Random Thoughts Five: Ya rolls the dice, ya takes yer chances

[Phrossack]

Yes!

I think maybe we can consider our social systems and norms as a technology itself, one that needs to be improved to allow us to advance and increase in intelligence along with cybernetics and genetic engineering. Maybe if we don't mature as a society at the same pace as the other technologies, we will wipe ourselves and everything out with us.

Exactly. Right now we've proven barely able to handle nuclear weapons, and unable to handle global industry and consumerism at all. I dread the day we start asteroid mining. Because the startup costs would be high, and relatively few people would be involved, it would be trivially easy for wealthy individuals to dominate the industry and monopolize all of the trillions of dollars in wealth, at which point they become like gods and rule the economy and political systems forever. Alternatively someone nudges an asteroid closer to Earth to cut down on travel time there, and accidentally or deliberately nudge it straight into us.

Point is, we have a few decades at the very, very most to change our ways or we all die, or worse.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

I hate your pessimism because I fear you may be right.

 

[Phrossack]

I hate your pessimism because I fear you may be right.

I gave up optimism many years ago because it creates dangerous complacency.

But realistically, we have a narrow and closing window of opportunity. If we don't ensure asteroid mining is a heavily regulated thing done for the profit of the people, there's a substantial chance it will create an age of total rule by a single-digit number of people.

 

[Takhisis]

Do we really even need to mine asteroids? The Chinese are pointedly doing a lot of things to make their penis-equivalent measure up to the standards of the Western powers who humbled them in the 19th century, such as increasing per capita meat consumption, mindless consumerism of electronics, etc. but we might as well just mine up Antarctica if we're going for it.

 

[Silurian]

Mining is banned in Antarctica.

 

[Takhisis]

Well, yeah, but bans only apply to weak countries.

 

[Phrossack]

Do we really even need to mine asteroids? The Chinese are pointedly doing a lot of things to make their penis-equivalent measure up to the standards of the Western powers who humbled them in the 19th century, such as increasing per capita meat consumption, mindless consumerism of electronics, etc. but we might as well just mine up Antarctica if we're going for it.

It can make huge sums of money for those who do it, needs be damned.

 

[Takhisis]

I've just said that bans are for the weak, Furosaku-san.

 

[Phrossack]

I've just said that bans are for the weak, Furosaku-san.

There's probably more to mine from asteroids than Antarctica, Tagisisu-san

 

[Valka D'Ur]

Do we really even need to mine asteroids? The Chinese are pointedly doing a lot of things to make their penis-equivalent measure up to the standards of the Western powers who humbled them in the 19th century, such as increasing per capita meat consumption, mindless consumerism of electronics, etc. but we might as well just mine up Antarctica if we're going for it.

You seriously need to read Ben Bova's Grand Tour novels, specifically the four in the Asteroid Wars arc. If you find the asteroids that contain what you're looking for, you can get insanely wealthy (provided you can follow through with filing a claim, extracting whatever it is you're after, and avoiding being killed or plundered for it).

 

[Takhisis]

There's probably more to mine from asteroids than Antarctica, Tagisisu-san

Yes-u, but the rogistiku is far easier when all you have to do is go to Antarctica.

You seriously need to read Ben Bova's Grand Tour novels, specifically the four in the Asteroid Wars arc. If you find the asteroids that contain what you're looking for, you can get insanely wealthy (provided you can follow through with filing a claim, extracting whatever it is you're after, and avoiding being killed or plundered for it).

Ben Bova… never heard of him, but I'll keep my eyes open.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

Ben Bova… never heard of him, but I'll keep my eyes open.

@hobbsyoyo: We have someone here in need of enlightenment regarding one of the best science-oriented space opera series ever.

 

[Birdjaguar]

Ben Bova… never heard of him, but I'll keep my eyes open.

He often hangs out at La Mas Querida on Echeveria, but I think it is more lunch than dinner.

 

[Zkribbler]

Ben Bova… never heard of him,

The only proper response is...

 

[Valka D'Ur]

Ben Bova

Ben Bova's Grand Tour

 

[hobbsyoyo]

Yes-u, but the rogistiku is far easier when all you have to do is go to Antarctica.

Ben Bova… never heard of him, but I'll keep my eyes open.

Dude. Dude.....

You should try one of Bova's ground tour books. He's one of the best science fiction writers out there.

 

[Traitorfish]

You should try one of Bova's ground tour books. He's one of the best science fiction writers out there.

Surely you must know how much this seems like the set up for a "deez nuts" joke.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Radio station's definition of "classic rock" is still "mostly sensible, but a few songs thrown in to make you confused."

Spoiler :

That last song was released in 2007...

 

[hobbsyoyo]

I mostly listen to pandora for music and they play Creep (and every possible variant of it) fifteen times an hour it feels like. They also took away the option to temporarily ban a song from your stations.

(It's at the top of aimee's list there)

 

[Broken_Erika]

Only creeps don't like listening to creep 5,000,000 times in a row. And creeps have no business listening to music!