Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by jeffjobs4000 491 days ago
It's scheduled to be deorbited in 5 years, but Musk thinks it should be done in 2 years... IS DEMOCRACY AT RISK IN AMERICA?!?!

The current administration will attempt to do many dumb things, like any human beings. Crying wolf at every action or opinion diminishes the other side's creditability for when it matters. This is bad for all of us.
3 comments
alabastervlog 491 days ago
He had a toddler's reaction to being fact-checked by an astronaut on Twitter, and because he's him that has policy and spending implications for our government. While he's "just an advisor with no direct power" (to one audience—a court) but "in charge" to another and to all appearances very much is running some important operations.

This shouldn't be ignored, it's one of a thousand things that have happened lately that, very much in living memory, would (any one of them!) have for-sure and for excellent reasons been the end of someone's influence on public life. All of those matter.

link
jeffjobs4000 491 days ago
That's certainly a point of disagreement. I think this absolutely should be ignored.

Him saying the ISS should be deorbited after 27 years rather than 30 years isn't a disqualifying opinion.

Freaking out at perfectly valid opinions or actions is a bad thing to do. If you are constantly screaming over nothing, you'll be tuned out, and that's bad for when there are real things to scream about.

link
alabastervlog 491 days ago
Leaders of our government (apparently he is one, now) proposing policy changes because they're throwing little-baby tantrums on social media is definitely something worth worrying about.
link
gaganyaan 491 days ago
So we should just a narcissistic baby affect public policy whenever his feefees are hurt?
link
minimaxir 491 days ago
> will attempt to do many dumb things, like any human beings

Most human beings aren't in charge of the free world and whose decisions have cascading effects on everyone.

And those that are generally tend to be fairly elected and confirmed with a set of checks and balances governing their actions to limit the impact of stupid decisions. Elon Musk is none of those.

link
saturn_vk 491 days ago
Calling the US the free world might be one of the reasons we’re in this mess in the first place
link
jeffjobs4000 491 days ago
Correct. So a strong counterweight is important to whichever side is in power.

My point with "like any human beings" was to not demonize the current group, and point out that any group of people in power will do stupid things.

link