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the drive to explore
John Ordover claims that, "Exploration is only done for a profit
motive." What planet is Mr. Ordover from, anyway? I must hail from some other universe! All my life, I've enjoyed exploration for exploration's sake. To explore appeals to my deep sense of wonder; no financial profit is necessary (even if it can be nice). Perhaps Mr. Ordover is a troll; he certainly comes across like one. But he is far from the only person to make such statements. If only. There is indeed a tendency among many to pretend that only *profit* motivates anyone to do anything. Joseph Wang writes that "none of the early European explorers or the governments that financed them were really interested in abstract knowledge or for a sense of adventure. They were in it to get filthy rich from the spice trade." Steve Stirling concurs: "Exploration for its own sake was a later development -- after generations of unbelievable success had taught Europeans that finding things out about remote places was always a Very Good Thing." So let me get this straight. Before modern Europeans decided that exploration was a Very Good Thing, nobody ever explored for exploration's sake? No one ever thought to wander through the woods out of sheer wonder? No one ever went on a boat ride just to see what was out there, and have fun while they were at it? No one ever explored a cave, or a creek, or a mountain, or a jungle, out of their sense of adventure? Please! That has got to be garbage. As a kid, I explored everything -- and not for extra allowance money! There was no extra profit to be made; I thrived on the thrill, the wonder, the adventure, the knowledge to be gained. And I still thrive on it. The profit-obsessed would have me believe that I'm the only human who has ever existed to feel this way. (If they first admit that I exist at all!) But that is laughable. Money can be a useful device, but not the be-all and end-all of human existence. Profit is *not* the only motive for exploration or anything else. Far from it. Craig Neumeier claims that "Exploration for its own sake is quite rare in history, and the Romans didn't do it." No Roman ever explored without getting paid for it? No Roman child ever snuck outside after bed to stalk the night for strange discoveries? No Roman centurion ever found fulfillment or adventure in his expeditions, but cared only for his paycheck? This is economic determinism at its worst. Anytime a discussion comes up regarding space exploration, someone is bound to ask, "What's the point? There's no economic justification that I can see." Or something along those lines. It apparently never occurred to such people that space is fun and fulfilling and fascinating in its own right. In 'Mission Worth It?', Stanley Kurtz writes, "Space lovers, in contrast, are a hopeful lot. They seek to conquer space for sheer glory's sake. And space-o-philes don't just crave evidence of life; they intend the colonization of space to remake human society. Space lovers even expect to save the world - by giving humans a new home in case a stray asteroid, or ecological disaster, threaten Earth. Dreams like this keep the space lovers going." Notice that Mr. Kurtz *never* even mentions exploration for its own wondrous sake. Apparently the thought just never came to his mind. It's difficult for me to find common ground with people like Kurtz. We almost seem to come from different species. Perhaps that's yet another good reason for me to get off this planet and explore what's out there. Catherine Hampton says it best: "It's as if an art lover had to explain his love for Michangelo's David to someone who saw sculpture as nothing but shaped rocks." One poster to rasf writes, "Curiosity, like gravity, is a weak force - it does its work slowly. But like gravity, it is a force which cannot be denied." I cannot deny my curiosity. Yet my curiosity is anything but weak. It is powerful enough to rank right next to my need for food, water, and life itself. Perhaps my drive to explore makes me rare. I am willing to consider that possibility (though I seriously question it). But I refuse to consider that people like me do not exist. That is simply absurd on its face. Unfortunately, it is also an article of faith for extreme materialists. Paul Dietz writes that "Explorers are a tiny, abberant microminority of any society." Christopher Jones echoes that belief, albeit with a qualifier: "Exploration is, indeed, a rather exceptional human behavior, but it is nevertheless a human behavior. And one which is so ingrained in the nature of humanity that it has been a constant, continuing, and quite important part of the entirety of human history and pre-history." But are explorers truly so rare among humans? I am certain that they are not rare among children. Growing up, I rarely met a fellow child who was *not* an explorer. Somehow I doubt that most adults simply "grow out" of this urge to explore. Shawn Dawson puts it this way: "It is true that most individuals have not explored, but that is not because they lacked the urge. I believe that they have not explored for other reasons. Among them, are 1) How do you support your family while you explore. 