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NASA’s Mars Sample Return mission is dead

456 points · 391 comments · Muhammad523

  1. aarjaneiro · · focus · HN ↗
    "makes sense, it's financially unfeasible"

    > Engages in pointless wars

    1. Sabinus · · focus · HN ↗
      The Iran war has points, namely preventing a dedicated American enemy from getting nuclear weapons, contributing to Trump's legacy, and probably something to do with Israel. The problem is that it can't be won with current USA capabilities and everyone not in MAGA already knew this yet Trump started it anyway. The Ukrainians even offered drone defences before it started and were publically rebuffed by Trump. The ignorance and hubris of the Trump administration is truly remarkable.
      1. colechristensen · · focus · HN ↗
        We need to work on a common understanding of the word "pointless".
        1. Sabinus · · focus · HN ↗
          If, in reflection, I may contribute to that effort, 'the point' of something is much more about its goals than something 'being pointless' which is more about outcomes. Which is interesting since you would assume they would align in meaning more having the same base word.
          1. colechristensen · · focus · HN ↗
            When a person says something is pointless they either mean there was actually no significant intent behind it OR a judgement that the intent/plan/achievability behind whatever point there is, is of such low quality that there might as well not have been any intent behind it at all.

            Trying to keep yourself dry with a newspaper over your head in a hurricane: pointless.

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