Expansion

[boxy]

Greed for money has not just taken over professional life, but political and family and public life. And it is all based on the idea that the world can sustain infinite economic expansion by multinational corporations.

No wonder the yanks fantasize about colonizing space. Their ideology needs that fantasy, or it runs into the problem of being utterly flawed.

Greed for resources has always led the battle for dominance between animals, survival of the fittest and all...

I have long hoped that we can colonise space... without it, there is nothing but eventual physical stagnation for the human race.

[mantra.]

Interesting that we can be compared to animals, but I suppose there isn't much difference basically. Humans are supposed to have thinking & reasoning brains - whereas animals just rely on a gut instinct but then again those who want to dominate and control at the suffering of their fellow humans deserve to be called animals.

As far as colonising space - what gives the Americans the right to even believe they can do this? No doubt there are other "beings/things" who lay claim to space, but the yanks will keep on fighting - they want to colonise everything. Pity they've run out of money and have become one of the more despised nations in the world, Israel might be next - although we're not trailing too far behind.

Australians - prior to Howard, used to be a respected nation. We had a reputation of remaining neutral and being peacekeepers - that's gone now, but maybe Rudd can build it up a little with his strive towards peace - or so we've been led to believe. No doubt time will tell as to whether Rudd will keep all his promises.

[Jovial Monk]

We are animals, we eat, excrete and mate just like any other animal. OK, we have these frontal lobes thingies that make us smarter and give us knowledge that one day we will die but biologically we are just animals.

Space--our own solar system, not extra-stellar for quite a while--can give us energy, solar energy in practically limitless amounts. It will not take the pressure of population though.

So, we can have a frontier of sorts but are basically stuck to this world. If we can accept that and the implications of that (various faiths, Muslims especially, won't accept that and keep breeding like rabbits) than we can start to consider how to best utilise this one world.

Population is already too high: we have fucked the Murray Darling basin, caused climate change etc plus we have had two world wars, a cold war and continual guerilla wars etc. Might be nice to go back to say 3Bn people, can be achieved slowly if breeders just have two kids--replacement rate is 2.7 IIRC from Uni days.

Gradually, the terrible outer suburbs that are serviced very very poorly esp with public transport can be returned to agricultural land, the more inner suburbs can get more open space. With abundant free energy coming in from space and people gradually having more space around them there would be less incentive for war (which, at bottom, are always about economics) so more spending can be done improving people's lives (education especially) and less spent on armaments etc. This will reduce even more the incentives for war.

Christly Christians & Muslims would scream loudly: religion always prefers most people to be poor peons. However, mainstream opinion, even in Muslim lands (e.g. in Kuwait most of the adult population there drink like a fish tho it is officially dry) is moving away from strict adherence to religious decrees.

How could this get started? If the rest of the world could be brought up to western standards of living that would do it: it is the poor that breed like rabbits mainly. Doubt there is enough good will & resources for that to happen. So we will need to use our vaunted brains!

[JW Frogen]

As far as colonising space - what gives the Americans the right to even believe they can do this?

They believe they can do this because they have lead the world doing this.

Right has nothing to do with this.

Those that can, will.

[mantra.]

Those that can, will.

I can't argue with that - but if the Americans did have the first man on the moon 40 years ago (or whenever it was) - why haven't they progressed a little further in their space exploration?

[TomB]

why haven't they progressed a little further in their space exploration?

Progressed a little further than what? There's a whole order of magnitude difference from making a piddly little jump to the moon and the next closest object.

[freediver]

As far as colonising space - what gives the Americans the right to even believe they can do this?

I would call it a natural right - like your right to pick your nose. The fact that no-one is going to stop them or make a moral argument against it also gives them the right. You don't have to apply for a right every time you think of something novel to do.

[Auzgurl]

As much as we like to knock the Americans sometimes..they are easy targets after all..but those that take risks and lead the way usually invite criticism from those with a lesser conviction..

I am glad that Americans lead the way on so many fronts..space..peacekeeping..etc. As I mature I see the intrinsic good in Americans..even if somewhat misguided at times..ie : Bush.

These so called brains that we like to believe elevate us above animals well what has it done for mankind and the earth really? All we have managed to do with our socalled superior intelligence is foul our air, waters, and kill of each other and untold species of animals which have as much right to inhabit this earth as any one of us.

If we were really so smart we would not have to explore other planets to ensure survival of the species..earth has provivded us with untold bounty.

Humans are so smart and yet we havent learned yet that its not good house keeping to shit in ones own nest.

And we call the "less evolved" races of the world stupid.? Ind pple lived here for approx 40-60,000 yrs and enviromental destruction was NIL. "Stupid is as stupid does" ( Forrest Gump)

[freediver]

Ind pple lived here for approx 40-60,000 yrs and enviromental destruction was NIL.

No it wasn't. It was just limited by lack of technology.

[Auzgurl]

Ind pple lived here for approx 40-60,000 yrs and enviromental destruction was NIL.

No it wasn't. It was just limited by lack of technology.

not even a nibble on that one FD..