[cmeacham98]

I didn't participate in any outrage (actually, I'm behind here, this post was the first I'd heard of this story), but this seems like a particularly uncharitable take.

The story came from an otherwise-reputable source that made a mistake. Your average person (including even most space enthusiasts) doesn't have the knowledge and expertise to check it themselves other than seeing what other astronomers have to say, and the commentary I could find prior to the discovery of the mistake was in agreement.

[radu_floricica]

Parent may or may not be trying to assign blame, but they do make a very salient observation: there is, as a rule, very little verification from initial reporting to strong global reaction. And that's a rule, not something having to do with this particular instance.

[BiteCode_dev]

No, but you can wait a few days and reserve judgement until it's confirmed by several sources. It's not like it something you need or could act on.

Today, the news arrive fast, and the reaction to the news is instant.

On the other hand, after several years of covid crisis, my opinion on the whole thing is very much in flux, and when I discuss it with people, I don't give definitive statements, nor raise an outrage.

So yes, the reaction here seems it could be a problem... if confirmed :)

[cmeacham98]

Where's the sources confirming this post? Shouldn't you wait a few days and reserve judgement? I (and I assume you) still don't have any astronomer credentials, for all we know this post is a load of bullshit and the anti-Elon posters were right!

Of course, these questions are rhetorical and to make a point. But I really dislike how when a mistake like this happens people roll out the "oh you should have just waited for fact checking" when it takes me 30 seconds to click their profile and see them commenting on news articles with no sources hours after release.

[BiteCode_dev]

Hence the "if confirmed :)".

[cmeacham98]

Yeah, I saw that, it was a funny joke. But I hope you aren't seriously implying suffixing your comment with a joke about confirmation changes the fact that you're doing the exact same thing as the anti-Elon comments you're complaining about - attacking someone based on news with little/no additional evidence.

[krisoft]

> Today, the news arrive fast, and the reaction to the news is instant.

The reaction? Some people yapped in the general direction of Elon and SpaceX. They are grownups, they can take it.

Even with the original information it is and was a a big nothing-burger. Even if it were true nothing would, should or did come to adversely affect Elon or SpaceX out of it.

Maybe just don't worry about it?

[FredPret]

You should’ve seen the storm of outrage on Twitter though. It’s actually rather a charitable take on the typical mob mentality that was on full display.

A single deep breath and a moment’s consideration would have revealed that this kind of thing is totally normal in space exploration. The outrage was driven purely bu the fact that it was Musk, and by the wording of the report, along the lines of “evil billionaire’s out of control rocket slams into moon.”

[upofadown]

Twitter is social media. It exists so that people can express their feelings in a way that lets them pretend that others might care what they feel. Objective reality just gets in the way and should be ignored in such an environment. There is no point in, say, getting outraged that people are acting without careful consideration on Twitter.

[FredPret]

Fair enough, but it speaks to the level of hate he inspires in a certain kind of person

[numpad0]

Elon Musk fanboys always start a fight with "I don't understand why [entity] is so dismissive of [Elon Musk's project]" line, which fixate the view and prime the flamewar. Don't feed them.