Good ol' HN. These folks are pushing the boundaries like nobody else, advancing humanity more than a thousand Facebooks or Snapchats ever could, but if they express pride in their work it's a "circle jerk."
If they chanted "SpaceX," or "Falcon 9," or "JCSAT-14" it would signify pride in their work. The "USA" chant glorifies the state/government above all else.
It's the same reason why foreigners are baffled by, for example, the Pledge of Allegiance.
I wouldn't say it glorifies the state above all else but I would point out that even in a private company such as SpaceX the employees tend to be aware of the role government plays within the realm of space exploration.
I choose to view the chants as a showing of pride in the acceptance that despite the hard work being done by the employees at SpaceX, none of this would be possible without the pioneering work of NASA and other governmental research organizations, as well as the myriad of universities that educate our workforce, largely supported by the American taxpayer.
I won't propose to speak on behalf of others but in my case whenever I feel a sense of pride or accomplishment for something I have done, whether that be here at work or in my personal life, I certainly try and take a moment to acknowledge in my mind the many people, some of whom I have no direct connection with, who have played a role in my success.
As the child of immigrants who sacrificed a great deal for the opportunity to come to the US and as someone who grew up poor, not particularly bright, and with no formal education beyond that of high school, but who now has the opportunity to work on hardware that is launched into space, I always try and maintain a sense of appreciation for the country, and its people, that I now call home.
Well the advances remain to be seen in the decades to come. I could understand that level of excitement for putting a person on Mars but not for a satellite deployment or ISS restocking mission.
Maybe it's just a cultural difference but there is something unsettling and cringey about seeing those employees act so enthusiastic.
Is it genuine? Maybe for some employees. But the camera setup makes me think there is some expectation placed upon the employees that they will be there to cheer. It's not natural.
Soccer and sports in general are the spaces reserved for tribal and pre-civilized behaviours: rooting for one team against another, chanting, cheering for a victory or for the defeat of the opponent (in confrontations that are purely symbolic).
Those who take this behaviour outside of the stadium often tend to salute their comrades with a straight arm, and resort to knives and sticks to prove their superiority outside of the pitch.
Or, you could see it like this. Europe has seen enough of nationalistic pride and of masses chanting in the streets. It didn't end well, and we know it. The USA don't happen to have made the experience yet in first person, though they certainly have a second hand knowledge of it.
Pride in the accomplishments of your own nation is a good thing. However often it clouds your perception of its faults and wrongdoings.
> Those who take this behaviour outside of the stadium often tend to salute their comrades with a straight arm, and resort to knives and sticks to prove their superiority outside of the pitch.
Or... they launch rockets into space, and land them back on a small platform.
The main missions are fairly routine and I don't see people getting particularly excited about those. What everybody's excited about is the landings, and those absolutely deserve every bit of excitement we can put up.
