Elon Musk: 'I'm planning to retire to Mars'

[bananas]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/aug/01/elon-musk-spacex-rocket-mars

Elon Musk: 'I'm planning to retire to Mars'

The SpaceX founder is convinced that humanity's survival rests on its ability to move to the red planet. He tells Paul Harris how his company is making the leap to the stars an affordable dream

<snip>

He wants to secure humanity's future by turning the human race into a space-faring people able to colonise other planets. It's the only way, Musk believes, that we can be saved, either from destroying ourselves or from some outside calamity. To put it mildly, Musk thinks big and takes the long view. "It's important that we attempt to extend life beyond Earth now," he says in an accent hinting at his childhood in South Africa. "It is the first time in the four billion-year history of Earth that it's been possible and that window could be open for a long time – hopefully it is – or it could be open for a short time. We should err on the side of caution and do something now."

<snip>

All of which left Musk wealthy beyond belief and could have led to a life of idle bliss. But besides being a very rich man, Musk is a determined one. Talking to him is a slightly unsettling experience. He is open and friendly, but there is a sense that – on some level – he is operating on a slightly higher plane. Asked why he does what he does, he gives an answer that seems rehearsed but rings totally sincere. "When I was in college there were three areas that I thought most would affect the future of humanity. Those were the internet, the transition to a sustainable energy economy, and space exploration and ultimately extending life beyond Earth and making it multi-planetary."

<snip>

[Hugabear]

1. Good luck with that

Sooooooo many incredible hurdles to overcome first. Getting there in the first place would be quite an accomplishment. Actually living on the surface? Dealing with the extreme cold, planetwide dust storms, etc...I just don't see it happening in my lifetime.

[aquart]

3. No, but I like it that someone will keep trying.

I don't know why it makes me happy, but it does.

[Occulus]

2. The comment section is.... sad.

And we have people like that right here on DU.... sickening...

[comtec]

4. The "earth first"ers are a small minded bunch

Who can' even understand e value of space program, even as they log using their SPACE PROGRAM INVENTED micro computers.
that is, smaller, more efficient ways of computing, battery's, etc, were created directly for or by the space programs.

humanity needs to leave earth.
we let the corporations destroy it.
by leaving, we also help the over population problem.
we also help humanity, because only the best and brightest will be in space - in theory.

and maybe that's their problem... they will be truly "left behind" as the rest of us move on...

[Phoonzang]

6. Thankfully earth firsters seem to be in the minority.

Even here on DU. Considering the tremendous amount of kooks here, that's saying quite a lot.

[Johonny]

12. humanity needs to leave earth

humanity need the Earth. It's where we evolved and is the only place we are ever very likely to live. We are already on Mars with are machines. We will explore the Solar system and possibly beyond, but we will do so with our tools. That is the most obvious conclusion of the first 50 years of the space program.

I.E. you aren't going anywhere, so you better work your problems out.

[comtec]

14. What good are tools, if there's no one to use them?

If we stay we are doomed.
If we leave, we stand a fighting chance.
That seems to be what the space program is telling us, pretty blatantly.
what's your excuse for such a typical earth firster reply?

Robots can't discover, think, or ponder, they can only report.
What good is that if we're all dead?

[txlibdem]

5. Capitalism cannot leave this planet.

We must not allow Capitalism to infect the universe.

[Phoonzang]

7. For all you know we're the communists of the universe.

Maybe other intelligent species are even more viciously capitalistic than we are.

[joshcryer]

9. Capitalism cannot survive in space, anyway.

[FiveGoodMen]

10. Good thought, but...

I'm pretty sure that capitalism is just a formalized expression of some of our most basic instincts; admiring (even worshiping), and ceding power to those who already have the most power -- money just represents power -- seems to be born right into us.

I'm not promoting that in any way but if we leave the planet, our instincts, including the bad ones, will doubtless come with us and have to be reigned in no matter where we are.

[txlibdem]

11. The argument 'It is, so that is how it will always be' isn't a good one

Our instincts are to fear anyone not like us. Yet we pass laws against discrimination and genocide. Our instinct as males is to spread our seed to as many women as possible. Yet we instituted marriage and frown on infidelity (most of us do anyway). Our instincts in an emergency situation tell us to run and get away, regardless of whether we trample little old ladies or children in the process, yet we almost always get the women and children out first in dire circumstances. In short, our instincts are there but we do not (and in most cases should not) let them control our behavior.

Many of our instincts have been passed down to us from our simian ancestors. We are removed from Capuchin monkeys by 35 million years yet a recent study showed that they make the same dumb economic choices that we do and are fooled by the same gimmicks like putting products "on sale". The monkeys were given tokens that they could trade for food (grapes) and they quickly understood the economic value of the tokens.

