> The best argument against the billionaire space race is how little impact it will have on the lives of most of Earth’s inhabitants. It will inaugurate a new e

> The best argument against the billionaire space race is how little impact it will have on the lives of most of Earth’s inhabitants. It will inaugurate a new era of ultra-expensive stunt tourism, perhaps, but it will do nothing for the common good, especially when companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin are competing to crowd low-earth orbit with thousands of small satellites. Vast and unearned fortunes have been spent on what are essentially private entertainments: Bezos has said that he sells $1 billion in Amazon stock each year to fund Blue Origin. ... There's a lot going on here. Hate on billionaires, that makes sense. Envy is a terrible thing. "Unearned" fortunes and all of that. But the bigger problem is a gross misinterpretation of history and the human condition. Do people take big leaps into the unknown out of desire for understanding? Some primal thirst for knowledge? Some do. Most don't. If you really want to create a stampede into the unknown, the thing to do is plant rumors of fortunes to be made. Even better, broadcast reports about ordinary Joe's striking it rich. Nothing in the world is more motivating than the realization that your neighbor has become rich. Unfortunately, the author isn't alone in misreading history and human motivation, but I'll bet they get the envy part.