Space Exploration vs. Feeding the Poor
So, the other day, I applied for another position as a writer, (at present, I am already a martial arts writer for GaijinPot.com) and was told that the selection process has been narrowed down to myself and 2 other candidates. In order to expediate their final decision however, they decided to give us all a test. We were told that we had to write about whether the US government should continue to fund space exploration programs, or whether they should cut funding to NASA in lieu of concentrating on feeding the poor. Interesting question.
In any event, I contemplated the question overnight, and formulated the following response in an hour. (Actually two- when I wrote it, I was under the impression that I had 500 words to work with, when in actually, I had to argue the point in 325. I took me another hour of editing to successfully shave it down to that.)
I will attach the essay, so please feel free to comment on it, as I'm curious as to whether or not my vision is still clear and my arguments still logical after having to cut out 35% of it. Douzo.
THE SPACE QUESTION
In dealing with an issue such as this, I think the underlying question is always the same:
Given the fact that we are living in a broken system that has perpetuated incredible social woes, do we halt our progress for the sake of stopping to fix the problems, or do we simply ignore them and keep going? On an individual scale, it’s like asking someone who has gotten themselves into debt trying to start a business if they should quit that business to get themselves out of debt.
The answer is NO. What they need to do, and ultimately what we need to do is the same thing- adapt our strategy to kill two birds with one stone. This can be done by shifting the focus to fields of space research that are also applicable in solving the issues of the poor as well, namely, developing sustainable forms of food or energy production in harsh and unforgiving environments.
Given the rampant environmental degradation and in many places, desertification of the third world, effective self-sustaining food and energy production in harsh, unforgiving environments continues to be a serious issue. This issue must also be resolved before we can think about long term space exploration.
Furthermore, by focusing on these elements of research, and conducting the research in areas which are all already suffering from these problems, we can also educate and employ the local people living in those areas as well.
The greatest advantage however, of addressing both issues in this matter is that the development of creative solutions in these two areas would necessitate bringing in a multitude of learned individuals from a myriad of different fields who’s difference in specialization may have not previously afforded collaboration.
So, in summation, I do not believe the answer to this problem is either A or B, but C. As Einstein once said, “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”
Citation:
Albert Einstein, Albert Einstein Quotes, page 8, http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/a/albert_einstein_8.html, May 25th, 2009
In any event, I contemplated the question overnight, and formulated the following response in an hour. (Actually two- when I wrote it, I was under the impression that I had 500 words to work with, when in actually, I had to argue the point in 325. I took me another hour of editing to successfully shave it down to that.)
I will attach the essay, so please feel free to comment on it, as I'm curious as to whether or not my vision is still clear and my arguments still logical after having to cut out 35% of it. Douzo.
THE SPACE QUESTION
In dealing with an issue such as this, I think the underlying question is always the same:
Given the fact that we are living in a broken system that has perpetuated incredible social woes, do we halt our progress for the sake of stopping to fix the problems, or do we simply ignore them and keep going? On an individual scale, it’s like asking someone who has gotten themselves into debt trying to start a business if they should quit that business to get themselves out of debt.
The answer is NO. What they need to do, and ultimately what we need to do is the same thing- adapt our strategy to kill two birds with one stone. This can be done by shifting the focus to fields of space research that are also applicable in solving the issues of the poor as well, namely, developing sustainable forms of food or energy production in harsh and unforgiving environments.
Given the rampant environmental degradation and in many places, desertification of the third world, effective self-sustaining food and energy production in harsh, unforgiving environments continues to be a serious issue. This issue must also be resolved before we can think about long term space exploration.
Furthermore, by focusing on these elements of research, and conducting the research in areas which are all already suffering from these problems, we can also educate and employ the local people living in those areas as well.
The greatest advantage however, of addressing both issues in this matter is that the development of creative solutions in these two areas would necessitate bringing in a multitude of learned individuals from a myriad of different fields who’s difference in specialization may have not previously afforded collaboration.
So, in summation, I do not believe the answer to this problem is either A or B, but C. As Einstein once said, “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”
Citation:
Albert Einstein, Albert Einstein Quotes, page 8, http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/a/albert_einstein_8.html, May 25th, 2009
posted by Chuck at 10:31 AM
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