Here is an article and the TEDtalks video that is just fascinating. http://brainposts.blogspot.com/2010/08/man-as-monkeys-wearing-pants-why-humans.html

Other researchers have shown that monkeys will use a token to buy sex, presumably when the male monkeys are given the tokens but females are not. They also steal tokens from other monkeys. And in a painful example of just how much we are like them, they never save any of their tokens ever. Sound familiar?

I do not agree that our society must cater to our baser instincts. Capitalism may be the inevitable extension of a monkey wanting to horde all the fruit for himself and keep it if he is stronger than the other monkeys around him. Harming everyone else by keeping all the food to yourself gave the evil proto-Capitalist an evolutionary advantage: more food equals healthier offspring, a greater chance that your progeny will survive, also greater strength to fend off predators. I do not see the future of the human race being guided by these 35 million year old ideals.

Capitalism served its purpose when we were brutes. When will we become civilized and realize that we all need each other in order for us all to survive and prosper? By denying your child the best education possible I am hurting myself because one of the children out there that are currently being underserved could have cured cancer or any of the thousands of other diseases that may one day kill me -- or you. Capitalism as it is practiced in America is the institutionalized picking of winners and losers. The more money your parents have, the higher up you will go and the more likely you are to have an excellent education and/or become wealthy yourself.

Capitalism is an ancient curse, a pox upon all our houses. Kill it before it kills us.

[FiveGoodMen]

15. "I do not agree that our society must cater to our baser instincts"

And I didn't say that.

I said this:

"I'm not promoting that in any way but if we leave the planet, our instincts, including the bad ones, will doubtless come with us and have to be reigned in no matter where we are."

[txlibdem]

16. I pose two questions to you then

Should we encourage or by inaction allow the spread of Capitalism outside of our planet?

Or should we try to stop Capitalism from leaving our planet (farther out than Geosynchronous orbit where there are lots of commercial satellites already)?

[FiveGoodMen]

17. Why not just eliminate it here and now?

We would if we could, right.

There's no magic barier in space that will make the struggle any different out there than it is here.

Here's a question for you: What do you actually mean -- specifically -- by "try to stop Capitalism from leaving our planet?"

What would the first step be?

[txlibdem]

18. So you are unable or unwilling to answer a simple question.

I'm not sure a further discussion with you would be fruitful. That makes me sad but do not blame yourself, as long as you are genuinely doing your best.

[joshcryer]

19. "There's no magic barier in space that will make the struggle any different out there than [here]."

High levels of technology change the survival equation. If you predicate your society on selling air and water and food and things that make base survival possible, your society will fail.

In space.

[FiveGoodMen]

20. Maybe. For a while.

But if we successfully colonize another planet, the same human nature we've always had will start scheming how to usurp all the wealth and power.

We'll have to fight it over there just like we do here.

The notion that we can somehow declare that those instincts can't come with us is just nuts.

[joshcryer]

21. That depends on whether or not the technology to survive in space is not used for good.

Of course there's always the possibility that technologies that emancipate us from these types of structures can be used to reinstate them. Once you have 'free' air and water (water is extremely costly, but society makes it nearly 'free' for societies sake), it'd be easier. But I don't have that outlook.

[n2doc]

8. Musk is running out of money with his hobbies

The only way he is 'retiring" to mars is as ashes after he is cremated.

[EmilyKent]

13. A long time ago, in a place not very faraway....

a caveman talked around the fire late at night.

'I dream that one day we will leave this tiny spot he said, and go over that hill we can see in the distance to discover what's on the other side...for there must be more to life than this small place.'

And his friends laughed at him, and nudged each other and winked. Obviously he'd eaten some fermented berries.

It was well-known there was nothing beyond the hill, and in any case they already had enough problems where they were. Animals were disappearing, food was getting scarce along with firewood, and some of their best hunters had been injured recently. But then again, the gods would probably provide, so why waste time thinking about it, much less doing it?

Best to just go to sleep, and leave their companion to mutter to himself by the fire.

He'd probably return to normal by morning.

[architect359]

22. +1

Thanks.

[Odin2005]

23. We have stood long enough on the shores of the cosmic ocean.

It is time to journey forth.

[Terry in Austin]

24. Living on the final frontier

As a long-time sci-fi fan, I've always believed that going into space is A Good Thing for Humankind. In an abstract kind of way.

Lately, though, some <ahem> mundane practicalities have put some tarnish on the idea for me.

Even if there turns out to be a realistic source for all the energy necessary for serious space exploration and settlement, I had to consider this: would I really want to put myself in the position of having to buy the very air I breathe from a U.S. corporation?

Talk about late electric bills being a headache!