Re: Space funding (was Re: Hillary needs to quit)

Dano wrote:
> Mac Breck wrote:
>>
>> I am almost certain that the human race does not have the long term
>> *will* to plan that far ahead, to the point where it will be
>> distributed over many planets, and one mass extinction event at one
>> planet won't wipe out 100% of humanity.  There are too many people
>> here who don't think about what's beyond their skin or five minutes
>> away from them, too many whose long term view borders on *immediate*,
>> and too many who think *only* of themselves and certainly not of the
>> human race as a whole, or something beyond their own lifetime.  Hey,
>> if you like having all your eggs in one basket, fine.  Maybe humanity
>> shouldn't survive.  I suppose I don't really care one way or the
>> other, but even I can see that 14 cents a day per person in the USA,
>> for NASA, is a pittance.
>
> Until we can get our species advanced enough to quit our murderous
> tendencies...

Yeah, like that's ever going to happen.  Quit?  That's highly unlikely
to ever happen.  Get a better rein on it, maybe.


> or find the compassion to care for our own and the other
> lifeforms...right here on this planet...I see no purpose in infecting
> the rest of the universe.  We don't even know that much about our own
> damn planet.
>
> We can't even live in peace with other humans.  I can't imagine it
> going all that well, were we to encounter more advanced life.
>
> Here's an idea.  If this is so important to you, and holds so much
> value,

From my above words "Maybe humanity shouldn't survive.  I suppose I
don't really care one way or the other,...", what makes you think it's
important to me?  I'm just saying that going after NASA's 14 cents a day
per person in the USA, is more than a bit ridiculous.


> mount a private effort

Ah, there's the usual.


> to profit from all the potential there
> is offworld.

So, profit is a better motivator than survival?



> Meanwhile, I'd prefer my own taxes

Your 14 cents a day.


> to go to more
> important needs that aren't being met on our own world.  If human
> life is really of such import to you, I suggest you worry about the
> here and now a bit more.

That doesn't preclude spending a little now on NASA in hopes that it'll
pay off in the future.


-- 
Mac Breck (KoshN)
-------------------------------
"The Dresden Files" (2007)
Harry Dresden: [re. Bianca] What is it about bad girls?  They lie,
cheat, won't suck your blood even when you beg them to, and for some
reason, no matter how badly they treat us, we still can't walk away.