The wife recently watched the documentary about his rocket company and the lofty goal of settling Mars for the survival of the species. I get it, it's a cool goal and we will almost certainly over run this planet like rats eventually.
I just wish they'd include more truth about how long that will take and whom the first settlers will be if the $#@! hits the fan here.
They keep talking about lowering the cost of getting to Mars. But they fail to mention ( at least in the portions I saw) that this cost would be the proverbial drop in the bucket or tip of the iceberg. Long term we would have to teraform a planet, like on Star Trek. Even if we knew how that would probably take centuries at a minimum perhaps millenia to do.
Until then, anyone on Mars would have to live indoors and grow food indoors as well. in an incredibly inhospitable place. Mistakes = death. Furthermore the cost of getting there, getting materials and supplies there and growing food and living inside there would be so prohibitive that only the super rich and connected could go.
I have no problem with Musk getting a spot as it's his company, his innovation and his genius at work. This is what a rich guy REALLY risking his assets looks like. Not some Boss Hogg type investing in the tilted table stock market and only paying half the taxes he should on his unearned income. But who else would go and how many of the peasants dollars would be used to make that happen? Ex-presidents? A sports figure or movie star? A few super models or maybe super hookers? Other billionaires and politicians?
All I'm saying is they need to be truthful.
1) We want you to support this realizing that it will not occur in your lifetime.
2) When it does occur it will not help the common man for centuries. Your grandchildren's grandchildren would never know the descendants who got to go.
3) If this becomes possible and the $#@! hits the fan here, your assets will be stolen to send the connected there.
I'm cool with supporting it as long as we get to revolt when they take our tax money to send others there. Hell even if we were chosen by lottery. Even knowing what I know. Also I am not saying that Musk is deceiving anyone, just that the documentary is avoiding or minimizing certain truths.