Is it really necessary to send humans to those places just to get the knock-on benefits? Couldn’t we do those things directly, without going there?
It seems to me that, today, those who have the money to spend on these endeavors would only do so if there were perceived short-term benefits to themselves. That means they plan to exploit the resources, or increase their own power somehow.
I know the good engineers that make this happen are doing it for the challenge and in the pursuit of knowledge, and I know that’s why we poors support it, but that doesn’t “pay the bills.” What is the motivation behind the money? Why are they really doing this?
The OP:
… But sure, this is exclusively a thread to circle-jerk about how cool you are for wanting to burn mountains of resources to feel good about something.
Advancement is not unidimensional, and it is not synonymous with space exploration. If you don’t get it, that’s a you problem.
The habitable lifespan of this planet is already 80% consumed. Life on this planet has another billion years left, even though it’s been here for four billion. In a billion years, the Sun’s slow heating will cause the Earth’s oceans to boil and the surface to become barren. If we do nothing, all life on Earth will be extinguished. If we do act, however. If we DO learn how to spread life far and wide, then there’s no reason that Earth life cannot continue to exist for hundreds of trillions of years into the future.
This isn’t about just “feeling good.” This is about taking our responsibility as stewards of life seriously. Maybe you don’t feel that responsibility, but that’s a skill issue.
Stewards of life? That is delusional.
How many species have we extincted? How many are bred in excess to live short and miserable lives purely to be slaughtered for food?
We aren’t stewards or guardians of anything, we’re just animals that seek pleasure and procreation and evolved an asymmetric advantage over the competition.
But there is no convincing a zealot, and this is your religion. A creed that dictates we sacrifice millions of lives to enrich dozens, demanding to be praised all the while.
Grow up
You chose to focus on humanity’s failings. I choose to focus on our successes and aspirations. I choose the less misanthropic option.
You choose to ignore the externalities and opportunity costs of such resource expenditure. You choose to ignore and actively worsen the suffering of your fellow man in order to indulge yourself in unscientific fantasies of space colonization.
I choose to focus on helping those who need it.
Somehow, your arguments from the supposed moral high ground fall flat.