• astral_avocado@programming.dev
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    22
    ·
    edit-2
    1 year ago

    I agree with your assessment except saying that SpaceX’s advancements are “not that bad” is a massive understatement. They’ve completely disrupted and forever changed the space launch industry, with the help of government subsidies.

    Everyone also forgets how Starlink is serving remote indigenous communities and scared the pants off shitty dominant ISPs that have been screwing rural communities over since forever.

    I’ll re-emphasize my point that I think the results of some large companies, which comprises the efforts of many many smart people, can have facets of it be considered overwhelmingly good.

    Edit: some more words

    • masquenox@lemmy.ml
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      3
      ·
      1 year ago

      Whenever I hear someone unironically use the term “disrupted” I just know I’m going to be hearing some capitalist parasite being glorified for doing something expensive that a government did much cheaper half a century ago.

      • astral_avocado@programming.dev
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        1 year ago

        Space launches were “much cheaper” a half a century ago? You don’t really follow any space news whatsoever do you? That’s patently false.

        • masquenox@lemmy.ml
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          1
          ·
          1 year ago

          No, the entire space exploration attempt was much cheaper half a century ago - neither the US nor Soviet space programs wasted labor or resources enriching billionaire parasites. There is absolutely nothing that can be performed by parasites such as Musk or Bezos that cannot be done far better, more efficiently and more effectively through public means.

          • astral_avocado@programming.dev
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            1
            ·
            1 year ago

            Can you provide a source showing space exploration was “much cheaper” half a century ago than SpaceX’s current costs to getting payloads into orbit? It sounds like you’re just assuming it would be cheaper from your idealogical leanings than that actually being the case.

            A half a century ago the US and USSR were devoting a significant fraction of their entre GDP in the space race to blast people into space on some of the largest rockets ever built, mostly for national security and military concerns And that’s not even to speak of the “safety standards” they had and ignored in order to win.

            The later shuttle program itself was a massive MASSIVE expenditure and no one in their right mind would EVER say it was an efficient and cheaper per kg in LEO.

            You’re just straight up wrong.

            • masquenox@lemmy.ml
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              1
              ·
              1 year ago

              Yeah, hold on… let me compare the costs of enriching a billionaire parasite piggybacking off publicly-funded programs that developed all the technology said billionaire parasite is piggybacking off with said publicly-funded programs.

              No, Clyde, it was cheaper - because we actually got results other than merely enriching a billionaire parasite.

              Your brain has been so addled with “free market” fairy tales that you might just as well believe a glass slipper will magically turn you into royalty. There is absolutely nothing parasites like Musk can do that we couldn’t do far, far better, much more efficiently and far cheaper through public means - and that’s it.

              • astral_avocado@programming.dev
                link
                fedilink
                arrow-up
                1
                ·
                edit-2
                1 year ago

                Speaking of being so biased you can’t see past your own preconceived notions… You are absolutely delusional and probably 15 years old. I’m not even pro capitalism, pro musk, or pro billionaires but you’re 100% off the rails. Go get a job and touch some grass after a few years.

                • masquenox@lemmy.ml
                  link
                  fedilink
                  arrow-up
                  1
                  ·
                  1 year ago

                  Junior, I’m old enough to remember when people could afford houses on a single income.

                  For someone that purports to not be “pro capitalism, pro musk, or pro billionaires” you sure do seem pretty gullible when it comes to the bullcrap they piss out out to justify their parasitism.