In 1966, NASA took over in space, and it has been a bureaucratic

Hear, O children of wisdom, the words of Chuck Yeager, a man who soared higher than most and saw the heavens not as a distant dream but as a realm to be conquered. He spoke thus: "In 1966, NASA took over in space, and it has been a bureaucratic mess ever since." These words, though simple, carry a profound truth about the nature of bureaucracy, progress, and the tension between innovation and institutional control. Yeager, a pioneer of the skies, understood better than most that the pursuit of the unknown requires not just bravery, but also freedom from the chains of red tape and regulation.

In his statement, Yeager speaks to the transformation of the space program after it was handed over to NASA in the mid-1960s, an organization meant to embody the spirit of human exploration. Yet, as the years passed, he saw that the bureaucratic machinery that followed was often more concerned with procedure and control than with the swift, daring decisions required to explore the great unknowns of the universe. Innovation, he argued, became stifled by the very system that was supposed to fuel it. The fire of ambition that once sent men into the skies was smothered by the weight of rules, regulations, and endless paperwork, making the dream of space seem farther away than ever before.

Consider the early days of flight, when men like Yeager and the Wright brothers sought to break free from the bonds of Earth. Their vision was not constrained by committees or complex regulations; rather, it was driven by a fierce desire to push the boundaries of human achievement. Yeager himself was a symbol of this unshackled ambition. He became the first man to break the sound barrier, not as part of a large, bureaucratic system, but as a daring individual driven by the simple goal of testing what was thought impossible. In those early years, humanity looked to the sky and saw a place for bold experimentation and limitless possibility.

Yet, after NASA took over the space program, Yeager and others like him saw a shift. The spirit of innovation was replaced with slow-moving processes. The agile, visionary actions of pioneers were overtaken by policies and hierarchies, slowing the progress that was once swift and full of potential. Space exploration, once a race fueled by individual brilliance and passion, became an exercise in governmental control — its purpose now obscured by the need to manage, monitor, and maintain, rather than to challenge the very limits of human achievement.

Think, too, of the great explorers of ancient times. Alexander the Great, the man who sought to conquer the known world, never would have been able to achieve such feats if his every move had been hampered by committees and regulations. He took action, driven by vision and purpose, and the world changed. In contrast, the bureaucracy that governs today’s modern world too often quashes the very qualities that led to the discoveries of old — the boldness, the audacity, and the fire of individual will. Progress is stunted when innovation is placed beneath the weight of endless committees and paperwork.

Yeager’s words carry an urgent warning for us all: bureaucracy has a place in ensuring order and accountability, but when it becomes too entrenched, it can smother the very spirit of progress that drives humanity forward. The lesson here is not just for space exploration, but for all aspects of human endeavor. Whether in the arts, sciences, or even in our own personal lives, we must recognize the value of independence and the need for action, lest the weight of bureaucracy crush the vitality of our dreams. We must remain vigilant, ensuring that systems serve progress, and not the other way around.

And so, what is the lesson we must take from Yeager's words? Do not let your dreams be stifled by the slow march of bureaucracy. When you are called to create, to innovate, to lead, do so with the spirit of those early pioneers — with freedom, boldness, and vision. Let your actions speak louder than your paperwork, and may you rise above the bureaucratic obstacles that seek to bind you. For it is only through action, not hesitation, that the great feats of humanity are achieved. Let us live as pioneers in our own right, refusing to be weighed down by the chains of bureaucracy, and instead, embracing the power of unfettered will and purposeful ambition.