Why space exploration is a pointless waste of money

Started by Hydra009, April 01, 2017, 01:46:32 PM

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Hydra009

For the longest time, I've considered myself an advocate for science and technology.  Scientific advancement gives us the power to do things that were previously impossible - feed the hungry, wipe out diseases, build great machines to ensure a high standard of living, and to perform previously godlike feats with trivial ease.  In short, science is knowledge and knowledge is power.

So it seems like a foregone conclusion that mankind should take to the stars.  Not only for the direct scientific and resourcing benefits, but also because the cooperation necessary for such a feat would inevitably bring participating nations closer together.  Also, on an individual level, a space pioneer slipping the surly bonds of Earth, making camp on Luna or Mars, and seeing that pale blue dot from a fresh perspective...how could that experience possibly be anything but ennobling?  One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.

But lately, I've come to realize the naiveté and foolishness of this dream.  Space is vast and empty and dangerous.  Yes, dangerous.  We're risking peoples lives and for what?  To bring back chunks of rock?  That's crazy.

Look, space exploration was fine and dandy when we were up against the Ruskies and we put the stars and stripes on the moon to show them who has the bigger rocket.  That space race is over.  Since then, America has moved on to new threats, like Islamic terrorism, an increasingly formidable China, and a revanchist Russia.  America has moved on from the 1960s, NASA has not.

NASA still plays a vital role in tracking climate change, but let's honest for a second - this isn't some selfless organization intent on making the world a better place, this is a wasteful government bureaucracy trying desperately to justify its billions-per-year budget.  They're just lining their pockets on the taxpayer dime.  NASA isn't truly interested in global warming; it simply realized that wearing green is a convenient way to get government money.

And speaking of money, these billions of dollars could certainly be put to better use.  Instead of building some probe that's just going to drop dead on Mars even if it doesn't crash on the way, we could put it to much more productive endeavors.  As a wise man once said, there's no such thing as a free lunch; expenditures in space exploration necessarily divert money away from education, Social Security, etc.  Do you think it's right to take money away from Meals On Wheels to fulfill some nerds' fantasies?  I don't.

So please, let's all give up this silly dream and refocus our efforts on making this world better.  Space will always be out there.  Let's deal with our problems here, first.

Gawdzilla Sama

"Senor Columbus, your idea is stupid. No money from me or Isabelle!"
We 'new atheists' have a reputation for being militant, but make no mistake  we didn't start this war. If you want to place blame put it on the the religious zealots who have been poisoning the minds of the  young for a long long time."
PZ Myers

Hydra009

Quote from: Gawdzilla Sama on April 01, 2017, 01:50:34 PM"Senor Columbus, your idea is stupid. No money from me or Isabelle!"
Some monarchs said exactly that and they were right to do so.  Columbus never delivered on his promise of a route to India and he was a foul, contemptible racist and slaver besides.  Can you believe this guy has his own holiday?

Gawdzilla Sama

Quote from: Hydra009 on April 01, 2017, 01:56:57 PM
Some monarchs said exactly that and they were right to do so.  Columbus never delivered on his promise of a route to India and he was a foul, contemptible racist and slaver besides.  Can you believe this guy has his own holiday?
You claim they were right to not fund exploration. From a certain POV I would agree. But do you think we'll really exploit the natives of Titan?
We 'new atheists' have a reputation for being militant, but make no mistake  we didn't start this war. If you want to place blame put it on the the religious zealots who have been poisoning the minds of the  young for a long long time."
PZ Myers

Hydra009

Titan is probably lifeless, so no.  But we'd just exploit and despoil it like we've done to everything else we've touched.  Another sacrificial lamb for the god of capitalism.  Why not allow it to exist in its pristine state and concern ourselves with our own affairs?

aitm

The space industry brought a lot a positives to sciences, medicine, clothing, even agriculture. How to measure the positives v neg is beyond my pay scale. Ask Barauch.
A humans desire to live is exceeded only by their willingness to die for another. Even god cannot equal this magnificent sacrifice. No god has the right to judge them.-first tenant of the Panotheust

Hydra009

Quote from: aitm on April 01, 2017, 02:23:48 PMThe space industry brought a lot a positives to sciences, medicine, clothing, even agriculture. How to measure the positives v neg is beyond my pay scale. Ask Barauch.
Yeah, but a $2 billion probe for a $10 non-stick skillet??  Seems like a bad deal to me.

