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This is something I am finding myself wrestling with a lot right now. On the one hand I am a major space nerd and I see the value of what SpaceX is doing. Espe

This is something I am finding myself wrestling with a lot right now. On the one hand I am a major space nerd and I see the value of what SpaceX is doing. Especially with it really seeming like no one is anywhere near their level. What kind of scientific advancements will be possible once this thing can be used normally and launches like this become commonplace. But at the same time it is impossible to ignore the Elon situation. And that also directly relates to Trump as well. We are in this bonkers situation where he helped get a largely anti-science administration in power and yet also runs one of the companies that will help science. It does raise serious questions about whether or not there will be limitations on what types of science can be done. Will they have some line in the sand and say they won't launch satellites that do "X", like maybe monitor climate change. I think maybe rooting for them to fail is a bit much, but I am sure as hell hoping that someone else can catch up. But in the mean time I will celebrate these achievements cautiously. Recognizing the amazing work that the engineers at SpaceX have put into this, because they do deserve a lot of credit for that.

bethekidyouwant 1y ago
“a satellite that monitors climate change” - really you think Elon Musk is not gonna fly satellites with instruments on them that point downwards?
- nerdjon 1y ago
  I am stating an example due to the current political discourse over climate change not that it would be something they specifically would not do. My point with stating it, is it is not unreasonable to ask the question if we are reliant on a company with someone like Elon owning it is what the company will and will not fly going to be dependent on politics.
- anthem2025 1y ago
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bilsbie 1y ago
What if the guy who built the world’s best rocket from scratch, who popularized EVs and brought self-driving tech to the masses, who built brain computer interfaces, dug tunnels, started OpenAI and PayPal… What if he’s not an idiot? What if we should actually be listening to what this guy says and considering it? What if he has the same ability to see what nobody else can see early on in politics… As he’s shown across the rest of his career?
- saubeidl 1y ago
  What if his motivations and class interest are not aligned with ours? Are you the richest man in the world? If not, could it be that what is good for the person in that position is not good for you or most other people?
- jaysonelliot 1y ago
  "Dug tunnels" - one of the most ridiculous boondoggles of any modern industrialist. The Boring Company is a machine for overpromising to get government contracts and underdelivering at exponential scale. He didn't start PayPal, he joined it and ended up getting fired, albeit with a golden parachute that gave him the chance to make more bets. The "accomplishments" you're listing are mostly just investments that he managed to hype up very well. I'll give him this, he's an excellent huckster. But listen to his opinions? I wouldn't let him tell me what color an orange was.
  - anthem2025 1y ago
    [dead]
- dwaltrip 1y ago
  What if he isn’t an idiot and has accomplished very impressive things, but has started acting like an idiot due to severe personal issues?
- ActorNightly 1y ago
  >What if he’s not an idiot? Lets evaluate that claim, by first defining what an idiot is, and then looking at his history, all the things he said, and all the things he has done. Ill skip you the trouble of going through that process - he is very much an idiot. Don't confuse the ability to throw money at something and make it work through sheer cash burn with actual intelligence.
bilsbie 1y ago
I love the arrogance that anyone who disagrees with you is “anti-science”. Please tell us which culture war topics he’s anti-science on.
- nerdjon 1y ago
  Do you mean Trump or Elon? No where am I stating that Elon is anti-science, only that he helped get an anti-science administration in place. As far as Trump (and the administration in general) being anti-science. I really don't think I need to list examples of this.
- aDyslecticCrow 1y ago
  - Denial of climate change. - Deletion of economic databases. - Deletion of public health information and historical weather databases. - Criticism of vaccine effectivness - Defunding of health and climate research funds. - Leaving the largest international research alliances in Climate and Health. - Defunding of NASA He called the administration anti-science, which is well grounded claim. But no part of the phrasing implies that "republicans" are anti science or that you are.
BlackjackCF 1y ago
It’s honestly amazing what SpaceX has been able to accomplish despite Elon. I mean - look at what his interference has done to Tesla and Twitter. The execs at SpaceX seem like they know how to manage Elon so that their employees are actually able to deliver.

bethekidyouwant 1y ago

“a satellite that monitors climate change” - really you think Elon Musk is not gonna fly satellites with instruments on them that point downwards?

nerdjon 1y ago
I am stating an example due to the current political discourse over climate change not that it would be something they specifically would not do. My point with stating it, is it is not unreasonable to ask the question if we are reliant on a company with someone like Elon owning it is what the company will and will not fly going to be dependent on politics.
anthem2025 1y ago
[dead]

bilsbie 1y ago

What if the guy who built the world’s best rocket from scratch, who popularized EVs and brought self-driving tech to the masses, who built brain computer interfaces, dug tunnels, started OpenAI and PayPal… What if he’s not an idiot? What if we should actually be listening to what this guy says and considering it? What if he has the same ability to see what nobody else can see early on in politics… As he’s shown across the rest of his career?

saubeidl 1y ago
What if his motivations and class interest are not aligned with ours? Are you the richest man in the world? If not, could it be that what is good for the person in that position is not good for you or most other people?
jaysonelliot 1y ago
"Dug tunnels" - one of the most ridiculous boondoggles of any modern industrialist. The Boring Company is a machine for overpromising to get government contracts and underdelivering at exponential scale. He didn't start PayPal, he joined it and ended up getting fired, albeit with a golden parachute that gave him the chance to make more bets. The "accomplishments" you're listing are mostly just investments that he managed to hype up very well. I'll give him this, he's an excellent huckster. But listen to his opinions? I wouldn't let him tell me what color an orange was.
- anthem2025 1y ago
  [dead]
dwaltrip 1y ago
What if he isn’t an idiot and has accomplished very impressive things, but has started acting like an idiot due to severe personal issues?
ActorNightly 1y ago
>What if he’s not an idiot? Lets evaluate that claim, by first defining what an idiot is, and then looking at his history, all the things he said, and all the things he has done. Ill skip you the trouble of going through that process - he is very much an idiot. Don't confuse the ability to throw money at something and make it work through sheer cash burn with actual intelligence.

bilsbie 1y ago

I love the arrogance that anyone who disagrees with you is “anti-science”. Please tell us which culture war topics he’s anti-science on.

nerdjon 1y ago
Do you mean Trump or Elon? No where am I stating that Elon is anti-science, only that he helped get an anti-science administration in place. As far as Trump (and the administration in general) being anti-science. I really don't think I need to list examples of this.
aDyslecticCrow 1y ago
- Denial of climate change. - Deletion of economic databases. - Deletion of public health information and historical weather databases. - Criticism of vaccine effectivness - Defunding of health and climate research funds. - Leaving the largest international research alliances in Climate and Health. - Defunding of NASA He called the administration anti-science, which is well grounded claim. But no part of the phrasing implies that "republicans" are anti science or that you are.

BlackjackCF 1y ago

It’s honestly amazing what SpaceX has been able to accomplish despite Elon. I mean - look at what his interference has done to Tesla and Twitter. The execs at SpaceX seem like they know how to manage Elon so that their employees are actually able to deliver.