That is because people are not taught to appreciate the wider Universe. I saw the Venus Transit just as the Sun was rising and with our star being dimmed to a red ball on the horizon, I could actually see the planet on the star's disk without optical aid! I was floored by it, not to mention knowing it was an event that hadn't happened in 122 years and would not again after 2012 until 2117.

I was with someone who was no astronomy buff, but after she saw the transit with her own eyes, she too was amazed and caught up in the wonder of it all.

People need to know these things. They don't have to love it or be into it, but they need to understand and at least appreciate the Universe. Or if all else fails, then to stay out of the way of those who do. Ignorance and apathy are the worst diseases facing humanity.