Billionaires in Space
Sounds like a new television sitcom, doesn’t it? Or perhaps the latest entry into reality television (hopefully not featuring any Kardashians!). Actually, the latter pretty accurately describes events of this past month, where both Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos of Virgin Galactic and Amazon fame, respectively, blasted off into space – or at least to the very limit of Earth’s atmosphere. Elon Musk purportedly isn’t far behind – maybe he’s waiting to develop an all-electric rocket ship 😉 .
But from what I saw, there has been no shortage of acerbic reactions to these billionaires’ dalliances. Things like “They have so much money they don’t know what to do with themselves,” or “What a waste…” Perhaps the most common complaint was something like: “They should be using their billions to solve <fill in the blank> instead of goofing off…” There is truth embedded in all those comments.
But I must admit I didn’t react to the news of their atmospheric adventures with negative thoughts or comments, as apparently most people did. In fact, I took umbrage at those comments, and I wasn’t sure why. How could it be that so many people I admired were so angry at these business tycoons, but I wasn’t? It took me a while to process my own feelings. It helped to look back in history a bit.
In the ‘60s and ‘70s our country’s space program was going strong, thanks in large part to John F. Kennedy’s imagination, vision, and encouragement. The Apollo program had some incredible accomplishments, including putting 12 men on the moon. In fairness, the program also had some horrific tragedies. But this period was emblematic of a time when our country was interested in, perhaps even captivated by, science and technology. Government wasn’t simply all about collecting tax revenues or providing basic, fundamental services. There was an esprit de corp shared by the federal government and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration that, at least implicitly, recognized the importance of human imagination and our inherent need to explore our world around us. It was understood and accepted that along with the potential benefits of space exploration, there was also risk. But it seems that spirit has all but disappeared in our country. The last time a human walked on the surface of the moon was December 11th, 1972. Fifty years – that’s almost a lifetime ago!!!
I suppose there are many explanations why our collective sense of adventure has fallen off a cliff. The times have changed, the world is more complicated. Partisan politics seems to cripple any worthwhile initiatives. There are less resources for more people. We’ve turned inward, more focused on our own individual survival. The role of government seems to have devolved into a “what can we do for our constituents in order to ensure victory the next election cycle.”
We’ve seen many technological advances in certain business areas over the years. But unquestionably the role of visionary now resides with those in the private sector, like those billionaires in space. And it’s really easy to criticize them as selfish, self-aggrandizing, unaware buffoons with money to burn, who have nothing in common with you and me. But personally, I’m willing to cut them some slack. They are fabulously wealthy, but should we expect them to channel all of their money into philanthropic pursuits? Is it OK if they keep a few hundred million for themselves, to pursue their hobbies, dreams, personal goals? Who among us wouldn’t rush out to take that trip of a lifetime, or purchase that dream house, or buy the toys we’ve always wanted, if money were no object?
Sure, we should hold them to a higher standard. It is frustrating to see them take their space vacations when there are a whole bunch of tents pitched on the side of the freeway. They’ve all profited from us to make their billions, and they should be expected to pay their taxes and contribute to the well-being of our society in return. But we shouldn’t be so quick to label them as highfalutin’ freeloaders.
While their selfish pursuits don’t ingratiate themselves to us, let’s acknowledge the creativity, invention, investments, and years of problem-solving that went into making these billionaires’ adventures possible in the first place. Remember the benefits, either intended or not, that resulted from NASA’s investment in programs like the Mercury and Apollo missions, such as the development of Teflon, new medical devices, enhanced parachute technology, new imaging technology, food safety, on and on? Just as was the case from NASA’s heyday, there are likely to be many significant benefits to society that will result from Branson’s space flight and Bezos’ parabolic excursion, and the technology that made those trips possible.
As I mentioned previously, much of the criticism of these billionaires is legitimate. But we shouldn’t get trapped in the “Tyranny of the OR,” as business guru Jim Collins described in his book Built to Last. Branson can fly his space plane, Bezos can take his trips into earth orbit, Musk can build his Mars spaceship AND we can fight homelessness, climate change, and hunger. We can and should do all of those things. And finally, I’m more than willing to allow a few conceited billionaires with delusions of grandeur to have their fun and games, if their efforts ultimately drive beneficial technological advances and nourishment of the human spirit. I’ll take that tradeoff any time.
© 2021 L. Wechsler. All rights reserved.