5 ms·

Seriously, are dismissive and pessimistic remarks like this the top-voted comment on _every single_ Hacker News post these days? Elon Musk has built a fucking

by marvin 14y ago

Seriously, are dismissive and pessimistic remarks like this the top-voted comment on _every single_ Hacker News post these days? Elon Musk has built a fucking space rocket company and is defeating Boeing, Lockheed Martin and MDD in a business they've dominated for the last 40 years. I think this is an incredibly impressive accomplishment, and SpaceX's ambitions to make it possible to do manned missions to Mars is exactly what we need to bring humanity forward. Just from the science side alone, having actual people on Mars would be of tremendous value. If you think of what we know about Mars, think about how much more we would know if we were able to do more complex experiments there. Whether you personally think it's a good idea to settle down on Mars or not isn't very relevant. You're pointing at some very relevant issues, but why not phrase it in a more constructive tone? I'm sorry for the negativity, but it pisses me off when grand ideas and accomplishments are dismissed so offhandedly. Getting to Mars is not nearly "nothing", even compared to _anything_ that humans have ever done.

Retric 14y ago
There competing and making money, but they are still a tiny player so I don't know if you can say there winning. The space industry is much like the healthcare industry in that once your a large player you can't really grow much and there are a lot of perverse incentives to be less efficient.
damoncali 14y ago
I think you're being a bit hyperbolic. Musk built a small aerospace company. He's not exactly crushing Boeing.
- trafficlight 14y ago
  Not crushing, but he's competing with them and that's impressive.
jpxxx 14y ago
Sure. Elon Musk is a heroic man. His car company is a marvel, and his space program is spectacular. His unfettered ability to speak without a mouth full of funder's cock or a PR minder sitting in the room is refreshing. His visions are grounded in technical and physical reality, his powers of observation are keen, and he has the personality and resources it takes to organize people in service of great accomplishments. Sanely priced two-way trips to Mars will change the course of humanity by enabling us to colonize the solar system and perhaps ensure a longer story for all mankind. This is the most interesting thing I've read all day, and he deserves every bit of attention. Now back to your regularly scheduled pessimism: Humanity has a long way to go, and a change of scenery isn't going to do all that much for her. The United States of America with her vast resources and impeccable pedigree in advancing Enlightenment is operating a torture camp for political prisoners in a subtropical shithole. What exactly happens when we send a thousand of our best and brightest and edgiest and most ambitious to live in what is essentially an submarine entombed underground for a decade? Do they live up to the Star Trek ideal? Or do they do what people in confined spaces tend to do? Can we provide a reasonable quality of life for colonists? Beyond maintaining air pressure and food, can we provide for them spiritually and emotionally? Can we provide a -life-? Geology only gets you so far. Even on Earth it's kind of an obscure trade, and geology is about all there is to -do- on Mars. What does a day to day life look like there? Do the children go to school? How is conflict handled? Who participates in what activities? What if there is too much to do? What if there isn't enough to do? How do you settle transplanetary custody battles when it means mommy or daddy taking the kid on a potentially lethal trip to another planet? How do you handle disease when everyone's in a thousand foot wide sphere? How do you bury people on an igneous planet? What does suicide mean for a Martian civilization? There are a billion things to consider, and Elon has the first five thousand handled. I am delighted that we get to think about the rest now.
- indiecore 14y ago
  >What exactly happens when we send a thousand of our best and brightest and edgiest and most ambitious to live in what is essentially an submarine entombed underground for a decade? That's what we're trying to find out.
- nickzarzycki 14y ago
  >I am delighted You certainly don't sound like it.
  - jpxxx 14y ago
    I would sprint through a minefield to be on that first boat out. My wallpaper at one point in life was panoramic prints from the Opportunity rover. I wrote Kim Stanley Robinson a fan letter, signed with a chewed up gelly pen. I am utterly delighted. But the hard part is extremely, extremely, extremely hard. It's not getting there, it's staying there. And scant few people are focusing on what it would actually look like and how it would actually work if we actually sent people offworld, which I very much want to happen. Mars500 needs to be Mars5000000 before this dream is real. Honestly, if we could airlift people into the Sahel with a real-world replica of what would be going to Mars and they could make it a few years, I could die happy. Elon Musk has the easy job in all this.
    - InternetUser 14y ago
      I have to say that I definitely agree with your point--and your writing style is great. Do you happen to have a blog or contribute material to any other website (aside from this one, of course)?
      - jpxxx 14y ago
        Soon, thank you. But I doubt I'll connect it to this or any of my other sour and shitty identities. Time for a fresh start.
    - waterlesscloud 14y ago
jberryman 14y ago
I really liked his comment, and didn't consider it dismissive. Reminded me of Ray Bradbury in fact.

