Re: OT Am I crazy?
- From: Frank Adam <fajp@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 21 May 2008 13:00:03 +1000
On Wed, 21 May 2008 01:36:25 +0100, "AC" <xxxx@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
There is also a little thing called managibility. If God knows how
"Peter R" <robimson@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:48336246$0$4078$9a566e8b@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I just watched a TV show about the space station and possible 'terra
forming of Mars'. This was shown as being possible in the next 20 years or
less.
Given the cost of both of these I wonder if the same money could have
cured several worldwide diseases and famines.
Maybe at my age (79) I see things differently but it seems that the
emphasis is totally wrong.
Disputes about barge boards and other similar problems seems so
insignificant after this.
Peter R.
Hmm, its an easy case on the face of it.
Yes, all that cash could be used for other things.
But, I see it like this:
Thing is, humans must push forwards, its what we do. Famine, disease, and
disaster will always be with us, long after we terra form Mars, and beyond.
If we decide to wait until these things are solved we may never explore the
stars.
I'll be honest, I believe that humans exploring the universe is more
important than famine, disease and disaster.
Look at it this way:
Things for poor humans were much worse before the steam engine was invented.
Say RLS had been told not to spend his money on steam engine research
because half the village had scurvy. Or, say a certain person had been told
to stop messing about with mould?
And where does it stop? You have posted on an F1 news group. What is F1's
excuse then? The only thing it can offer is the opportunity for humans to
test their limits, be it driver, designers, engineers, marketing, sales,
etc. But it won't be curing cancer any time soon. It only serves to explore
limits of human endeavour.
Exploration of the limits is what we do. Be it exploring space, being the
fasted man over 100m, or finding new ways to blow stuff up, its the only
purpose of being alive that I know of; to learn and evolve. And I'm afraid
that those who cant keep up, drop off. Because if one can't in his or her
way push some sort of limit or contribute to that push, then one is simply
not contributing to humanity.
Now, exploring famine, disease and disaster are indeed ways to push the
boundaries, and are just as valid as terra forming Mars. But unless pure
survival is at risk, its only of equal importance.
Pure survival is the only thing that trumps humanities growth, but then its
true to say that in pushing these limits we might be better placed to
survive. But I'm not sure we can survive had we not pushed our limits in the
past and fail to do so in the future.
In a nutshell, I like to believe in the idea that life, specifically humans,
are the part of the universe that is trying to understand its self. So,
prime purpose of being human is to learn and explore.
Do I live up to that ideal? Nope. But I a least deeply respect those that
do.
There, that's what I recon. Hope its at least understandable.
many people were to live an extra 20-30+ years, by the fixing of
famine and diseases, Earth would become so overpopulated, we'd need a
doosey of a war to cut back on the numbers.
If indeed Mars can be populated, at least there would be somewhere to
put the extra people, both in employment and living.
That's a damn long and uncertain road though. Still, in the long term
and if humanity is to survive, we will have to start moving at one
stage, perhaps even past the boundaries of this galaxy.
Not sure how much time the Sun has left, but when that thing goes
Supernova, there won't be much left of my left arm, so i can't wait to
get out of here and avoid that.. :)
ps for the faint hearted or pedant: No, the Sun won't go supernova.
--
Regards, Frank
.
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