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Aren't you overhyping it a little bit? Crossing the Rubicon (Rubicon is a river)? Civilians were being already sent in 1986 (unsuccessfully...) and in 1990 (su

Aren't you overhyping it a little bit? Crossing the Rubicon (Rubicon is a river)? Civilians were being already sent in 1986 (unsuccessfully...) and in 1990 (successfully). What's a difference between a civilian that has or has not a prosthesis? It is not like they are going to be doing some kind of superhuman feats. They could have sent a disabled person just as well in 1986 if they decided so. If I remember there were even discussions to choose who to send to space to show how routine and safe it is and disabled person was discussed. But in the end they decided to choose woman teacher as better publicity stunt. The real important differences here are: 1. Falling costs of sending anything to orbit. 2. A business model and a technical plan to keep the costs falling for the foreseeable future. 3. Competition supported by free market. 4. A leader with power, means, plan, drive and ability to execute to achieve great things.

SideburnsOfDoom 5y ago
> Crossing the Rubicon (Rubicon is a river)? "Today, the phrase crossing the Rubicon is a metaphor that means to pass a point of no return." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossing_the_Rubicon https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossing_the_Rubicon Overhyped or not; that's a perfectly valid metaphor to use to phrase it. I'd go with "milestone" which is less hype, but is also a metaphor, as no actual stone marking out a mile will be involved.
- enkid 5y ago
  I think the poster is saying it's not really a single point if no return and therefore isn't a great analogy. Crossing the Rubicon was about a single act that so broke the status quo it was impossible to undo that. This is more about the accumulation of a bunch of small steps making minor adjustments to the status quo instead of a singular act.
  - SideburnsOfDoom 5y ago
    That's why I would favour "milestone". I understand what is meant by the "Rubicon" statement though (it's not about a river). Separate from if I agree with it or not.
    - lmilcin 5y ago
      Yes, milestone would be better because it is an arbitrary point that doesn't need to have some special significance other than the fact it is easy to detect when it has been reached.

SideburnsOfDoom 5y ago

> Crossing the Rubicon (Rubicon is a river)? "Today, the phrase crossing the Rubicon is a metaphor that means to pass a point of no return." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossing_the_Rubicon https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossing_the_Rubicon Overhyped or not; that's a perfectly valid metaphor to use to phrase it. I'd go with "milestone" which is less hype, but is also a metaphor, as no actual stone marking out a mile will be involved.

enkid 5y ago
I think the poster is saying it's not really a single point if no return and therefore isn't a great analogy. Crossing the Rubicon was about a single act that so broke the status quo it was impossible to undo that. This is more about the accumulation of a bunch of small steps making minor adjustments to the status quo instead of a singular act.
- SideburnsOfDoom 5y ago
  That's why I would favour "milestone". I understand what is meant by the "Rubicon" statement though (it's not about a river). Separate from if I agree with it or not.
  - lmilcin 5y ago
    Yes, milestone would be better because it is an arbitrary point that doesn't need to have some special significance other than the fact it is easy to detect when it has been reached.