3 ms·

Whether or not we actually stick around on Mars, the mere thought that hundreds/thousands of us are going to walk on its surface within my lifetime is just so m

by ein0p 2y ago

Whether or not we actually stick around on Mars, the mere thought that hundreds/thousands of us are going to walk on its surface within my lifetime is just so mind blowing and exciting to me. For the life of me I can't see why Musk is the only person in the world able to will such massive things into existence, and nobody else, irrespective of the level of wealth, is even trying. Shit, not even the nation states are trying anymore.

unsnap_biceps 2y ago
Unfortunately people are struggling to have a nice life. When you struggle, you don't really have the ability to look beyond a very local horizon. The best way to ignite passion among the population is to figure out how to fix the destruction of the middle class and allow people to dream beyond if they can make rent next month or worry about medical bills. And nation states operate based upon the population's support. If the population was clambering for a mars trip, we'd do one, but without that support, it just won't happen.
- ein0p 2y ago
  I'm not talking about people who struggle. Plenty of rich MFs out there who aren't really doing anything anywhere near as inspirational with their wealth. I mean them, the people for whom a few billion here and there is not going to make much of a difference.
happytoexplain 2y ago
Life in the top nations isn't as comfortable as it once was. Politics are more childish and socially harmful than ever. The public consciousness is a less fertile place for developing the will and excitement for big-idea things like exploration.
JohnBooty 2y ago
While visiting the Smithsonian Natural History museum two years ago, I teared up while touching a piece of a Mars meteorite. I was filled with dread prior to the James Webb's launch and filled with elation after the dang thing actually worked. I dunno, I'm just saying: I'm passionate about this stuff. And yet IDGAF about putting people on Mars. Mars is a dead wasteland. It will always be a dead wasteland. It's freezing, there's radiation, there's very little atmosphere. Life on Mars would be so far beyond bleak that it's beyond imagination. There's no science humans can do there that probes can't do better for a given amount of money. There's also a much higher risk of accident and death than the moon landings, and such things have a potential to be huge net negatives for the whole space effort. Aside from billionaire tourism it's hard to imagine any economic benefit either, though I agree that shouldn't be a hard requirement for scientific progress. If we had a way to get there and back and put settlements there cheaply and safely it might start to seem more exciting. That can never be a reality with current propulsion technology. Maybe in 50-100 years if fusion becomes a thing?

by ein0p 2y ago

unsnap_biceps 2y ago

Unfortunately people are struggling to have a nice life. When you struggle, you don't really have the ability to look beyond a very local horizon. The best way to ignite passion among the population is to figure out how to fix the destruction of the middle class and allow people to dream beyond if they can make rent next month or worry about medical bills. And nation states operate based upon the population's support. If the population was clambering for a mars trip, we'd do one, but without that support, it just won't happen.

ein0p 2y ago
I'm not talking about people who struggle. Plenty of rich MFs out there who aren't really doing anything anywhere near as inspirational with their wealth. I mean them, the people for whom a few billion here and there is not going to make much of a difference.

happytoexplain 2y ago

Life in the top nations isn't as comfortable as it once was. Politics are more childish and socially harmful than ever. The public consciousness is a less fertile place for developing the will and excitement for big-idea things like exploration.

JohnBooty 2y ago

While visiting the Smithsonian Natural History museum two years ago, I teared up while touching a piece of a Mars meteorite. I was filled with dread prior to the James Webb's launch and filled with elation after the dang thing actually worked. I dunno, I'm just saying: I'm passionate about this stuff. And yet IDGAF about putting people on Mars. Mars is a dead wasteland. It will always be a dead wasteland. It's freezing, there's radiation, there's very little atmosphere. Life on Mars would be so far beyond bleak that it's beyond imagination. There's no science humans can do there that probes can't do better for a given amount of money. There's also a much higher risk of accident and death than the moon landings, and such things have a potential to be huge net negatives for the whole space effort. Aside from billionaire tourism it's hard to imagine any economic benefit either, though I agree that shouldn't be a hard requirement for scientific progress. If we had a way to get there and back and put settlements there cheaply and safely it might start to seem more exciting. That can never be a reality with current propulsion technology. Maybe in 50-100 years if fusion becomes a thing?