Space: A Waste?

NASA Facebook fans are a chatty bunch. We (NASA) post something of interest going on at NASA. Fans talk about it. They like it. They dislike it. They have an idea for how to change it. But, for the most part, they’re supportive of our efforts. It is, after all, a “fan” page. Lately I’ve noticed a few unhappy folks who post little “This is a waste of time” zingers. I really find it fascinating. If the information we’re posting is a waste of their time, why do they spend time on the NASA fan page?

Timbuktu Credit/NASAI’m intrigued by the “waste of time” mentality.

When someone writes “This is a waste of time” on NASA’s Facebook wall about the Timbuktu image above, I have to wonder…as compared to what? Their frame of reference would be so telling. Wouldn’t it? For instance:

  • Reading a book is a waste of time when you could be fishing.
  • Fishing is a waste of time when you could be working.
  • Working is such a waste of time when you could be spending time with family.
  • Family time is such a waste when you could be traveling.
  • Traveling is such a waste of time when you could be volunteering.
  • Volunteering is such a waste of time when you could be making money to donate.

Look at the context in these examples. One choice is pitted against another. We tend to do that, don’t we?

Don’t we make judgments about choices others make based on our own value-based choices?

Here’s what I notice: we humans often expect others to share our views and values. If they don’t, we like to cast them as our enemy. We’re good. They’re bad. That simple. But really, it’s not simple at all. Just because I value something doesn’t mean you have to value it too. Yes, I’d LOVE everyone to agree with me on EVERYthing. But, I’m no less valid in my choices or opinions than you are in yours. (You’re probably shaking your head right now, thinking how I’m idealistic and unrealistic I am. You won’t be the first to think it.) Hear what I’m saying.

Life is all about balance.

We each bring to the table different and unique attributes for the greater whole. Synergy! The same goes for NASA. So, let’s explore how the federal government works, shall we?

Civics 101: The government exists to provide the public good. We fill the gap between:

  1. the needs of the common man, and
  2. profitably ventures attractive to commercial entities.

The pursuit of knowledge (i.e. NASA endeavors or basic science) isn’t profitable. But once we pursue the unknown, gain knowledge, and share what we’ve learned, THEN the opportunity exists for someone to take it and run all the way to the bank. For instance, what we’re learning about humans existing in long-duration space onboard Space Station, may help address the debilitating effects of osteoporosis on here on Earth. A drug company MAY use this information to manufacture sell an “antidote” to brittle bones. Yay for them! We discover knowledge that leads to a product that meets a need someone is willing to pay for. Or, IF the need is worthy and a commercial entity can’t make a profit, we’re back to the government providing it. The cycle circles back on itself.

Society = balance of public good + commerce.

In reality, the argument boils down to managing the appropriate balance among the nations’ priorities to best bring about public good.

Civics 101, Part 2: The White House and Congress determine the nation’s priorities.

  1. The White House sets the agenda, and
  2. Congress holds the purse strings.

NASA receives less than 1% of the federal budget. Even if I do say so myself, we accomplish aMAZing feats with that partial penny on every dollar given us by Congress.

What can YOU do with less than a penny?

So back to the question, is space a waste? Again I ask: as compared to what? Personally, I feel the time and energy I spend exploring unknown places or books or foods or experiences is never wasted. Every time I learn something new, I know more than I did the moment before. Even when the experiences are painful, I’m still wiser than before. Can that knowledge ever be wasted? What if I share what I learned with you, and it:

  • saves you time,
  • streamlines your effort,
  • prevents harm, or
  • gives you insight on places or people you’ll never see?

What we discover at NASA changes textbooks! Generations upon generations of humans will benefit from the sacrifice our nation made to fund the space program, in an effort to learn what we don’t know. In the meantime, our government also took care of housing for the homeless, education for students, subsidies for farmers, benefits for veterans, security of our borders, and so much more. We can debate the balance of funds distributed, but it was ALL in an effort to bring about the public good…as determined by the White House and Congress.

Civics 101, Part 3: Citizens, if you disagree with how your tax dollars are spent, you speak loudest through your right to vote (as opposed to a fan page on the internet).

In the meantime, I’ll see you on Facebook!

Crosspost on Bethbeck’s Blog.

5 Responses to “Space: A Waste?”

  1. A Taxpayer  on October 18th, 2009

    Beth,

    I think you need to re-examine your Civics 101, Part 1 section of your post. You have fallen for the public goods fallacy in justifying government involvement in research (what you call “pursuit of knowledge”).

