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If Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk (while Elon isn't posting moronic nonsense on Twitter) would take all the money they've invested in their pet projects trying to col

If Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk (while Elon isn't posting moronic nonsense on Twitter) would take all the money they've invested in their pet projects trying to colonize Mars and the like and directly invested it in local programs to get some of the worst areas in the USA affected by homelessness fixed, it would likely have a greater impact on more peoples lives than what they're doing now IMO.

bryanlarsen 6y ago
I'd take the other side of that bet if it was possible. Just one of the many things that the money has enabled is 100Mbps internet to the entire globe.
- dmix 6y ago
  SpaceX can also be highly profitable which generates tons of tax revenue and jobs (which were otherwise going to Russia or simply not launching into space at all due to cost). It also offers cheaper ways for all governments to launch satellites and other research/national defense, freeing up capital for other social things. And as you've mentioned it helps create new technology opportunities which also generate efficiency/value/taxes like space internet and in the longer term mining without destroying our planet. There are plenty of benefits to society. Although there will always be a contingent who thinks everything not an altruistic social giveout = bad use of excess capital.
Dig1t 6y ago
The goal is not to impact the lives of individuals. The goal is to preserve intelligence in the event of a catastrophe. As far as we know, we are the only part of the universe that is capable of consciousness. The argument is that it is worth going to great lengths to insure against species-wide disasters (e.g. runaway global warming, giant meteor, World War 3) Its macro-level thinking versus micro-level.
- res0nat0r 6y ago
  The earth becoming uninhabitable due to climate change is going to happen way sooner than any pipe dream of folks trying to live on Mars, if they were really concerned about preserving the human species they would be putting billions of dollars into that instead.
  - bryanlarsen 6y ago
    > if they were really concerned about preserving the human species they would be putting billions of dollars into that instead. But they have. Bezos has invested heavily into Rivian, and Musk into Tesla.
  - goatlover 6y ago
    The Earth didn’t become uninhabitable to animals and plants when volcanic activity raised the CO2 level to six times the current amount preceding dinosaur evolution. And it won’t happen for us either. That doesn’t mean climate change won’t be a significant challenge, but it’s not an extinction level event for generalists like humans who can survive in all sorts of environments.
deepnotderp 6y ago
"If Boulton and Watt would stop wasting their time and money with those silly steam engines..."
goatlover 6y ago
Maybe because it’s the governments job to address homelessness, not Bezos and Musk. Also, does throwing money at the problem fix it? What is the fix? Do they know? Do you? How do you know they don’t also donate to charities?

bryanlarsen 6y ago

I'd take the other side of that bet if it was possible. Just one of the many things that the money has enabled is 100Mbps internet to the entire globe.

dmix 6y ago
SpaceX can also be highly profitable which generates tons of tax revenue and jobs (which were otherwise going to Russia or simply not launching into space at all due to cost). It also offers cheaper ways for all governments to launch satellites and other research/national defense, freeing up capital for other social things. And as you've mentioned it helps create new technology opportunities which also generate efficiency/value/taxes like space internet and in the longer term mining without destroying our planet. There are plenty of benefits to society. Although there will always be a contingent who thinks everything not an altruistic social giveout = bad use of excess capital.

Dig1t 6y ago

The goal is not to impact the lives of individuals. The goal is to preserve intelligence in the event of a catastrophe. As far as we know, we are the only part of the universe that is capable of consciousness. The argument is that it is worth going to great lengths to insure against species-wide disasters (e.g. runaway global warming, giant meteor, World War 3) Its macro-level thinking versus micro-level.

res0nat0r 6y ago
The earth becoming uninhabitable due to climate change is going to happen way sooner than any pipe dream of folks trying to live on Mars, if they were really concerned about preserving the human species they would be putting billions of dollars into that instead.
- bryanlarsen 6y ago
  > if they were really concerned about preserving the human species they would be putting billions of dollars into that instead. But they have. Bezos has invested heavily into Rivian, and Musk into Tesla.
- goatlover 6y ago
  The Earth didn’t become uninhabitable to animals and plants when volcanic activity raised the CO2 level to six times the current amount preceding dinosaur evolution. And it won’t happen for us either. That doesn’t mean climate change won’t be a significant challenge, but it’s not an extinction level event for generalists like humans who can survive in all sorts of environments.

deepnotderp 6y ago

"If Boulton and Watt would stop wasting their time and money with those silly steam engines..."

goatlover 6y ago

Maybe because it’s the governments job to address homelessness, not Bezos and Musk. Also, does throwing money at the problem fix it? What is the fix? Do they know? Do you? How do you know they don’t also donate to charities?