4 ms·
The biggest problem with Elon and it's not just him or his fault is that the biggest barrier is our political systems. $100M is like a small city's annual budge
by dumbfoundded 5y ago
The biggest problem with Elon and it's not just him or his fault is that the biggest barrier is our political systems. $100M is like a small city's annual budget. In Ashland, OR the city budget is $140M/year with about 20,000 residents. This prize is not going to solve anything. Even if Elon spent all of his money on this prize, it would still be a drop in the bucket compared to how many resources our political systems control. As much as these well intentioned billionaires try, they're never going solve anything important.
- datameta 5y agoI would say the measured impact of something like an xPrize is not expressly in how much money is awarded even though it does directly fuel further R&D and other expenses of the leading teams. I think it is rather the time and effort that is directed toward achieving the goal and the public discourse that is generated from the process. It is also the fact that a portion of up-and-coming engineers and scientists still in their studies will see it as inspiration to dedicate themselves toward the relevant field(s).
- mleonhard 5y agoThe largest barrier to human progress is personal greed. It reduces the effectiveness of our governments. It directs our brightest minds toward harmful projects like making addicting apps. Personal greed deforms peoples' attitudes about work, leading them to marginalize those few people who are driven by other motivations. I think we need to experiment with new political systems. One I am interested in is democracy + communism. I think it's time to start a new city where everyone earns the same salary. I have many ideas for how to start and build the city and make it a great place to live.