iamangry wrote:
[CANADA]_Zenmaster wrote:
I think an awesome feat for man would be oh I duno feeding our population, educating them, getting them into a solid work force, stop fighting eachother, stop thieving eachothers resources etc. Sure we could spend 50 gigabillion dollars on something monumental, but that is all it would be, a monument. Are we here to build static monuments and worship before them or actually accomplish something with the people on this earth?
Bf2s users may feel free to ignore this post as some form of socialist pinko commie bullshit, but deep down we all know that is not the intent and that there is something significant here.
You're right, that stuff would all be great. Here's the thing though, we're never gonna be perfect. Think what you want, hope what you will, but its not going to happen. Now someday the shit is going to hit the fan here on Earth... either we're all gonna get killed by something natural or were gonna kill ourselves (because we're not perfect). So from the perspective of preserving the human race so that we may strive to do better even after Earth ceases to be a viable home, we should be investing heavily in seeding ourselves amongst at the very least the planets. Besides, the technological advances that are made from pushing the envelope of our capabilities to build what you call monuments has been and will continue to be a source for enormous amounts of gain to our standard of living, which is what you are talking about. Every technical field has benefited from the American space program, from medicine to theoretical physics. Additionally, the American space program has given the opportunity for people from many different countries all over the world to travel to space, not the least of which is your native Canada. This, and international projects like the International Space Station have attempted to bind us all together across borders as a single international community. So lets keep the ignorant space bashing down to a minimum in this thread, because it really has no place if the best reasons not to have a space program are the reasons you have enumerated.
On topic, I think a lunar base is a great idea. With a constant human presence on the moon longer, more detailed research projects can be attempted.
That sounds like blind emotion and academic waffling to me. I agree everything has its positives and negatives, but you somehow dismiss not only what I said as "ignorant space bashing" but also as insignificant.
You really think going to the moon has a greater benefit then feeding and educating the massive population in this world that would become part of the work force and contribute much more significantly? I am sure that if the human population survives WW4 we will make it to the moon someday, but I hardly think now is the time for that given the current state of affairs.
Look at what Bush has accomplished in his time. Look at Britain. Look all over, inclulding Canada and our "great" Canadian society. Look at the terrorist agenda. Look at all the countries I left out; everyone has a lot of dirty laundry. Are we advancing society for the betterment of man? Hardly, this world isn't ready to push for the moon, except to turn it into an early refuse heap. Im sure Northrop-Grumman, Raytheon etc. would make a killing though (har har).
Just an aside, its not that I don't think NASA is legitimate or that these things aren't positive in many ways. Its simply a question of resources, basic economics really. We could spend a lot of money going to the moon, or we could spend that on education, health-care, quality of life, etc. And before this gets dismissed as the glass is half-empty, there is a lot in this world that is positive and contributed by people in many countries, but that doesn't mean we can white-wash out the bad or vice-versa. We are making progress, however progress can be set back, and it can be reversed and if people spend a wee bit of time looking around them, I think that they too can realize it is shocking what is going on lately.
Negative Canadian resident, over.