Why do some people fail to understand the value of the space program?

Question

One response readily on peoples' tongues is that we have too many problems at home to justify the exploration of space--a rationale that fails to take the facts into account. Economically, the program has provided a host of benefits, ranging from computers and other forms of communication to advances in fields ranging from clean energy to agriculture. Environmentally, the program has greatly enhanced monitoring and remote imagery, historic advances in meteorology and a unique view of Mother Earth as a fragile and beautiful place worth protecting and respecting. In other scientific disciplines, the program has provided vastly increased understanding of the universe we live in and new hope of dealing with its challenges. Politically, a program that began as a beacon of territorial pride has evolved into a mechanism for international cooperation unlike anything the world has ever experienced. Continuing the space program is an important investment in the future of human kind.

Answer 1

First, a couple comments to posters:

I'm glad, souvannykai and john, that you support the space program. But...

souvannykai, we *did not* evolve from apes -- and no knowledgeable person claims that we did. I'll leave it at that, since further detail is irrelevant to the question. I agree we should continue to explore the ocean, too!

john, putting the space program on hold until we've eliminated disease and poverty would (a) likely mean putting it on hold for centuries, if not indefinitely... and (b) be counterproductive to the very goals you mentioned. The space program has *contributed* to medical research and to the economy, and will continue to expand our knowledge and options in the future, in ways we can't even foresee... and it has saved countless lives by aiding in hurricane prediction and the discovery of ozone depletion, to name just two examples.

To get back to the question, I believe some of the fault, in America, at least, lies with NASA. I think they could do a better job promoting space exploration by educating the public about its benefits.

I believe, further, that too many people are short-sighted, and cannot grasp anything outside their daily existence. They cannot think outside their own little communities, much less their planet.

You cited very similar arguments in favor of the space program to ones I made in my own post, which you can find at the bottom of this page:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=An24wg8eHrlz4bdeq3n.EJDsy6IX?qid=20060704101246AAM5vjH

Thank you (and the other promoters, here) for helping to spread the word! Some very good points have been raised.

I do not work in the space program, by the way; I'm just an ardent supporter.

Answer 2

Well ok to start with we still have a lot of places we ahven't explored here on earth. For one thing we still have the vast ocean to explore. The Earth have so many different species and I bet you a lot ofthem are under water. The parts we haven't explored yet. I am all for the space program but you have to admit the ocean is not very well explored. Right now on Mars we are there to see if there was a ever a life on Mars. Well, honestly why would there be water irrigations? Humans are also in the mission on to finding out who we are and how life might have evolved here on Earth. What I do beleive is this. We came from a different Galaxy than our own. I mean c'mon if we evolved from apes why are there still apes that is only 3% off from our DNA. Have u ever seen something that evolved from something and is still around? I am not talking about cocoons and maggots. Crocodiles are dinosaurs and they look the same. They are probably the oldest lizards right now. Everything else evolved from lizards.

Besides all that we are also looking into colonizing another planet. We will accomplish that and start with the Moonbase in the near future.

Answer 3

My thoughts exactly!!! I can't quite understand it myself. These people that don't care for or like the space program are too ignorant to grasp its full impact on civilization. The problem is that no matter how much we advance today or tomorrow, the only people that will reap the benefits are those who will live long after we are gone. Why try to better something when you yourself cannot benefit from it NOW?!?! We are living in a society that wants to see results TODAY and not tomorrow. That's how they see it. It's a self-centered way of thinking and that is why many people feel this way. However, they fail to realize how detrimental this kind of thinking can be to the advancement of civilization as a whole. I think that the most unselfish thing any person or organization can do is to invest in something that FUTURE generations will benefit from. That to me reflects their true character.

Answer 4

Most people never confront anything in their lives more complex than eating, sleeping, and working and they appear to maintain the same frame of mind that ancient hunter-gatherers did. In other words, they intuitively feel they can find what they need, and there is no need to make it.

In a similar manner, many people do not understand how we rely on industry and technology to make things work, so they cannot conceive of why we need more knowledge. And, they do not understand what we learn from research or performing very difficult and challenging tasks like getting to the Moon.

Add to that the fact that NASA has the very worst PR of any agency and you can understand why almost nobody understands what we have gained from space exploration.

Answer 5

I am guessing that when you have a lot of space between your ears even outer space seems common place and really just not worth the effort

also there is that hole fear factor a basic human thing to be afraid of the unknown, I am sure for some that plays apart

Answer 6

Because there is always a hidden agenda which is not peaceful.
The Yanks want to dominate the world and impose there own will and values on everyone.
The Russians and Chines see it as a war machine under the guise of being a "deterrent".

Answer 7

Not to even speak of the knowledge we have about gravity, one of mankind's biggest puzzles not yet understood, or the speed of light, which milleneums from now will be the answer to intergalictac space travel, or even silicon, and many other products like plastic's additives that are heat resistant. Many of the newly develpoped products today are the result of what we've learned in the NASA program. To answer your question, umm, i dunno. lol

Answer 8

Because they are ******** idiots. That's the ONLY reason that they fail to understand the value of the space program. Their brains are too tiny to comprehend it. We can't hold them to it either... it's not their fault that God made them with such small brains.

Answer 9

Because people are stupid and think God created the Earth and the Universe and there is nothing to explore.

Answer 10

i support the space program but i think we should concentrate on thing that could save more lives like decease, poverty etc. then when we fix those problem we go back in space.