The forest fires, floods, drought, and the extreme weather we are all living with just got some help from William Shatner, Jeff Bezos, and his billionaire buddies. The latest version of a rich guy buying a Ferrari is launching yourself into space for a 10-minute joy ride. But what is the real cost of some rich dud getting shot into space so that he or she can come back to all our earthly problems and declare how amazing and precious this third rock from the sun truly is? Well, that 10-minute “see God moment” is equivalent to going on 100 long-distance airplane trips in pollution and resources. We are in the era of rich folks coming back to Earth and telling us what a profound experience it was and how the world is such an interconnected place, which the common folk learned in school with a terrarium and a photo of the Earth. So either we start sending as many people who have not figured this out into space as quickly as possible to affect this change, or we get rich folks a terrarium and a photo of the Earth and have them figure it out without everyone else paying the ultimate price for it. William Shatner and the rich folk astronauts to follow “going where rich folks have gone before” have kids, grandkids, and future grandkids who will be swimming in the pool (or should I say terrarium) they just shit in. How stupid are we?
Bob Armstrong
Arroyo Grande
This article appears in Oct 21-31, 2021.
Referring to the individuals funding today’s race for the commercial use of space.
It is their money
So, they get to spend it as they see fit.
You or I do not get to tell anyone else how or when to spend the money they control having earned it with the sweat of their brow – so to speak – or any other legal means.
You and I can donate our spare cash – if we have any – to whatever worthwhile charity we wish and/or donate above and beyond our income tax on our 1040 [if we have one – I don’t] but we cannot tell anyone else – including our own grown adult children – what to do, ever.
We have people who generate tons and tons of carbon flying around the world as tourists criticising others for generating carbon with their cars, or with this case, their rocket ship rides. It is always easier to tell others to cut back, than to make sacrifices yourself. Of ourse, what really upsets these scolds is envy, and the fact that Shatner has the money to do this sort of thing. These critics may have more wealth than 90% of the people on the planet, but they will always resent those who have more than they do.
First, Shatner didn’t pay for that flight.
Second, this is the same argument people make with pretty much every endeavor to, or about space. It’s not the individual’s experience that matters… it’s the collective awe that affects change.
Your cynicism is noted but mine was quelled by that flight and I appreciated the diversion from the terrestrial news.