a powerful call to action, challenging the nation to take bold steps, not just for technological advancement but for the future of humanity. His closing lines invite the nation to embark on what he calls the greatest adventure ever:
"Well, space is there, and we're going to climb it, and the moon and the planets are there, and new hopes for knowledge and peace are there. And, therefore, as we set sail we ask God's blessing on the most hazardous and dangerous and greatest adventure on which man has ever embarked."
Kennedy’s speech isn’t just about going to the moon - it’s about inspiring a nation to dream bigger, to act bolder, and to reach further than ever before. His storytelling mastery transformed what could have been a technical address into a profound message of hope, ambition, and unity.
That’s all for today. Till next week!
Cheers,
Do Thi Dieu Thuong