Slashdot Mirror
The Top Three Reasons for Humans in Space
An anonymous reader writes "Why humans in space? The Space Review has the top three reasons: 3. To work. 2. To live. 1. To survive. 'To work' means doing stuff in space: research, explore, visit, etc. 'To live' means to have humans/life beyond Earth in colonies/settlements. 'To survive' means that putting humans/life beyond Earth is a very Good Thing in case a very Bad Thing happens to humans/life on Earth."
I'm not going to live forever - why should it bother me if humanity doesn't either? Why should I make investments that I know I won't see any returns on?
Running away is a good defense - it worked during 'nam. If we had a martian colony now, I'd sign to go in a heartbeat -- I'd rather raise buggalo on Mars than pay taxes to finance DubDub's failing terror hunt.
4. To suck up vast amounts of the space exploration budget, leaving nothing for robotic exploration that actually accomplishes real science?
#1 To Survive would only be a "Very Good Thing" if humans weren't the most incredibly sucky species on the planet. If exploring space will ensure human survival then that's a strong argument for not doing it.
You never really know how close to the edge you can go until you fall off.
Because we're curious.
In fact IMHO this is the only reason.
And that only reason is not a good reason either.
Whatever can be done by a man, a probe can do better. And for all those sentimentalists who say 'its not the same as being there' - the fact is that they, you or me are not going anytime soon.
Space's dirty little secret is that it takes millions of dollars for any single human to make it into space.
We are far better taking that money and using it to preserve the living space we have on earth rather than the ridiculous notion that we are going to move the general population to outer space.
Also, save me the pointless arguments (someday we will have fusion power ysdda yadda yadda) why I'm wrong. Ive heard them all on slashdot and I have never been impressed by any of them.
Take the cheese to sickbay, the doctor should see it as soon as possible - B'Elanna Torres, "Learning Curve"
From what I can gather of Catholicism, merely being fruitful and multiplying isn't enough. That poor, almighty, omniscient soul, God, is very sensitive and needs to feel wanted otherwise he sulks. (Discuss how something can be all-powerful and yet have a weakness.) So you not only have to breed, you have to breed lots of little Catholics.
OK, substitute all other religions for "Catholics" above. It holds equal water.
Stick Men
Well at least in the Jewish religion, God doesn't sulk if you don't worship him - he just opens up a case of holy whoop ass and floods your scrawny little butts.
I mod down so you can mod up. Your welcome.
I'll spoil it for you: Lots of rocks and maybe some frozen gases.
Comment of the year