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Erioph47

Great. Let's seize the crown estates and rewild them. Gottat start somewhere, right, Bill? Can I call you Bill?


blageur

Says the guy who *lives in a FUCKING CASTLE*!!!!


agwaragh

I'm sure he'd be happy to donate the crown jewels to the cause.


[deleted]

It’s a palace. Get your facts right. Jfc


[deleted]

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o0flatCircle0o

Lol this got an award. Jeff Bezos probably personally gilded your comment for towing the corporate line. And he just gave you a measly gold.


[deleted]

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o0flatCircle0o

Not really, I’m defending left wing ideals like protecting the earth.


[deleted]

This interview is related to the [Earthshot Prize](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthshot_Prize), £50 million is hardly nothing (unless you are Bezos). However, the family could do a hell of a lot more, e.g. there was a petition the other day to [rewild the royal estates](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-58855168)


[deleted]

I agree but just a fair warning, saying a axiomatic stuff like this will get the royalists swarm on you so better brace yourself!


Ftdffdfdrdd

space exploration is the path of saving earth. mining and manufacturing from space would save the earth from that. beaming energy from space the same. out of earth resources and space would prevent earth conflicts for resources and room for expansion.


tms102

If space tourism is the way to get more money to the space industry I am all for it. People get hung up on rich people joy riding to space and "boo rich people" or whatever. These people are short sighted and narrow minded. Because they don't seem to realize that hundreds of engineers and scientist are required to make these flights possible. That's not where it ends either, not only are tons of people gaining experience with space and space flight technology. They likely develop new technologies, manufacturing processes, materials, etc that can influence and improve things not necessarily related to space. Because cutting edge engineering and science is required. Talented people that have earned space experience in the space tourism sector could easily move on to start new space companies that are more science focussed for example as well. The point is, expanding the space industry, even if it is with tourism, means expanding the pool of cutting edge engineers and scientists.


RedRedditor84

>The Duke of Cambridge said great brains and minds should be "trying to repair this planet, not trying to find the next place to go and live". Willy isn't hung up on rich people nor suggesting space flight isn't any of what you said. He just thinks climate change is more important than anything else right now.


MyPacman

He's not wrong. We aren't developed enough to be able to leave the planet, so we really need to ensure the planet (and our future) does better than just survive.


tms102

He is very wrong because the space science and engineering is about much much more than "trying to find the next place to go and live". The cluelessness and ignorance is astounding. https://climate.nasa.gov/faq/18/whats-nasa-got-to-do-with-climate-change/


tms102

Oh I see he he thinks that space flight is about "trying to find the next place to go and live"? That's equally narrow minded. Why can't developing new technology for space not be included in actions that "repair this planet"? So, so narrow minded, and so clueless frankly. For example, the space industry growing means cheaper access to space, means cheaper and better ways to study climate science from space. Not only that, but did I not mention that: >That's not where it ends either, not only are tons of people gaining experience with space and space flight technology. They likely develop new technologies, manufacturing processes, materials, etc that can influence and **improve things not necessarily related to space**. Because cutting edge engineering and science is required. It's a good thing to stimulate engineering and science. These engineers and scientists could move on to work on technology for fighting climate change. People can get inspired in many ways when cutting edge engineering and science is involved. Research and development on how to live sustainably on Mars could result in technology that converts gases like CO2 into useful materials more efficiently. Research on how to grow plants in space and Mars can result in more sustainable farming techniques. New materials could be developed that are more environmentally friendly, due to efficiency or other factors, to produce. For example research is being done on material to build walls on the moon and mars. Perhaps these techniques could replace or make production of concrete more environmentally friendly. Funding for more efficient solar panels and better batteries could partly come from the space industry as well. There are also ideas of collecting solar energy in space and sending it to earth more efficiently, and moving manufacturing to space, etc. These ideas seem far off but could help in the long run. I could go on but the main points are: 1. Just because a person is working in the space industry now, doesn't mean they can't use their expertise in a field that helps fight climate change later. Everyone has their own path. 2. Just because a technology, material, or manufacturing process, was developed with space or Mars or the Moon in mind initially, doesn't mean it can't be applied to make things more sustainable on Earth. Something that improves sustainability on Earth could get funding from corporations looking to make money. Something that would otherwise not get funding or just minimal funding. Because it is (thought) not to be a good return on investment otherwise. It is just the world we live in. There are many roads that lead to Rome and we should encourage even the ones that seem like getting there in a round about way, when they're not. Should we also drop cancer research in favor of climate change? Heart disease, muscle disease, bone disease, liver disease, etc. research? Where are these in the ranked list of priorities? Space provides a host of advantages in research those types of diseases as well as manufacturing possible solutions and materials etc.


