My point: (Off-Topic)

by cheapLEY , Wednesday, February 07, 2018, 10:15 (2264 days ago) @ Kermit

Let me be clear: I realize this is all hypocritical. There literally is no ethical consumption in our society. Every product I’ve ever bought is made by a company that undoubtedly has exploited workers and bad policies somewhere.

Whoa! I mean, I totally agree that it's a fallen world and there are bad capitalists, socialists, marxists et al. in every corner of the globe, but that's a helluva statement, cheapLEY.

And maybe slightly hyperbolic, but I don’t think so. I’m not some staunch anti-capitalist. It’s a better system than any that’s been tried so far that I know of. But I genuinely believe that capitalism, at its heart, relies on inequality. Or at least the current actual form of capitalism we utilize. For some to be rich, some others must be poor. Our economy is based on growth and only growth, and I don’t think that’s sustainable.

I don’t hate SpaceX. Contrary to what it may seem from this thread, I don’t hate Elon Musk. I just find it impossible to separate the awesome accomplishment of this launch with the gross feeling I get in my gut when I see that fucking picture of the Tesla in front of Earth. It makes Tesla the focus, and it doesn’t need to be there, and it bugs me that it is there, and it bugs me even more that someone can see it and think “Cool, a car in space!” rather than “But why?” Being in space on its own is worthy of attention, we don’t need to put a Tesla there to make it inspiring.

Or do we? I'm sure you're aware of the decline in the number of viewers watching the shuttle launches as the years went by.

Now there’s the real bummer. Maybe that’s my real problem. If being in space needs a car floating around in to be inspiring and exciting, than I actually do lament for humanity. Maybe that’s too judgmental, I don’t know.