by marvin 14y ago

Retric 14y ago

There competing and making money, but they are still a tiny player so I don't know if you can say there winning. The space industry is much like the healthcare industry in that once your a large player you can't really grow much and there are a lot of perverse incentives to be less efficient.

damoncali 14y ago

I think you're being a bit hyperbolic. Musk built a small aerospace company. He's not exactly crushing Boeing.

trafficlight 14y ago
Not crushing, but he's competing with them and that's impressive.

jpxxx 14y ago

Sure. Elon Musk is a heroic man. His car company is a marvel, and his space program is spectacular. His unfettered ability to speak without a mouth full of funder's cock or a PR minder sitting in the room is refreshing. His visions are grounded in technical and physical reality, his powers of observation are keen, and he has the personality and resources it takes to organize people in service of great accomplishments. Sanely priced two-way trips to Mars will change the course of humanity by enabling us to colonize the solar system and perhaps ensure a longer story for all mankind. This is the most interesting thing I've read all day, and he deserves every bit of attention. Now back to your regularly scheduled pessimism: Humanity has a long way to go, and a change of scenery isn't going to do all that much for her. The United States of America with her vast resources and impeccable pedigree in advancing Enlightenment is operating a torture camp for political prisoners in a subtropical shithole. What exactly happens when we send a thousand of our best and brightest and edgiest and most ambitious to live in what is essentially an submarine entombed underground for a decade? Do they live up to the Star Trek ideal? Or do they do what people in confined spaces tend to do? Can we provide a reasonable quality of life for colonists? Beyond maintaining air pressure and food, can we provide for them spiritually and emotionally? Can we provide a -life-? Geology only gets you so far. Even on Earth it's kind of an obscure trade, and geology is about all there is to -do- on Mars. What does a day to day life look like there? Do the children go to school? How is conflict handled? Who participates in what activities? What if there is too much to do? What if there isn't enough to do? How do you settle transplanetary custody battles when it means mommy or daddy taking the kid on a potentially lethal trip to another planet? How do you handle disease when everyone's in a thousand foot wide sphere? How do you bury people on an igneous planet? What does suicide mean for a Martian civilization? There are a billion things to consider, and Elon has the first five thousand handled. I am delighted that we get to think about the rest now.

indiecore 14y ago
>What exactly happens when we send a thousand of our best and brightest and edgiest and most ambitious to live in what is essentially an submarine entombed underground for a decade? That's what we're trying to find out.
nickzarzycki 14y ago
>I am delighted You certainly don't sound like it.
- jpxxx 14y ago
  I would sprint through a minefield to be on that first boat out. My wallpaper at one point in life was panoramic prints from the Opportunity rover. I wrote Kim Stanley Robinson a fan letter, signed with a chewed up gelly pen. I am utterly delighted. But the hard part is extremely, extremely, extremely hard. It's not getting there, it's staying there. And scant few people are focusing on what it would actually look like and how it would actually work if we actually sent people offworld, which I very much want to happen. Mars500 needs to be Mars5000000 before this dream is real. Honestly, if we could airlift people into the Sahel with a real-world replica of what would be going to Mars and they could make it a few years, I could die happy. Elon Musk has the easy job in all this.
  - InternetUser 14y ago
    I have to say that I definitely agree with your point--and your writing style is great. Do you happen to have a blog or contribute material to any other website (aside from this one, of course)?
    - jpxxx 14y ago
      Soon, thank you. But I doubt I'll connect it to this or any of my other sour and shitty identities. Time for a fresh start.
  - waterlesscloud 14y ago

jberryman 14y ago

I really liked his comment, and didn't consider it dismissive. Reminded me of Ray Bradbury in fact.