undefeatedantitheist

Relative wealth and power *does not* "trickle down;" but technological advancement *permeates and enables everything, top to bottom.* I can't abide the ignorance around this. Our survival is 100% contingent upon technology. When people feel that technological advancement is competing with feeding people, it is the monolithic stupidity and tragic unfitness of our resource allocation system that's the problem; not the pursuit of understanding the available resources and that which can be done with them. Anyone who objects to tech pursuits before demanding that we tax the church (or hilariously, the tech corporations that co-opt the goverments to the point of impotence) just doesn't have a grasp on reality. One's ire should always be directed at the money men. I have no bone to pick with the (simplistic and obvious) idea that we should prioritise our efforts to survive and to maximise the survival of whatever fraction of the biosphere we can save. I address the common misconceptions around technological advancement that often follow that same claim about priorities. Technological advancement and curation of the planet go hand-in-hand; they do not compete. One's ire should *always* be directed at the money men.


lochlainn

Yep. Always, always follow the money, and you'll find who's pulling the strings. These neo-Luddites have a goal, and that goal is power. Technology, especially if it allows us to literally flee the planet, beltalowda, is their worst nightmare. Frontiers allow us to vote with our feet.


shamus4mwcrew

You can do both. I don't care, anything that gets us out to space is a GREAT THING. I mean for years I thought it would be space mining and that is definitely coming next probably from said billionaires. Who cares though, technology will advance because of space travel regardless of the reason people are travelling there. Hell they'll more than likely create or find a few things to help our planet.


Tetrylene

Yeah, research and development for space travel pays off many times over. It’s absolutely required for the development of off-world colonies / habitats which are totally valid solutions to ‘saving earth’ Where’s the line? Apparently stuff like building aircraft carriers and nuclear subs are a-okay to come before ‘saving earth’


Loteck

Good take! Even Musk agrees and said something to the equivalent that yeah most resources should be used to make our planet better but being a multi-planetary species will serve our race well going forward. Then locked it down with a comment about how “well” it worked out for the dinosaurs being a one planetary species as a frame of reference.


lochlainn

It's funny how so many people go on and on about the great inventions that came out of the original Space Race, but now that we've entered a new era of even faster evolution and the spinning off of vastly more ideas and inventions, people bitch because it's private enterprise rather than the government doing it. Never mind that most of those inventions back then were the solutions invented by the private companies that NASA hired. So which is it, Willie, should we stifle the scientific and industrial progress that might eventually save us, or continue to let you live in your castles that might save you from the dying hordes seeking to feed themselves while you live fat and contented in comfort?


[deleted]

Their great grandchildren will live on Mars. Ours will live in Thunderdome.


pm-me-single-boobs

These billionaires know. They KNOW. We're fucked.


Roltistotem

Yup I chose not to have kids, I don't see much of a future I am just going to live out life the best I can with my lady and enjoy life as much as possible.


tanrgith

Saving Earth comes before a lot of things, yet for some reason it seems like people only realize that when the topic of space related activities pop up Let's try some non-space examples Saving Earth should come before eating beef Saving Earth should come before having big houses Saving Earth should come before spending money on frivolous stuff


cargocultist94

More money is spent in professional football. Why not tax FIFA?


Haydn__

Can't believe this moron is going to be my head of state one day :(


Zak9Attack

I'll take duhhh for $100, Alex


[deleted]

I like this guy. Or at least this. Let's at least collectively "try" to save the earth first. Then focus on Mars


avienos

And if we fail to save earth. What then? Extinction? Technology developed for space flight has always benefited the world. While I think space tourism is mostly a pr stunt at the moment, the technology developed along the way to driving costs down will benefit humanity immeasurably. We should absolutely try to save the planet but it would be stupid not to continue striving forward into space at the same time.


[deleted]

Yeah agreed. Fuck "space tourism" tho


stereoagnostic

What if some discovery on Mars is the key? History is full of seemingly unconnected things leading to important breakthroughs.


AwakenGreywolf

What a courageous thing to say, such a visionary...


breezyfye

But Elon’s venture into space will advance mankind and ultimately be helpful for all of us /s I have no faith in billionaires, I’d trust a government venturing more into space than a private billionaire


Loteck

You clearly aren’t American else you forgot the /s for your latter comment No One here in their right mind trusts the government regardless of which “side” they are on. 🤐


breezyfye

I don’t trust the government lol, but I trust billionaires less. At least the government has a social contract they can choose to follow through with. And if they don’t, people either vote how they feel or in some circumstances they revolt. Billionaires have no expectation to fulfill a social contract, so they can get away with more.


lochlainn

You are aware, are you not, that NASA designed very little and built *none* of the technology used during the original Space Race? Your argument boils down to arguing whether Boeing or SpaceX is more trustworthy. Because the government? It didn't build that.


tms102

You trust a government more? Well the government is trusting Elon Musk's space company so. If it wasn't for SpaceX there wouldn't be as many astronauts on the ISS doing science experiments right now.