The Right Stuff - Essay Example

Outline: Paragraph Introduction/Thesis Paragraph 2: Definition Paragraph 3: Analysis of right stuff Everyone has his own definition of the right stuff and think they are correct. They are right in their own way and by the way they think they are correct. According to them a person with those features or characteristics is a man with the right stuff. Every field has its own right stuff and is defined in different terms by various people. For qualifying to do any work you need to have the right stuff in you and what is that right stuff?

They are the characteristics that the recruiter thinks is correct. So the one with the authority or power defines what the right stuff is. People try to guess the actual characteristics that come under the topic the right stuff but they are only known to the person who has formulated the theory. It is really difficult to find a man with the right stuff and he should have it, not most of it. After the 2nd world war the US were in a race with the Russians for the space mission. It was really important for them to beat the Russians.

Many pilots were recruited by the NASA for the space program. New pilots from the navy were also selected. The book tells about the US space program, the test pilots, astronauts and their wives. It shows what the pilots and their wives endured during the space program. The pilots were given a small introduction talk, here they were told about the right stuff and one should have it to get there and not most of it. Many guesses were made but resulted in failure. Although the right stuff includes the term bravery but it’s not all about it.

It includes many other stuff and requirement other than bravery and courage. The pilots underwent rigorous tests and many other tasks to check if they had the right stuff and pilots were being rejected based upon the theory of the right stuff. The pilots became obsessed with it by hearing it in each phase of the tests. The constant mention of the term made them believe it. And the pilots who believed in the right stuff didn’t call an emergency or declined the offer for emergency and rather preferred to crash and burn.

The book “the right stuff” required in the pilots was written after a thorough research on a pilot’s life in the US space program and by talking to the pilots, their wives. It was thought that there was no accident and the faults in the aircrafts were not considered as reason to the death of a pilot it was only the pilot who had the wrong stuff. And soon the pilots learnt that it was not a single mistake but multiple which led to the death of pilots. The book tells how much the right stuff is necessary to be successful and the best.

The right stuff was never found out or explained it simply remained in the mind of the pilots who chose to sign up for the program and went through the various tests. Wolfe, Tom. “The Right Stuff”. Picador Publishers. 2008.