[palata]

> But every time anybody brings it up a mob shows up saying that we must make it work here on Earth

Yeah, we must. As in: it's not rational to even consider that becoming self-sustaining on other heavenly bodies is an alternative.

It's fun, it's interesting, it's many things. But it's not an alternative.

[kortilla]

Of course it’s an alternative. A self sustaining colony could be the only thing that survives a massive pandemic.

[palata]

Well if it was possible, it would be an alternative. But it's not, period. Counting on it happening in your life time is simply preposterous. But you know what might collapse during your lifetime? Our civilization. Pretty likely.

[kortilla]

> But it's not, period.

Said every dipshit Luddite 50 years ago about basically everything we enjoy on a day to day basis.

[palata]

Says everyone who actually checks what 4.25 light-years means and understands that this is actually the closest star.

But I'm always happy to be classified as "disphit" by people who apparently replace their lack of physic knowledge with some kind of faith.

[hollerith]

You mean 50 years ago when many were proclaiming that there would be whole cities in space by now? You mean that 50 years ago?

(Even more were proclaiming it 70 years ago.)