2) Political restrictions (crossing national borders can cause problems) 3) Similar to 1), but even if you don't have a family, how do you even sustain yourself while exploring. Surely many, many people would, if given the choice, rather explore (and perhaps settle) some newly discovered island, or sail the seas in a boat than push a pen at work. The reason we don't is not lack of desire, but one of the above issues (or others). To call explorers a 'tiny, aberrant microminority of any society' is a totally unfounded statement." Based upon my observations in life, I am inclined to agree with Mr. Dawson. Are explorers truly rare among people? And if so, how rare are they? It seems that lots of people are explorers. Even people who are bogged down in the 'normal' life often explore vicariously (through RPGs, for example). Are some people simply more genetically inclined to explore than others? Why are some people so intent on denying humans' drive to explore? ObWI: WI the belief that profit is the main motive throughout human history never gains widespread currency (pardon the pun)? WI it were far more fashionable to attribute human behavior chiefly to spiritual beliefs, cultural orientations, or sexual habits, for a few examples? Granted, this should put many major philosophies out of commission; certainly, economic determinism would be a fringe phenomenon... |
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wrote in message
ups.com... John Ordover claims that, "Exploration is only done for a profit motive." John might be incorrect where individuals and groups up to a certain size are concerned, but I think he may be thinking more about societies and nations. To state it more specificially: No society, and certainly no nation, has ever engaged in a large-scale colonization effort in a new frontier motivated soley by the individual urge to explore for curiousity's sake. Anytime a discussion comes up regarding space exploration, someone is bound to ask, "What's the point? There's no economic justification that I can see." Or something along those lines. Some of us think that's a problem of the limited vision of the nay-sayer, rather than a problem of a lack of economic opportunities beyond the Earth. Perhaps that's yet another good reason for me to get off this planet and explore what's out there. The unfortunate problem you face is that in the current (and forseeable) situation, you will require subsidization to the tune of billlions to get to do what you want. You'll find that most people are not willing to hand over vast sums of money to help you satisfy your itch to explore. On the other hand, people occasionally hand over vast sums of money when there's a prospect of them getting even more back later on. The trick is to combine the two, and that's where most of my attention is directed. I cannot deny my curiosity. Yet my curiosity is anything but weak. It is powerful enough to rank right next to my need for food, water, and life itself. Please forgive me, but I don't take this assertion very seriously. How many starving 3rd-worlders are intensely interested in the exploration of Mars? For them, it's a tremendous irrelevancy (just ask them). The thought to explore the universe only comes to people who aren't worrying about where their next meal is coming from. -- Regards, Mike Combs ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Member of the National Non-sequitur Society. We may not make much sense, but we do like pizza. |
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Mike Combs wrote:
wrote in message ups.com... John Ordover claims that, "Exploration is only done for a profit motive." John might be incorrect where individuals and groups up to a certain size are concerned, but I think he may be thinking more about societies and nations. Perhaps, but I've never seen him add that qualifier. To state it more specificially: No society, and certainly no nation, has ever engaged in a large-scale colonization effort in a new frontier motivated soley by the individual urge to explore for curiousity's sake. I'm not so sure about that. I can see some monarchies exploring motivated solely by the monarch's (and others') curiosity. And there have been colonization efforts motivated at least *partly* by the urge to explore for curiousity's sake. Money has not been the only motivator--there have been other strong motivations, with curiosity among these. Anytime a discussion comes up regarding space exploration, someone is bound to ask, "What's the point? There's no economic justification that I can see." Or something along those lines. Some of us think that's a problem of the limited vision of the nay-sayer, rather than a problem of a lack of economic opportunities beyond the Earth. We agree here. The *long term* economic opportunities beyond Earth dwarf anything back on the *auld sod*. Money would not be my main motive for space exploration, but I'm not blind to the economic possibilities. Perhaps that's yet