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I wonder what you mean by "moving humanity forward". Just technological advancements without other considerations? In my opinion it should at least require redu
by jneaty 3mo ago
I wonder what you mean by "moving humanity forward". Just technological advancements without other considerations? In my opinion it should at least require reducing human suffering, and if ao he has done more harm than good
- rowanG077 3mo agoI agree with this. But imo its pretty clear that cheap and easy access to the internet on the entire globe is a clear win.
- JKCalhoun 3mo agoThe brief history of the internet suggests to me that this is not a clear win.
- protimewaster 3mo agoThe guy in charge of it has demonstrated that he'll cut people off from accessing it on a whim, though, so it's not really cheap and easy access for the entire globe. It's access for the selected people.
- rowanG077 3mo agoDoesn't that hold for all internet providers? I'm not familiar with SpaceX cutting people of, but that doesn't sound out of line compared to industry.
- zorak8me 3mo agoOther Internet providers at least have true boards of directors, shareholders with decision power, etc. One person doesn’t have the power to snap their fingers and make decisions based on how much ketamine they’re on at the time.
- rowanG077 3mo agoI'm sorry that I don't agree with you that a out of touch board of directors or shareholders are better from the get go than Musk.
- inemesitaffia 3mo ago[flagged]
- protimewaster 3mo agoThey also have cut off people who paid, though. It's currently being paid for and had another cutoff for Ukraine in early February.
- inemesitaffia 3mo ago[flagged]
- inemesitaffia 3mo agoRegister with Diia or Delta and you'll get your service back. You're Russian? Sucks to be you
- Scroll_Swe 3mo agoKilling Russian access was good, no?
- pixel_popping 3mo agoI understand that you want Russia to have access to it without interruption but until there is some sort of "International law" regarding those newer ways of providing Internet, politics will win.
- rlt 3mo agoWho did Starlink cut off? Russia, which is legally sanctioned and illegal for US companies to do business with?
- rglullis 3mo agoIt's already pretty cheap, global and universally available.
- rowanG077 3mo agoThis is just not true. Not even electricity or hell water is globally available.
- bluegatty 3mo agoAlmost all of us already have that, and the rest can as well. The problem is not 'space' - it's getting ourselves sufficiently organized.
- RetpolineDrama 3mo ago[flagged]
- deleted 3mo ago[deleted]
- hackable_sand 3mo agoThey don't mean technological advancements. It's the same neo-liberal aggression couched in rhetorical trickery.
- Dig1t 3mo agoThere are millions of people in Africa and rural areas around the world who have access to the internet because of these satellites. This massively reduces human suffering. Millions of people can now get medical information, farming, manufacturing techniques, talk to experts around the world. Connecting people to the wealth of human knowledge has a huge impact on reducing suffering. It also just directly saves lives by connecting people in an emergency to people who can help. Additionally, Ukraine would have lost the war a long time ago if these satellites didn’t exist. You could go on for a long time listing the ways these satellites reduce suffering.
- digitaltrees 3mo agoGovernment could be the creator of this just like it was with GPS. We are very tolerant of government innovation and infrastructure when it’s a military resource. But when it’s a pure public good everyone claims it’s wasteful or less efficient than the private sector. Why do we need to let this be a monopoly controlled by one person. A king in a board room is still a king.
- electriclove 3mo agoIf they could have, they would have.
- digitaltrees 3mo agoCould logically, logistically, financially and technologically also require politically. That’s the only thing that has been missing. When there was a political will there was a space race. Remove the political motive and suddenly it isn’t happening. Why do you conflate all of those abilities when it’s merely a political problem.
- Dig1t 3mo agoBefore SpaceX demonstrated viability of reusable rockets nearly every single government industry expert on the topic dismissed the idea of reusable rockets as impractical and infeasible. It’s not simply a matter of political will, the quality of what governments have been able to produce just is no match for what companies can do. It’s the same for rockets as it is for cars, computers, or anything else. Ever heard of a government-made car? There were a few that came out of the Soviet Union and they were laughably bad and only obtainable in small quantities. Rockets and satellites are the same way, the government just does not have the same incentives to produce things that companies have. The proof is in the rockets. Compare SpaceX’s rockets with any government developed rockets anywhere in the world, it’s not even close. Falcon 9, Heavy, Starship, Dragon. The government never would have come close to developing any craft like these let alone being able to launch a constellation like Starlink.