Live data from Hacker News

These people applied to go to Mars

applicants.mars-one.com

21–30 of 58 posts

Re: These people applied to go to Mars

#24
Putting aside fees and whatever, that was straight-up unpleasant. I watched about 10 videos, between recent, popular and random. I appreciate the people for submitting videos and such, but this is a serious endeavor and none of them would have a chance in a real mission. I suspect most are treating it like a vanity exercise. This felt more like a reality TV show about going to Mars. Unfortunately, seriously interested and competent folks were probably mixed into the rabble clamoring for attention.

I seriously respect the [real] folks that sign up for the eventual, one-way trip to Mars, but these seem not to be the folks. It's going to be hard. It's going to be unpleasant. And it's going to end both badly [in a sense] and gloriously. I didn't see that gravitas reflected in the folks I watched.

Re: These people applied to go to Mars

#25
post #5

490 people times $38 application fee. $18620 collected thus far. Maybe someone could start a site to send people to the sun? I'm sure it would work if they went at night.

The application fee varies from country to country [1].

[1] http://mars-one.com/en/faq-en/29-faq-registration-fee/408-wh...

Re: These people applied to go to Mars

#26

I suspect most of these people won't go when the chips are down. The training, mounting stress and creeping realization that this mission is most likely suicidal will separate the wheat from the chafes. Having said that, I have half the mind to go, but that's also why I'm not. I'm not particularly sane or stoic, and this would make me crack for sure.

I think that's a given. I'm sure the same thing happened for the first rockets and the first moon landings. Thank heavens they were successful, but I bet more than a few astronauts in training had doubts.

Re: These people applied to go to Mars

#27

"Don't attribute to malice what you can attribute to stupidity". I think taking application fees even when they are at least 10 years away from their goal is absurd and probably unethical, but it looks like their team has a sincere desire to make the mission happen. Its threads like this that make me wish HN was not so cynical.

Remember to quote it correctly:

Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity

The differences may be subtle, but the meaning is quite distinct from the way you phrased it.

Re: These people applied to go to Mars

#28

I suspect most of these people won't go when the chips are down. The training, mounting stress and creeping realization that this mission is most likely suicidal will separate the wheat from the chafes. Having said that, I have half the mind to go, but that's also why I'm not. I'm not particularly sane or stoic, and this would make me crack for sure.

I think a lot of people on here have that half mind to go (though probably not on this particular programme). This is the closest thing to the settling of the Americas ever since; it's something historically meaningful to be a pioneer. Granted, what keeps us grounded are our dreams and plans, and the fact that it's most likely suicidal.

Re: These people applied to go to Mars

#29

Putting aside fees and whatever, that was straight-up unpleasant. I watched about 10 videos, between recent, popular and random. I appreciate the people for submitting videos and such, but this is a serious endeavor and none of them would have a chance in a real mission. I suspect most are treating it like a vanity exercise. This felt more like a reality TV show about going to Mars. Unfortunately, seriously intereste…

> This felt more like a reality TV show about going to Mars.

That's because that's what it is! Literally! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_One

> A global reality-TV media event is intended to provide most of the funds to finance the expedition.

Re: These people applied to go to Mars

#30

I suggest that death row inmates be selected for the "Mars One" mission. These inmates are the most practiced at being forcibly confined in a hopeless environment and would be the most inspired individuals to make a death sentence into a life sentence. Australia is a de facto example.

Then again, throwing a whole bunch of murderers into a can with no authority figures to referee is bound to end badly
Post reply on HN