Science Forums 2

[enorbet2]

First of all thank you, Boersun, for being your measured, reasonable, civilized self. It is just as obvious that agreeing to disagree is an important, if temporary, diplomatic solution as that it also can be employed as a stubborn impasse and refusal to be convinced by one party overwhelmed with evidence but still wishing to hold on to cherished beliefs. I not only find that curious given your socio-political religious position within your community, apparently and rightly being concerned about being bullied by the dogmatic, but extremely disheartening since how are we to progress if those opposed to progress will not weigh the facts? and odd that one so afflicted by dogmatism might also possibly practice it.

The facts to which I am referring is that I have seen not one serious negative effect mentioned or forecasted from investing in colonizing other worlds aside from the financial balance sheet yet nobody is proposing we go broke doing this. There is considerable waste in every economy, I think it is safe to say, and not one country has a space exploration commitment exceeding a few measly percent points of national budget. This certainly means, given the massive percentage points devoted to militaristic and other subsidized industries, that even the most minimal improvements on efficiency and gouging can easily double and triple such relatively minuscule expenditures as on Space Exploration. So where is the loss even if we proponents are wrong about the efficacy of exploiting other worlds or building the cooperative infrastructure necessary to begin/continue?

If we consider that such expenditures would be better spent elsewhere I still don't see the conflict, but then maybe I am being the typical American, provincial, and seeing only through American eyes. My country is recently caught up in recovering from what can only be called a feeding frenzy of greed and I thought it was similar pretty much everywhere since so few humanitarians (those who believe their own lives are also enriched by enriching others) manage to fight or be elected into positions of power to effect such change. Personally I think that is extremely short-sighted and such myopia has become very close to self-destructive at least here since the banks and Wall Street are still awarding themselves bonuses and lobbying like tomorrow never comes for less regulation to engage in ever more financial masturbation and rape fantasy. Perhaps that is not the way in your country.

At some point people of science and conscience must stand up and lobby for "enough is enough!" and require those in power to cease with the double standards which allow themselves to accept risk they would never dream of accepting in their clients, customers and citizens. I am tired of seeing so much of human resources squandered on paranoia and negativity and while, as CraigD points out in another thread, we may not yet be capable of destroying the planet, we are fairly certainly capable of destroying mankind and much of life as we know it. We also might be capable of saving it.

So maybe the greatest reward of all to the exploration of Space *AND* other positive commitments and ventures is that we finally get to raise a generation that dares to have real Hope again, real confidence in the Future, that they even have one. Please tell me, sir, at what such a step toward human cooperation and positive progress might be valued? Given that value, how can anyone simply stand with arms folded stubbornly hanging complacently on to past mistakes?

I can understand cautious approval where no downside readily shows itself, but abject denial, refusal to even consider, frankly boggles my mind and makes me quite sad. If I am wrong, if there is some deal-breaking downside that I have been too blind to see, or if investing in the tribe does not also improve the life of the chiefs, please show me the error of my ways or calculations, so I can stop wasting my time with silly optimism, face the dirty lowdown and soberly just grow bitter and ruthless while growing old, and our children can as well.

If I seem impassioned it is because that way seems suicidal madness and it also seems a logical conclusion to acceding to the current status quo of negativity, power and greed. When on the spiral down and out, it seems to me one must make some positive step no matter how small if there is to be any hope of avoiding the inevitable crash. So I cannot see your argument as one of caution, but rather resignation.