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Searching for alien life is an irrational waste of energy and resources. In thousands of years of mankind's history we have seen zero compelling evidence of ali

by nukeop 9y ago

Searching for alien life is an irrational waste of energy and resources. In thousands of years of mankind's history we have seen zero compelling evidence of alien life existing in any form anywhere. The energy spent on cryptocurrencies is the cost of the unstoppable financial freedom they are creating for us. Obviously, we all wish it were smaller, but to ensure that nobody can have total control of the system, it has to be computationally heavy and expensive in terms of energy required per transaction.

adrianN 9y ago
We haven't been able to detect radio signals from outer space for almost the entirety of mankind's history. So that's not a very compelling argument.
- deleted 9y ago
  [deleted]
ekianjo 9y ago
I agree that probabilities are against us when looking for Alien life. There is probably beyond doubt some kInd of life in our galaxy, but there is no reason it would be occuring in the neighborhood. And we have no clear model that would Explain that all intelligent life would emit radio waves. Most species on Earth dont and they are certainly in the realm of what we define as intelligence.
- notheguyouthink 9y ago
  I also think there's definitely something to be said for the human spirit. Searching for something greater, aspiring for the impossible, we've lost this over the last X years. Only with Spacex does it feel like we're starting to gain some wonder back. I'm of the opinion that wonder and leaps of faith are central to the human spirit. Without it, I fear we're fast tracked for a dystopian future full of listlessness.
scandox 9y ago
> unstoppable financial freedom By the time we find out this isn't true, they will have successfully taken cash away...while we were all distracted. Can't wait for total financial surveillance. So excited. It's going to make the Big Dildo Refund joke completely non-understandable.
paulgb 9y ago
> to ensure that nobody can have total control of the system, it has to be computationally heavy and expensive in terms of energy required per transaction. To be entirely safe when I go to the grocery store I could drive a tank, but a cost-benefit analysis reveals that I shouldn't. As a thought experiment, what would happen right now if the mining incentive went to 0 and miners subsisted entirely on transaction fees? Would the system still be secure? (It's an important question since that's what will eventually happen with difficulty adjustments)
- nukeop 9y ago
  Long before that happens we will have already moved to better, more advanced crypto currency systems. Bitcoin is not the only alternative and its importance is dwindling. "Mining incentive" won't even have any meaning by the time the danger you envision is in the realm of possibility.
wu-ikkyu 9y ago
>but to ensure that nobody can have total control of the system, it has to be computationally heavy and expensive in terms of energy required per transaction. I don't understand how making it so energy intensive will level the playing field. Wouldn't that favor the existing financial authorities since they already have so much computing power and resources to begin with?
- Ygg2 9y ago
  > Wouldn't that favor the existing financial authorities since they already have so much computing power and resources to begin with? Oh, yes - absolutely. You can't escape existing systems of power by moving into the cloud. It's just a form of digital escapism.

by nukeop 9y ago

adrianN 9y ago

We haven't been able to detect radio signals from outer space for almost the entirety of mankind's history. So that's not a very compelling argument.

deleted 9y ago
[deleted]

ekianjo 9y ago

I agree that probabilities are against us when looking for Alien life. There is probably beyond doubt some kInd of life in our galaxy, but there is no reason it would be occuring in the neighborhood. And we have no clear model that would Explain that all intelligent life would emit radio waves. Most species on Earth dont and they are certainly in the realm of what we define as intelligence.

notheguyouthink 9y ago
I also think there's definitely something to be said for the human spirit. Searching for something greater, aspiring for the impossible, we've lost this over the last X years. Only with Spacex does it feel like we're starting to gain some wonder back. I'm of the opinion that wonder and leaps of faith are central to the human spirit. Without it, I fear we're fast tracked for a dystopian future full of listlessness.

scandox 9y ago

> unstoppable financial freedom By the time we find out this isn't true, they will have successfully taken cash away...while we were all distracted. Can't wait for total financial surveillance. So excited. It's going to make the Big Dildo Refund joke completely non-understandable.

paulgb 9y ago

> to ensure that nobody can have total control of the system, it has to be computationally heavy and expensive in terms of energy required per transaction. To be entirely safe when I go to the grocery store I could drive a tank, but a cost-benefit analysis reveals that I shouldn't. As a thought experiment, what would happen right now if the mining incentive went to 0 and miners subsisted entirely on transaction fees? Would the system still be secure? (It's an important question since that's what will eventually happen with difficulty adjustments)

nukeop 9y ago
Long before that happens we will have already moved to better, more advanced crypto currency systems. Bitcoin is not the only alternative and its importance is dwindling. "Mining incentive" won't even have any meaning by the time the danger you envision is in the realm of possibility.

wu-ikkyu 9y ago

>but to ensure that nobody can have total control of the system, it has to be computationally heavy and expensive in terms of energy required per transaction. I don't understand how making it so energy intensive will level the playing field. Wouldn't that favor the existing financial authorities since they already have so much computing power and resources to begin with?

Ygg2 9y ago
> Wouldn't that favor the existing financial authorities since they already have so much computing power and resources to begin with? Oh, yes - absolutely. You can't escape existing systems of power by moving into the cloud. It's just a form of digital escapism.