a thoughtful web.
Good ideas and conversation. No ads, no tracking.   Login or Take a Tour!
comment by Meriadoc

    Mysteries of #Gravity: Why do we enjoy a SciFi film set in make-believe space more than we enjoy actual people in real space?

The most important of all his tweets.





ms626  ·  4045 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I think this statement could be applied to anything though.

Why do we enjoy a television show about working in an office more than we enjoy watching people actually work in one? Etc...

Meriadoc  ·  4044 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I suppose you could, but the difference is in how extreme and cool it is.A screen is obviously a step up from actually going to an office. A screen is definitely a step down from actually going to space.

ms626  ·  4044 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Perhaps because the idea of space travel is so inaccessible and a bit abstract to the average person?

I wonder if more people would express interest if they became more cognizant of the concrete ways space travel benefits their daily life. Maybe someone should rent out some billboards and plaster them with some of these facts...

http://www.spaceexplorationday.us/benefits/space-benefits-ma...

Meriadoc  ·  4044 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I think the better idea is to make the case to private companies-- they've already got some pretty good marketing corps that can convince the people AND we'd have an explosion in exploration. Look at how much SpaceX alone has contributing to interest in space.

ms626  ·  4044 days ago  ·  link  ·  

That's true, but it's still very cost prohibitive for the average person. Here's hoping they develop some "budget" flight options soon. I'd totally fly economy class to Mars, screaming babies be damned.

Meriadoc  ·  4044 days ago  ·  link  ·  

They have been some moves towards it lately. I remember reading around a year ago about a company that was planning on a one way trip to Mars with some early colonization methods where they were asking for volunteers. Don't know if the company held together or the plan continued, but at least there is some interest in it.