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Comment by pushtheenvelope | Hacker News Reader

better response than I can write. This is why: http://balajiviswanathan.quora.com/Indian-Space-Mission-Pove...

Thank you! After reading this same statement about toilets vs space missions dozens of times I could hardly muster anything more articulate than "aaargh!" Apparently the West had solved all of humanity's problems and ensured a reign of perfect equality and peace before embarking on trivial things like research!

This is pure ad hominem. "The West is dumb and mean" doesn't make anybody else's actions smart. You may as well criticize their odor for all the relevance it has to whether or not this is a sensible use of India's money.

For the record, I actually think it's probably a good use of money. I just think this breed of response — "Shut up, because the West sucks!" — is singularly toxic.

You misunderstand my argument if you read it as "the West is dumb and mean". What I meant to emphasize was that the West made the (IMHO right) decision, to spend on research etc while it was working on other social problems. It is never one or the other. But I would add the same model should be extended to other countries as well.

The article in question specifically criticizes the journalists. The author (in subsequent comments) even discourages others from blatantly generalizing countries' reaction in the same manner as some of the components of the media.

The OP doesn't really do that. The article linked by pushtheenvelope does, but that is what I was criticizing. It doesn't actually support India's program; it mostly just makes sarcastic and hostile comments about other countries. Regardless of your opinion of the West or of India, personally attacking critics (based on their ethnicity, no less) is not the same thing as supporting an idea.

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