There is an argument against space exploration that goes something like, "We shouldn't spend time and money on space exploration when there are so many problems on Earth still to be solved." It's a popular argument, seemingly logical on the surface (if only on the thinnest film of a surface). Think of all the millions of dollars wasted! Think of the hundreds of thousands of people flitting away days, years, lives! And all while cancer remains an uncured scourge! Except that those millions of dollars stay firmly planted on Earth. And those hundred thousand people are mainly aerospace engineers and the like, and entered that field over the medical sciences for a reason.
But even those aside, there remains an irrefutable refutation of the "Time on space exploration is wasted time" below.
So long as resources are being spent to bring ideas like this to fruition:
- don't argue to me that space exploration or any of its various fruits are a waste.
Think of the dollars! Think of the man-hours! All while cancer and diabetes and hunger still roam the planet!
Not just a Christmas decoration. Not just an inflatable decoration. An inflatable decoration...
With. Moving. Parts.
Somebody had to figure this out. A whole team of people, surely. Months of RD, at least. Probably years. As Edison said, he found ninety-nine ways of how not to make a light bulb. How many ways did our intrepid inventors figure out how NOT to make a giant inflatable carousel WITH MOVING PARTS before they figured out that one lucrative way to do it?
And how much carbon was spent to make this one? And all the rest? All the thousands. All the bought and unbought, on shelves and lawns alike. And soon to be in garages, warehouses, and all, ultimately, landfills?
While cancer remains uncured.
So that we can have seasonal inflatable decorations. With. Moving. Parts.
But space exploration is the waste.
Happy Holidays, everyone.