What Did President Trump Do Now?

The Batlord · 02-28-2017, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elphenor

Then on a further macro level scientific discoveries do little to improve the majority of people's lives unless we have the sort of policies in place that demand it

New technology has only benefitted the Uber wealthy for the past 30-40 years for the most part beyond frivolous consumer goods

The coming generation will not even have a higher life expectancy than the previous for example

If the poor who have had their money used for supposedly frivolous things that expand human culture have never been moved to wonder and joy by such things then they might as well be replaced by robot slaves because they have no other value to society beyond their labor. And that simply isn't true, so obviously they derive value from them, even if that value can't easily be quantified.

Reaching for the stars to explore a universe beyond our own tiny little mudball is a beautiful thing, and shouldn't be cast aside simply because it doesn't obviously and immediately improve quality of life.

Chula Vista · 02-28-2017, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frownland

@Chula Please you would've been all over it if it was Obama's move.

Stop addressing me with lame comebacks and bring some substance for a change.

Chula Vista · 02-28-2017, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Batlord

Reaching for the stars to explore a universe beyond our own tiny little mudball is a beautiful thing, and shouldn't be cast aside simply because it doesn't obviously and immediately improve quality of life.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chula Vista

Too bad the money that'll be needed to fund it will come at the express of programs like preservation of the arts, school lunch programs, senior citizen medicaid and social security, and stuff like the EPA, national park preservation, federal infrustruce maintainence (bridges, roads, clean water , etc.), and supporting our allies when they are on the verge of being screwed over by one of our enemies, not to mention tax increases for you and me with less and less federal benefits.

Other than the possibility of finding proof of alien bacterial life under the surface of Europa, science has long ago proven there's nothing else to gain from our own solar system.

So awesome idea, let's gut the house we live in so a bunch of boys with expensive toys can see if there's a way to build a tree house in the swimming pool.

And should it be cast aside if it hurts quality of life for the masses just to fund it?

**Frownland** · 02-28-2017, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chula Vista

Stop addressing me with lame comebacks and bring some substance for a change. Address the substance of my post limp dick.

I will address the substance of your posts when there is genuine substance to your posts. Until then you're going to have to handle the substantial truth in my posts that point out your reactionary nature

.

The only thing that you've said against the benefits of space exploration is the misguided notion that there's nothing else for us to discover in space. How the **** are you going to know what you will and will not discover? If you know that you're going to discover it, it's not a discovery.

Trollheart · 02-28-2017, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Batlord

Considering the potential benefit to future population growth from colonization, and the increase in resources if mining other planets ever becomes economically feasible, I'd say space travel is probably one of the most worthwhile things we can invest money in, even if the benefits aren't felt for generations.

And just from a personal standpoint, putting all your efforts into pragmatic concerns like poverty and whatnot just feels too utilitarian. I'd rather be a little frivolous and allow our race to actually indulge its ****ing imagination.

You just want to be able to fight in space battles.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frownland

Like sending monkeys to space or what?

Leave Violet out of this.

**Frownland** · 02-28-2017, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elphenor

I also want to say that from what I understand from science documentaries actual colonization sounds incredibly impractical and a huge waste if that's the end game

But full discretion part of my biases against it has to be due to me understanding domestic economics and having only a popular science grasp of of the "great beyond"

There will be a lot of distance to cover agriculturally before colonization will be practical. Imagine if we could make anaerobic GMO foods so we can make crops without having to seal in oxygen? I'm gonna go invent that now actually, be back in five.

The Batlord · 02-28-2017, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chula Vista

And should it be cast aside if it hurts quality of life for the masses just to fund it?

Like **** I think you understand what science may or may not have to gain from space exploration.

And any money spent, publicly or privately, on anything that can be considered frivolous can potentially hurt quality of life for someone. How much money do you spend on guitars that you could be donating to charity? Could you have bought a less expensive house and still lived comfortably? And yet the money you spend on things you don't necessarily need is spent to make yourself happy, meaning that it isn't a waste cause the only thing worth pursuing in life is fulfillment, whether your own or that of others.

I'm not saying there isn't a limit to money that should be spent on space exploration, or that if quality of life falls to below a certain threshold that we won't need to make a judgement call, but if money can be put into the space program without putting undue hardship on society then by **** let's do it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

You just want to be able to fight in space battles.

Anybody who doesn't want to go into space and shoot lasers is dead inside.

The Batlord · 02-28-2017, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elphenor

Would not a world without famine or disease be awe inspiring?

something almost beyond our imagination?

why take our already pretty trash society to another planet without fixing it first?

You only think our society is ****ty cause you're a young, jaded kid who's found easy answers in socialism. All things considered we're fine.

**Frownland** · 02-28-2017, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Batlord

And any money spent, publicly or privately, on anything that can be considered frivolous can potentially hurt quality of life for someone. How much money do you spend on guitars that you could be donating to charity? Could you have bought a less expensive house and still lived comfortably? And yet the money you spend on things you don't necessarily need is spent to make yourself happy, meaning that it isn't a waste cause the only thing worth pursuing in life is fulfillment, whether your own or that of others.

To be fair, there is a massive difference in the ethical standards of an individual and a government, so this is a false equivalency.

The Batlord · 02-28-2017, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elphenor

"fine" is all a matter of perspective so this is a statement that is impossible to argue

I do not consider the world we live in to be "fine" we have a huge list of issues and downright atrocities taking place daily

By a vast margin I would rather live in a Western country right now than any other place at any time. We're fine. And when it comes time to blast off and colonize Mars we'll probably be even better off.