“We choose to go to /s The Moon /r Mars / not because it is easy but because it is hard.”
Kennedy was describing one of the most fundamental human ambitions; to try to achieve the impossible. Think pieces like this betray their fundamental lack of any ambition whatsoever
We went to the Moon as a bit of Cold War posturing, to plant the American flag and demonstrate superiority over Soviets. After that was accomplished, we lost interest.
You know what's really hard? Solving longstanding social issues. How about we try that instead.
Let's solve the hardest social issue first: the crab bucket mentality that you exemplify that is so pervasive in society. The idea that anyone attempting something exceptional necessarily beggars all of the rest of us and should be cut down to size.
Nonetheless, it's true, is it not, that government budgets are not unlimited, and economic tradeoffs have to be made? Of course the government can engage in deficit spending, but that raises additional problems, creates another tradeoff.
There are literal beggars in the United States. What are we doing about that problem, and couldn't we do more, spend more? What exactly are you willing to sacrifice, which worthy causes, in order to achieve your very specific exceptional thing?
It's interesting that Kennedy did not choose to cure cancer, for example. That's a hard thing, isn't it? Though I've heard that LLMs may do it any day now.
Your response is interesting because it mirrors the attitude described in the article. Space travel advocates are so enamored with the idea that they're dismissive of practical realities. We're just supposed to try regardless as if reality will make way by sheer will. The measured physical and cognitive decline of living in a non-Earth environment for prolonged periods of time? The effects of radiation exposure on childbirth? Bah, the ambition to achieve the impossible conquers all!
I mean people have run the math and you can certainly travel to and from mars while receiving a low enough radiation dose. I envision in our lifetimes a Mars similar to the Antarctic bases at best: a few scientific stations manned by researchers and support staff but no permanent settlers. That’s certainly an achievable bar regardless of if the more science fiction stuff isn’t yet. I suspect that people like you will be saying this is foolish and impossible all the way up until the day the Starships start landing…
ls612 · · focus · HN ↗
Kennedy was describing one of the most fundamental human ambitions; to try to achieve the impossible. Think pieces like this betray their fundamental lack of any ambition whatsoever
lapcat · · focus · HN ↗
We went to the Moon as a bit of Cold War posturing, to plant the American flag and demonstrate superiority over Soviets. After that was accomplished, we lost interest.
You know what's really hard? Solving longstanding social issues. How about we try that instead.
ls612 · · focus · HN ↗
lulzury · · focus · HN ↗
ls612 · · focus · HN ↗
lapcat · · focus · HN ↗
This is an exaggeration.
Nonetheless, it's true, is it not, that government budgets are not unlimited, and economic tradeoffs have to be made? Of course the government can engage in deficit spending, but that raises additional problems, creates another tradeoff.
There are literal beggars in the United States. What are we doing about that problem, and couldn't we do more, spend more? What exactly are you willing to sacrifice, which worthy causes, in order to achieve your very specific exceptional thing?
It's interesting that Kennedy did not choose to cure cancer, for example. That's a hard thing, isn't it? Though I've heard that LLMs may do it any day now.
vor_ · · focus · HN ↗
ls612 · · focus · HN ↗