another good reason for me to get off this planet and explore what's out there. The unfortunate problem you face is that in the current (and forseeable) situation, you will require subsidization to the tune of billlions to get to do what you want. You'll find that most people are not willing to hand over vast sums of money to help you satisfy your itch to explore. On the other hand, people occasionally hand over vast sums of money when there's a prospect of them getting even more back later on. The trick is to combine the two, and that's where most of my attention is directed. Perhaps you are right. However, I note that people just handed billions in taxes for the new War on Iraq. How exactly has that war improved the life of the average American? Sure, Halliburton has profited, but how so for the typical taxpayer? My point is that taxpayers routinely finance ventures that bring them no immediate profit (or no likely profit *ever*). I cannot deny my curiosity. Yet my curiosity is anything but weak. It is powerful enough to rank right next to my need for food, water, and life itself. Please forgive me, but I don't take this assertion very seriously. That is your right, but believe me, I am serious. That's how *intense* my drive to explore really is. Perhaps you simply can't understand, but that's the way it is for me. How many starving 3rd-worlders are intensely interested in the exploration of Mars? For them, it's a tremendous irrelevancy (just ask them). Most 3rd-worlders are not starving, and in my experience, one need not be some middle-class white male westerner to be fascinated by other worlds. For many third worlders (as first worlders), religion, mysticism, and myth speak to their sense of wonder. I'm sure that many would jump to the chance of going to Mars. Just because The Gambia doesn't currently have an active space exploration program does not mean Gambians lack a fascination with the unknown. The thought to explore the universe only comes to people who aren't worrying about where their next meal is coming from. If you're exploring the Amazon and find that your food pack has rotted out, you can't exactly drop by the nearest 7/11. But people *have* explored the Amazon -- at the risk of life and limb. Many times, they have died while doing so. Explorers have been known to embark on risky adventures on which they really *don't* know where their next meal will come from. But they don't "worry" about it; they find a way. If they were chronic worriers, they probably wouldn't have embarked upon the expedition in the first place. Maybe that's part of the big difference in mentality I'm talking about. |
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lal_truckee wrote:
wrote: John Ordover claims that, "Exploration is only done for a profit motive." What planet is Mr. Ordover from, anyway? I must hail from some other universe! All my life, I've enjoyed exploration for exploration's sake. To explore appeals to my deep sense of wonder; no financial profit is necessary (even if it can be nice). OK, I'll bite. In all this exploration you did just for the love of it, where have you been that no other human being has ever been within 100 miles? 10 miles? Even 1 mile? I can't say for sure I've yet been anyplace that some previous explorer has not been. But that's not for lack of desire. It's because so many humans have already explored the earth. I have risked my life exploring areas that were completely new for *me*. I would jump to the chance to explore space for the rest of my life, even if that would likely mean a premature death. |
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Jim Davis wrote:
Your drive is so intense you just can't wait for someone else to do the heavy lifting so you can explore space, right? It's, like, a biological imperative, man! Paul |
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Jim Davis wrote:
wrote: That is your right, but believe me, I am serious. That's how *intense* my drive to explore really is. Perhaps you simply can't understand, but that's the way it is for me. chuckle Your drive is so intense you just can't wait for someone else to do the heavy lifting so you can explore space, right? Jim Davis Actually, I'm *not* waiting for anyone else to do the heavy lifting. But in case you haven't noticed, space travel is *expensive*. It will be a while before my group has the funds necessary to get started. However, we *are* accumulating funds toward that end. I have to wonder why you're so dismissive of someone who seeks to explore. Maybe you feel you're hopelessly stuck on this planet, so even the *idea* of anyone else leaving angers you. "Misery loves company," as they say. |
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Paul F. Dietz wrote:
Jim Davis wrote: Your drive is so intense you just can't wait for someone else to do the heavy lifting so you can explore space, right? It's, like, a biological imperative, man! Paul Otherwise, why would embittered clowns like yourself have to spend so many hours trying to refute the obvious? |
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