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Comment by healthworker | Hacker News Reader

Do you prefer that we not even try to spread beyond our one planet, when an entire galaxy, or maybe even the neighboring ones, might be in reach if we try? What if someday at the very end of the lifetime of our sun and similar stars, we look back, and regret not trying?

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> Do you prefer that we not even try to spread beyond our one planet, when an entire galaxy, or maybe even the neighboring ones, might be in reach if we try? What if someday at the very end of the lifetime of our sun and similar stars, we look back, and regret not trying?

The timeline you are speaking of is in billions of year. Yes, in that timescale, it definitely makes sense to try.

This very century, there are very serious scientific concerns about the continued comfortable habitability of Earth and the ensuing geopolitical instability caused by the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, the sixth mass extinction event, etc. We have solutions to mitigate those to some degree, but this requires very significant resource allocation to that goal, and so far it seems possible that we would fall short.

I don't think there should be zero resources allocated to space exploration, but it's at least reasonable to question whether we have our priorities set right.

Exactly what I mean. People who obsess over space are so egotistical they can’t imagine someone not thinking it’s “the best”. It’s interesting, but no more important than any other science or field of study.

And no, I’d prefer we take care of our home planet and make it a sustainable place to live first. It’s ludicrous to think we have any chance of surviving elsewhere if we can’t stop ourselves from making our natural habitat unlivable.

Yes we can do both. I still think it’s stupid to place human spaceflight on a pedestal. It’s putting the cart before the horse.

I too wish we would all hold hands and sing kumbaya and collectively decide to simply make things better here on Earth but sadly it seems far off.

The best alternative demonstrated so far seems to be for some of us to push the limits of what is possible and watch all boats rise with the tide. Better this than slinging Tomahawks at school children.

> Better this than slinging Tomahawks at school children.

I’d rather the one be slinging tomahawks, than the one receiving tomahawks because my country decided to reduce military spending.

I don't agree with you. An endeavour like this is bringing humanity closer together. After the moon landing people all over the world said "we landed on the moon", not "the US landed on the moon". After they released the photograph of earth as seen from the moon people started to see earth differently, and a flurry of environment protection laws followed.

> People who obsess over space are so egotistical they can’t imagine someone not thinking it’s “the best”

What? No I don't. Some people want to spend money on sports or making our planet sustainable before doing anything else. I think that's fine. It doesn't interest me, however, so I'm looking at this other thing. We can coexist without having to insult each other.

> It’s putting the cart before the horse

How many times in history did necessity create efficiencies versus ambition?

Fair, my first point was poorly worded. People who think space is the best and can’t imagine anyone else thinking it’s not the best are still self centered and lacking in empathy imo.

> How many times in history did necessity create efficiencies versus ambition?

Literally all the time? There’s another saying, “necessity is the mother of invention”.

There have always been lame people like this and for all of human history we have continued to explore and expand. I think at this point those people can safely be ignored.

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