I keep hearing the same question: “Why do you want to go to
Mars?”
Well, that’s not the right question. The right question
would be: “why don’t you want to go to Mars?”
You! Yes, you! The one that keeps telling me I am crazy and
suicidal!
Just how much do you know about space travel? Or about Mars,
for that matter? What makes you so sure that doing that would kill me? Now
please stop reading and really give it a thought.
Have you ever thought about how big the computers were when
the first men landed on the Moon? Which percent of the spaceship they occupied?
I did!
Or about how many people landed on the Moon in the last few
years? None!
That’s right, none. And let’s take this idea further.
Do you have any idea how much it would cost to send people
safe on Mars? About 2-3 billion dollars.
How much many does the humankind spend on wars, commercials,
thing they will never use? Sport events? Give it a thought. Or a google search.
Or if you are not in the mood, I’ll tell you: hundreds and hundreds of
billions. Every year.
You, reader! Be honest with yourself! You spent a few bucks
on that cool device you saw on TV, the one that promises you a flat belly,
didn’t you? Did you ever use it? Is your belly flatter?
How much was it? 30 dollars? 50 euro?
What if I told you that if you gave up a dollar, and
everyone would do the same, there will be enough money for not one, but two
Missions to Mars? Your belly won’t be flatter, (except for the amount of fat
some extra chips you lost giving up a dollar would bring you), but the
humankind will be prouder. That’s right, prouder!
Aren’t you ashamed that we
are not there yet? I am!
You keep hanging on to the idea that the people that go
there will not be able to leave the planet anymore. Can you leave your planet?
Does that make you suicidal?
Does being born makes you suicidal, or you parents -
killers, just because you’ve been born on a planet which you can never leave?
And don’t give me that crap about radiation and starving to
death. Do you have any idea how much radiation you took in on those flights to Hawaii? How about giving
it a search?
Starving? Dying of thirst? How about thinking of how many weird
chemicals you swallow everyday? How much of the rain forest has been destroyed by
some big corporations, so you can swallow them? At least I'll be eating organic food there.
Or, how many people starve to death here, on Earth? Why aren't you so worried about them? Because there are so many! For how
long will the drinking water supply last here, on Earth?
Are you worried about me living on a deserted planet to try
and make it livable for generations to come? How about worrying about you
living on an overpopulated planet that will get deserted in a few generations?
Mars One is not a just dream. It’s a necessity.
What if it goes wrong? Some dreamers’ bubble will burst.
What if it goes well? The whole world will join in a wonderful
common project, new technological discoveries will be encouraged and developed,
new friendships will be made, and new lands will be traveled.
So please, blame me further for being an insane lunatic.
And feel good and sure about yourself by doing so.
