[ElComradio]

In the same way nerds got beat up because the jocks are just jealous of their brains?

There can be criticisms of a plan to send a few people to die in a metal box millions of miles away at incredible cost that do not require jealousy as a motivator.

[shuntress]

This (almost) as accurately describes the Apollo program. Are you saying we should not have gone to the moon?

*There's criticism: "Maybe it would work better with Type A rather than Type B" and there's _criticism_: "Thats stupid and you are stupid for thinking its not stupid"

[Pinckney]

I'll say it, sure.

Apollo was dangerous, expensive, and didn't accomplish anything that couldn't have been done more safely and cheaply with probes. It was cool as shit too, but I'm not going to pretend that 'cool' is a real basis for public policy.

Mr Musk is welcome to spend his money as he wants, of course.

[mikeash]

And if someone would like to post those criticisms in an intelligent fashion, I would welcome them. I have nothing against contrary views, I only dislike contrary views presented purely for the sake of being contrary and with nothing interesting presented.

[wyager]

> send a few people to die in a metal box millions of miles away

I wish I had this much talent at putting a negative spin on things. You could make a cure for cancer sound like the bubonic plague.

[unholythree]

Just think most people have had to settle for dying on a silicon rock buried under a 100 miles of nitrogen.

[moosey]

And yet there will be many capable people lining up for a suicide mission to Mars if that's what it comes to. Not just to be the first, but so that their potential sacrifice will change the future of humanity.

My lack of skills necessary as a programmer to help, and my health issues mean that I can't really do anything but cheer from the sidelines. There will be mistakes, but sometimes you have to jump into the river with both feet if you wish to cross.