We choose to go to the moon and do the other thing...

What was the other thing? Did we do it yet?

I've struggled with this phrase for years and years. I've never heard "and do the other thing" in English to mean "to strive for something"... Kennedy's speech indicates two separate events, going to the moon and the other thing. What is/was the other thing?

Originally posted by DaTroof
What was the other thing? Did we do it yet?

I've struggled with this phrase for years and years. I've never heard "and do the other thing" in English to mean "to strive for something"... Kennedy's speech indicates two separate events, going to the moon and the other thing. What is/was the other thing?

"We choose to go to the moon and do these other things..."

I believe it was in reference to the other achievements that man has made in the past and strive to make in the future.

i agree, there was no sinister meaning behind that phrase

Originally posted by DaTroof

What was the other thing? Did we do it yet?

Context is important and necessary.

If you are actually wanting to know others' opinions, you should provide a little more information, regarding what it is that you're talking about. I see that you mentioned Kennedy, and I assume that this was part of a speech he gave, but it may be helpful, if you were to actually give some details.

reply to post by DaTroof


We went there, "just because we can."
I believe is why, not to explore or test, although we did some but to show we were superior to the world.
However now where are we??!!
I think if we pulled together and started to explore beyond our world, we just might build rockets to learn and not to kill.
I love the fact that my friends envy me, I'm not rich yet I live well.
This is how I believe the world viewed the US, we had it all.
Now we are viewed like the couple who the hubby cheats, drinks, and batters the wife.
I wish the US was a happy, hopeful home again.

reply to post by BrokenCircles


Of course, how absent-minded of me.



That's a truncated version of the 17+ minute speech.

Originally posted by DaTroof
What was the other thing? Did we do it yet?

Ther transcript of that speech, at Rice University, is HERE.

And they may well ask why climb the highest mountain. Why, 35 years ago, fly the Atlantic? Why does Rice play Texas?
We choose to go to the moon. 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, and the others, too.

reply to post by DaTroof


For those who don't want to watch (as the full speech is over 17 minutes long), a full transcript of it can be found here at the JFK Library:

Add ress at Rice University on the Nation's Space Effort, September 12, 1962

Just thought that might be a bit helpful is all..

Edit: Aaaand I was just beaten to it, lol. But since we've both added different links I'll leave mine up anyway.

Maybe he meant the Bay of Pigs fiasco? Maybe the 16,000 military "advisors" in place on vietnamese soil at the time?

reply to post by DaTroof


Talking about spending your time and bandwidth in sticking out with quality posts in other threads as opposed to worry about avatars where someone is asking for help with their avatar, and we have this as an example after that?

I recommend working on the definition of 'quality post'.

Source your statements and references, ask your questions, and frame your position.
Otherwise, if your'e just asking a question, there's this thing called Google.



As far as the speech goes, have you listened to the speech in it's entirety?
'Other things' quite possibly may have been mentioned.
Hint: The speech took place at Rice University Stadium in Houston Texas.

reply to post by DaTroof
Just to be clear: I did not read the transcripts.


Based off of only watching the short part of the speech, in that video: It is possible that the ink was smeared, and he couldn't read the other part. Maybe that's why he kept looking down at the paper, and repeating himself.

He looked at the paper, and said, "We choose to go to the Moon."

Then he looked at the paper again, and said "We choose to go to the Moon."

Then he looked at it one more time, and said "We choose to go to the Moon in this decade, and do the other things."

Maybe he had forgotten what it said, and was hoping it would come back to him, but it didn't, so he just said, "......other things."

edit on 3/22/12 by BrokenCircles because: (no reason given)

reply to post by BrokenCircles


Sorry, but that's incorrect according to official documents and saved speech notes etc.

You can see these here: www.jfklibrary.org...

Important snippet from the above link.

Title: Address at Rice University, Houston, Texas, 12 September 1962

Date(s) of Materials: 12 September 1962

Extent: 41 digital pages

Description: This folder contains materials collected by the office of President John F. Kennedy's secretary, Evelyn Lincoln, concerning President Kennedy's remarks at the Rice University Stadium in Houston, Texas concerning the nation's efforts in space exploration. In his speech the President discusses the necessity for the United States to become an international leader in space exploration, and famously states, "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." Materials in this folder include a draft by Special Counsel and speechwriter Theodore Sorensen, press copies, and a reading copy of the speech. Of note are several items with handwritten notations by the President.

According to these documents he didn't make any mistake. "We chose to go to the moon and do the other thing's" was always part of the speech.

reply to post by Rising Against


That was just the first thought that came to mind, while watching him make that statement, during this speech. That doesn't necessarily mean that I believe that's what happened.

You gotta admit though, that it is a plausible theory, based on the movements he made, during this short clip from that speech.

reply to post by BrokenCircles

You gotta admit though, that it is a plausible theory, based on the movements he made, during this short clip from that speech.

To tell you the truth, I don't think it is at all. And trust me I'm not just saying that to be difficult or anything like that here.

I mean when he says "and do the other thing's", he only really begins to look down again just as he's saying the word things - In other words he knew exactly what he was saying at that time. He had a rather good look right before he said it after all, that's very clear from the video. From seeing other speeches I know he often looked down like that to read what he was saying as did others as well - I mean let's not forget that it wasn't like today where they always have the words literally right in front of them scrolling down at a nice, easy pace at face height on a teleprompter. No, they often had it in plain text on a white piece of paper on multiple pages on a small stand forcing them to look down and read all the time. It was a very different time.

Also, saying "and doing the other thing's" like that, IMO, fit with the rest of the speech perfectly as well. It wasn't a mistake or anything like that, far from it.