A question I have about this and related, is why would we not proceed into the future in more “high security” ways than this, which is collapse-proof in case the calculations are wrong or information hidden? Why in such a hurry and not even building the resilient foundation first, just charging toward someones random idea of scie fi future some day? I suppose because whatever is done, it needs to be done in the current economic system limits which nobody believes can ever change (even though there are zero laws of physics preventing it changing—only the psychological ones of the people we gave power to).
To clarify, without thinking much at all, in my mind, a secure way to build the future would be: - First replace ALL fossil-fuel-based manufacturing, transport, mining, compute, industry, home/business electricity use, construction, heat sources, cooling etc with renewable renewables—not a typo: yes renewable renewable (i.e. ones that do not require any fossil fuel in their full-lifecycle at all: design/improvement, mining, construction, maintenance and recycling, all only via other renewable sources which themselves are renewable renewables). - Ideally, secure the “bootstrap” method for maximum resilience, in order to start over from zero without the backing of fossil fuel (which is basically only once-in-a-planetary-lifetime energy source), if it were to come to complete collapse or destruction of the above systems. - Proceed from there to space or whatever now that everything is secured.
Once we have the system on Earth, it can be completely replicated anywhere in Space, no guesswork, complete confidence, no need to race and freak out about anything.
Sometimes I think the reason for going fast is almost always in order to monopolize. Fossil fuel is limited and getting more expensive. If you burn as much as possible sooner than others then you get to build up hardware that nobody else will ever be able for that price after you.
I still think building the fab Elon talks about is probably a good idea, but the fancy sci-fi narrative around it seems off. There will be a hidden story he sells to investors and a public story he sells to us and his employees.
A question I have about this and related, is why would we not proceed into the future in more “high security” ways than this, which is collapse-proof in case the calculations are wrong or information hidden? Why in such a hurry and not even building the resilient foundation first, just charging toward someones random idea of scie fi future some day? I suppose because whatever is done, it needs to be done in the current economic system limits which nobody believes can ever change (even though there are zero laws of physics preventing it changing—only the psychological ones of the people we gave power to).
To clarify, without thinking much at all, in my mind, a secure way to build the future would be:
- First replace ALL fossil-fuel-based manufacturing, transport, mining, compute, industry, home/business electricity use, construction, heat sources, cooling etc with renewable renewables—not a typo: yes renewable renewable (i.e. ones that do not require any fossil fuel in their full-lifecycle at all: design/improvement, mining, construction, maintenance and recycling, all only via other renewable sources which themselves are renewable renewables).
- Ideally, secure the “bootstrap” method for maximum resilience, in order to start over from zero without the backing of fossil fuel (which is basically only once-in-a-planetary-lifetime energy source), if it were to come to complete collapse or destruction of the above systems.
- Proceed from there to space or whatever now that everything is secured.
Once we have the system on Earth, it can be completely replicated anywhere in Space, no guesswork, complete confidence, no need to race and freak out about anything.
Sometimes I think the reason for going fast is almost always in order to monopolize. Fossil fuel is limited and getting more expensive. If you burn as much as possible sooner than others then you get to build up hardware that nobody else will ever be able for that price after you.
I still think building the fab Elon talks about is probably a good idea, but the fancy sci-fi narrative around it seems off. There will be a hidden story he sells to investors and a public story he sells to us and his employees.