Jack should have survived “Titanic,” according to Neil deGrasse Tyson — here’s why

Remember fighting with your friends about whether or not Jack Dawson could have also been on that door in Titanic? Well, now Neil deGrasse Tyson says that Jack should have survived. That’s right, all those days when you thought that Jack and Rose could have lived happily ever after were not in vain!

This isn’t the first time science has tried to prove that Jack could have survived Titanic. In fact, many theories exist about how he could have stayed with Rose and they could have lived forever in love. (And if you really want, you can dine with Jack and Rose to benefit the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation).

So why do we want to continue to hurt our hearts by thinking about what could have been?

Because we love Titanic, we love Jack and Rose, and we love Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. The best part about this new theory isn’t that it doesn’t have much of a scientific backing. Instead, it’s got more of a “human nature” backing.

Tyson pointed out that he, at least, wouldn’t try just once to not freeze to death as Jack did. In case you’ve forgotten, Jack Dawson attempts to climb onto the door for all of five seconds and then just accepts his fate.

And Tyson? He’s not about that life (or, well, death). And he doesn’t think Jack would be, either.

"Whether or not he could have been successful, I would’ve tried more than once. You try once. ‘Oh, this is not gonna work. I will just freeze to death in the water.’ No, excuse me. No!" Tyson said. "The survival instinct is way stronger than that in everybody, especially in that character. He’s a survivor, right? He gets through. He gets by."

Honestly, it is funny when you think about it. Jack begins to climb, realizing the door is sinking, and then doesn’t try to really do anything else to save himself. He becomes an instant martyr. Which is maybe why we all love Jack Dawson, but either way, it is funny that Tyson points out that he wouldn’t just sit idly by and watch as his hours tick on by. He’d at least fight to survive.

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