[ExI] Hawaii telescope protests

SR Ballard sen.otaku at gmail.com
Wed Jul 24 17:12:52 UTC 2019


I just don’t understand why I can’t be sad/disappointed (which I am), mad at people for not thinking before they chose this location (which I am), while also understanding where these people are coming from (which I do)... 

I’m not saying what they are doing is right. I’m saying it’s understandable. I’m not saying it’s beneficial, because it’s not. It’s clearly detrimental to the scientific community. 

Can you really not comprehend where these people are coming from? And if you can’t, why do you think you shouldn’t have to?

You can understand why someone did something, where they are coming from, without agreeing with their actions. The emotional part of yourself and the logical part of yourself are still you. You have to acknowledge that for what it is. Sometimes people’s feelings are illogical, and actually actively work against their own self interest. Sure, you CAN see that as stupid (it’s definately self-defeating) but there was an identifiable reason WHY. There is an understandable motive, even if you reject it. 

How can we claim to want an amazing, glorious future when we’re not willing to meet people where they are at? People rarely knock down the door to get on the list.

SR Ballard

> On Jul 24, 2019, at 11:21 AM, John Clark <johnkclark at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> On Wed, Jul 24, 2019 at 11:38 AM Dan TheBookMan <danust2012 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
>>> >>They have already delayed by 4 years what would have been the largest optical telescope in the world, and now after they lost in court and astronomers tried to resume construction they acted illegally and not only stopped all new construction they shut down 13 of the most important telescopes in the world that were telling us fascinating things about the universe.
>> 
>> > The analogy is a little stretched here since the protestors are not, say, seeking to wipe out knowledge or scholarship.
> 
> They are not just seeking they have already successfully delayed our finding out new things about the universe, thanks to them the Thirty Meter Telescope has already been delayed by 4 years and now, despite a recent favorable court ruling, it will almost certainly be canceled entirely. I just hope the mob someday allows the 13 existing telescopes at the most important observatory in the world to resume operation, but even that is far from certain. 
> 
> Where is the anger (and yes righteous anger) that any civilized person should feel at these horrible developments? I don't see it. And that's not good, I find it downright frightening that even on the Extropian List for reasons I can't even pretend to understand most feel a moral obligation to make excuses for obvious barbaric behavior. It just doesn't bode well for the future of Civilization.
> 
>  John K Clark
> 
>> 
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