• fearout@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      “Let’s stop all progress until we deal with insert_your_problem_of_choice” has never been a good take, it stifles development without actually helping. In an ideal world that might work, but as is it just doesn’t.

      To add to that, and correct me if I’m wrong, but I doubt that starving children in India is actually a mere money problem. It looks more like a wealth distribution problem, and that one doesn’t get fixed by stopping space programs.

      • BackwoodsBeatnik@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        You basically said what I was going to, but the ideal world part I disagree with.

        A world in which enough is grown to feed everyone and enough profit is produced to meet everyone’s needs doesn’t need to be ideal. It’s a world we live in now.

        The above dude should just stick to attacking the ultra wealthy and like you said, not space programs.

        But like I was saying, an ideal world isn’t needed. Just about 30% of the rest of us to physically and verbally confront the few thousand or so who take too much.

        • fearout@kbin.social
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          1 year ago

          Ok, ideal is probably the wrong word here. What I meant is a world where narrowly focused efforts are actually fast and effective, it might be a good idea to heavily prioritise some stuff to deal with pressing misery-inducing issues faster. But as we currently are, that concept just isn’t rooted in reality.

          • BackwoodsBeatnik@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            I see what you’re saying, and please don’t think I was attacking you, rather adding to your point.

            I think a world you described is one where that 30% I mentioned were way more engaged politically globally.

            As it not being rooted in reality that’s the ceiling I want to break. 1 million people in a country making direct, unified actions, unified by class could achieve many of those fast and effective efforts.

            I feel you though, I feel that we are moving at a fraction of the speed we ought to be and could be going towards progress and it’s almost maddening not seemingly being able to do anything except know how fucked it all is.

      • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        “Let’s stop all progress until we deal with insert_your_problem_of_choice” has never been a good take

        I mean, sure, most of the time.

        But when one is “a shit ton of kids is starving” and the other is “vanity moon mission we don’t gain knowledge from”…

        Yeah, maybe address the starving kids first.

        but I doubt that starving children in India is actually a mere money problem. It looks more like a wealth distribution problem, and that one doesn’t get fixed by stopping space programs.

        India flat out said the reason for this program is for PR…

        It’s not science, it’s not innovation, or the pursuit of knowledge.

        The reason they’ve spent decades and billions on this, is to try and seem like India is a 1st world country.

        That could also be accomplished by not having one of the world’s highest rates of childhood starvation and malnourishment.

        Instead they ignore that for “flashier” methods.

        • Reclipse@lemdro.idOP
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          1 year ago

          India flat out said the reason for this program is for PR…

          It’s not science, it’s not innovation, or the pursuit of knowledge.

          What’s your source on this?

        • dhruv@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          You know what I think the root cause of any money problem in India is? Corruption. It’s corrupt from the very top. It’s not exactly easy to fix it with a population that large either. It’s a mess and that’s why it’s a third world country.

          Edit: That’s one of the reasons it’s a third world country. I’m just highlighting what I find wrong.

      • dudebro@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Lol, what? Where did you get the word ‘progress’ from? Seems like a loaded argument.

        Try to be more direct and don’t put words in my mouth. Argue with what I’m saying, not with what sounds nice in your head.

        • fearout@kbin.social
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          1 year ago

          In that case you should formulate your thoughts more clearly. Right now it reads as exactly that — “stop wasting money on progressing in this field because look at this_problem”. So, what did you actually mean by your comment then?

          • dudebro@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            “This” problem won’t be solved if we keep passing a bunch of money around at the top.

            Like I said before, it’s a pretty simple concept if you put forth even the slightest amount of effort into understand it.

            At this point, if you don’t get it then that’s on you.

            Let’s be real though: you’re just flustered because you think the disparity in wealth should grow instead of shrink. Just admit it, bro. Then we can all move on with our lives.

            • fearout@kbin.social
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              1 year ago

              Also, I think that the wealth disparity should decrease as much as possible, and the fact that that’s what you got from my comments is just weird.

                • fearout@kbin.social
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                  1 year ago

                  Have you misread my comment or have we been visiting completely different internets? Most of the people who are against wealth inequality are happy to point that out.

                  • dudebro@lemmy.world
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                    1 year ago

                    No, most of the people I come across are tribalistic to their core.

                    Since neither tribe is saying, in clear and concise terms, “the disparity in wealth should shrink instead of grow,” a lot of people lose sight of what’s really going on.

                    I like to spell it out for them leaving no room for ambiguity. Those who are afraid to answer the question are only like that because they’re ashamed of their answer.

            • fearout@kbin.social
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              1 year ago

              Ok, so googling it now, it seems like Indian space program has a budget of about $1,5 mln (holy shit they launched using that? I’m doubly impressed). I’m pretty sure that’s just the cost of some couch in the Antilia building.

              So I still fail to see your point. This is nothing compared to country’s budget, not even a rounding error.

      • dudebro@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Yeah, me too.

        Seems like a waste of time and energy that could be better spent doing something else.

        I think satellites are cool, though. Most space exploration is going to be eclipsed by advances in technology before we can do anything of value with it. But hey, it makes rich people richer faster! Anything to distract from helping those at the bottom rungs of society, lol. That’s not sexy!

        • beltsin@lemm.ee
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          1 year ago

          Where do you get this idea that space technology is making people very wealthy? Space agencies are government funded. I would have thought that simply looking at the technology advances from the 60s space race would show that it’s quite possibly the fastest way to develop new technologies that will improve the world. Defunding scientific research doesn’t help the poor, it stifles progress.

          • dudebro@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            Lol, what? Where does that funding go?

            Where do the workers spend their money?

            Let me break it down for you: every dollar spent exacerbates the disparity in wealth. If you don’t understand that, I cannot help you.

            • beltsin@lemm.ee
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              1 year ago

              Much of the money goes to scientists, engineers, researchers. The best. Technologies developed with that money are used for a variety of purposes. Because space travel is so difficult and complex, the technologies created for it are very advanced and contribute greatly to scientific efforts. I recall seeing a study (unfortunately I can’t remember which so as to link) which found that $1 invested in NASA contributed $7 worth to the economy. Yes, you’re absolutely right that we shouldn’t let the rich continue to get richer as they have done for so long. But stopping the most important research in the world to do so is inadvisable.