    Specifically, you assume that the government should deliver public goods because it is somehow wiser and more altruistic than private companies driven by short-term profit and self-centered motivations.

    This is a fallacy.

    1) It assumes that government is moved by a force somehow outside of the public and therefore more altruistic — it is not. Profit is not evil and egoism, care for self, is not the opposite of altruism, care for others.

    2) It assumes that the government considers the longer term — which it doesn’t. In fact, the government’s timeline is simply the time to the next election.

    3) It assumes that the government is using its own resources — which it doesn’t. The government uses resources that it acquires through monopoly of the use force. It is a core tenet of the Constitution that the size of the government should be strictly limited to minimize this use of force. A civilian space agency is not called for in the Constitution.

    Thanks for you interesting post.

    A Taxpayer

  2. Matt Hancher  on October 18th, 2009

    Beth,

    I agree with everything you said, but I think a general defense of NASA misses the point of those comments. More often they stem from a belief not that NASA is fundamentally a waste of time but rather that the particular NASA activity in question is a waste of time relative to whatever the writer thinks NASA ought to be focusing on. NASA’s challenge is that its mission is extremely broad while most people only know or care about a few elements of it. If you do the math, that means that most of what NASA does is at risk of being seen as a waste of time by most people most of time.

    Photographing the Earth from space is a waste of time if you believe NASA ought to be focused on expanding our reach into the universe. Robotic exploration missions are a waste of time if you think they are a poor substitute for real human exploration. Sending humans to the Moon is a waste of time if you believe we should be focusing on Mars or a NEO, and vice versa. Sending humans to space at all is a waste of time if you think robots give us more bang for our buck and let us take bolder risks. All E/PO activities are a waste of time if you think NASA should focus all its energies on “doing” things and just let those actions speak for themselves. All of aeronautics is a waste of time if you think NASA is just a space agency. And finally, to bring it full circle, all of that expansive space exploration nonsense is a waste of time if you believe that mankind’s most pressing concerns today lie back at home, in understanding how we can stop our own planet from going into meltdown.

    I think most of the armchair critics of NASA are actually excited about and inspired by NASA on some important level. I suspect that is the answer to your question about why many of them subscribe to things like the NASA Facebook page in the first place. Whatever piece of NASA’s mission inspires them is the piece that they believe NASA ought to be focusing on, and everything else seems like a waste of time in comparison.

    Clearly communicating that NASA has been given crucial and exciting missions in a number of different areas is key. Getting better at parlaying each constituency’s core source of excitement about NASA into broader excitement or at least appreciation for other NASA activities is also key. Finally, I worry that part of the reason that this sort of thinking is so prevalent is that NASA may in fact be spreading itself too thin. I remain cautiously hopeful that our leaders in Washington, after they have time to fully digest the Augustine Commission’s report, will chart a course for NASA that will bring some much-needed clarity to NASA’s missions for coming years.

  3. XiNeutrino  on October 18th, 2009

    One thing is very certain. Reading your comment and suggestions is not in any way a Waste of Time. NASA, I am certain is proud of your views, and all taxpayers should be too.

    We shall explore and we shall be led in those efforts by NASA and in time an entire worldwide partnership. Not one second of those efforts will be a waste of time as humankind extends itself beyond our dear planet Earth.

    Thank you for your belief, courage and inspiration. Go NASA, we are with you.

  4. Michael  on October 19th, 2009

    Excellent Post! One’s perspective is just that, one’s perspective. One of many. Here is one that I think is a great one to reflect on: http://tinyurl.com/7wyfho

  5. Beth Beck  on October 19th, 2009

    Thanks for the comments.

    Matt, we have many choices to make as we implement direction from the White House and Congress. I just don’t see any of it as a “waste” — no matter what project it is…as long as it advances knowledge forward. It’s the mentality of trashing a program that I find fascinating. I’d rather spend time making each decision the best and leveraging resources to go furthest. All within the constraints of our federal budget process.

    A Taxpayer, I responded to your comment on my blog: http://www.bethbeck.wordpress.com.

    Thanks Waddell for your kind words.

    And Michael, I love reflecting on Earth in the vast blackness of space. Puts our “perspective” in focus, doesn’t it? Without the space program, we would never see our own planet. NASA images provide a unique “point of view” on the world we live in.

    Keep the conversation going. :)