Space. I've written about it before, and it fascinates at least one of your writers here at Conflict Revolution. It seems we come across one of these stories every few months or so - astronomers complete a new set of research, we find out something about our own galaxy or another, far away one that we didn't previously know, it increases the likelihood that we will one day find life somewhere in the cosmos. The space-inclined among us get a little more excited. Carl Sagan does the opposite of turning over in his grave. And yet still, with each revolution of the research cycle, not to mention our own planetary merry go-round that we call a year, the mystery looms: Is there anyone else out there?
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| Is there? |
That's an open question, and we may never know. I'll tell you once thing I do know, however. My venerable army of straw men, the Washington Generals of editorializing, preservers and protectors of my favorite rhetorical device, is right here, right now, on Conflict Revolution, to serve up counter-arguments for me to deconstruct. The Straw Men are always ready with a seemingly valid point to be considered... and swiftly batted down.
"Matt, why do you care so much about space?"
Because that shit is cool, Straw Men. And important. We should really double NASA's budget.
"But why must we spend money to explore space, when there is so much to be done here on earth?"
Straw Men, space exploration - and its earth-bound ancestors on this planet - might be the only experiment in trickle down economics that has ever worked. We innovate out of necessity, but also when we're curious; often times, these go hand in hand. But from the voyage to the New World, to the trek across the American frontier, to the mid-century Space Race, the economic benefits from reaching beyond our own reality have always been rich. Just find me $20 billion in the federal budget - $20 billion - and talk to me in ten years if it hasn't helped to unleash a wave of scientific discovery, new technology, and economic growth.
"Provide some examples."
Hm, where to start... are you familiar with the railroads, Straw Men? Reaching back farther, there's also the fact that Europe was a largely impoverished, sickly place (okay maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration, but do you know how many people died in the plague?!?) before it's countries started competing to reach the ends of the globe, mostly out of necessity. The West wouldn't be the West without exploration, for better or worse. Turning to space, have you ever heard the term, NASA spin-off technology? What are you feelings on water purification, modern firefighting equipment, temper-pedic mattresses, artificial limbs, LEDs, and all the attendant economic growth from private companies that have commercialized these technologies? The list goes on, Straw Men. Have you ever fallen asleep on the highway? I have, and let me tell you - if it weren't for NASA, I wouldn't be here today.
"A compelling argument. But aren't you whitewashing the more disturbing parts of our frontier history - the diseases, the displacement, the environmental destruction, the outright murder? What if we just got rich by destroying everything in our path and claiming what was left for ourselves?"
I know at least CR writer who would argue with you on that, Straw Men. But just look at it this way - until we actually *discover* life somewhere out there, there's nothing for us to kill.
"Fair enough. You win again."
I know. Thanks for playing, Straw Men.
For more on the recent Milky Way Discovery, see Discovery News, Yahoo! News, The Telegraph, and Space.com.
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