I don't want to pile on here, because Neil did do some good in popularizing science. He did not really manage to make it cool, but he did become a popular mainstream figure that the public was now allowed to associate with a mental image of a science nerd ( a big step given that previous media iterations were invariably a caricature straight from revenge of the nerds ).
The problem.. as it often tends to be in instances such as this.. is that he did become a faux celebrity with all the benefits and drawbacks it brings. Unlike another celebrity in that realm however ( Hawking ), he did not manage to get the same level of recognition.
The problem.. as it often tends to be in instances such as this.. is that he did become a faux celebrity with all the benefits and drawbacks it brings. Unlike another celebrity in that realm however ( Hawking ), he did not manage to get the same level of recognition.