Gawdzilla Sama

Quote from: Hydra009 on April 01, 2017, 02:20:02 PM
Titan is probably lifeless, so no.  But we'd just exploit and despoil it like we've done to everything else we've touched.  Another sacrificial lamb for the god of capitalism.  Why not allow it to exist in its pristine state and concern ourselves with our own affairs?
Why leave it there doing nothing when we can use it to power colonies in space. Stay on this rock if you want, history will wave as it passes.
We 'new atheists' have a reputation for being militant, but make no mistake  we didn't start this war. If you want to place blame put it on the the religious zealots who have been poisoning the minds of the  young for a long long time."
PZ Myers

Gawdzilla Sama

Quote from: Hydra009 on April 01, 2017, 02:32:40 PM
Yeah, but a $2 billion probe for a $10 non-stick skillet??  Seems like a bad deal to me.
Oh, please. How many millions of teflon items have been made and sold?
We 'new atheists' have a reputation for being militant, but make no mistake  we didn't start this war. If you want to place blame put it on the the religious zealots who have been poisoning the minds of the  young for a long long time."
PZ Myers

Hydra009

Quote from: Gawdzilla Sama on April 01, 2017, 05:11:25 PMOh, please. How many millions of teflon items have been made and sold?
Probably at least 12.  But we could've just made those on Earth without the $2 billion probe added on.  We keep throwing money out into space, don't the geniuses at NASA know we need money here?

PopeyesPappy

Save a life. Adopt a Greyhound.

Gawdzilla Sama

Quote from: Hydra009 on April 01, 2017, 05:23:37 PM
Probably at least 12.  But we could've just made those on Earth without the $2 billion probe added on.  We keep throwing money out into space, don't the geniuses at NASA know we need money here?
Compare NASA's budget to the military  budget.
We 'new atheists' have a reputation for being militant, but make no mistake  we didn't start this war. If you want to place blame put it on the the religious zealots who have been poisoning the minds of the  young for a long long time."
PZ Myers

GrinningYMIR

I'll be the first man to go space out of pure spite
"Human history is a litany of blood shed over differing ideals of rulership and afterlife"<br /><br />Governor of the 32nd Province of the New Lunar Republic. Luna Nobis Custodit

Hydra009

Quote from: Gawdzilla Sama on April 01, 2017, 05:44:40 PMCompare NASA's budget to the military budget.
Hey, those people keep us safe from Muslamajadeen terrorists (and the occasional school).  They've earned every penny they get.

Why do you think you don't hear about islamic attacks against the US anymore?  Because of our brave, honorable soldiers tirelessly working halfway around the world to keep Americans - and American interests - safe from harm.  If you don't support our troops, you don't support America.

Baruch

Quote from: aitm on April 01, 2017, 02:23:48 PM
The space industry brought a lot a positives to sciences, medicine, clothing, even agriculture. How to measure the positives v neg is beyond my pay scale. Ask Barauch.

Positive yes, but that was a side effect.  The whole point was so that the CIA guys can sodomize the KGB guys (and I don't mean in a friendly way).  The KGB had the same reason for manipulating their Communist Party puppets, just as our guys had for manipulating our Demo/Repub puppets.

And there are always competing interests for government largess.  Now we will have Capitalist space exploration ... Elon Musk can get idiots into his rockets and pay him for it, and ... its too the Moon, Alice!  That is one way to get rid of low IQ plutocrats ... oh, did I forget?  You have to pay extra for the return trip, suckers!
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