Virginia Tech Academic Thinks Sending Humans Into Space is ‘Imperialist’
“When I went to [Washington] D.C., and started working in space policy and science writing, I saw how militarized space exploration was and how colonial the rhetoric was around it.”
Yet another example of progressive thinking actually being regressive.
The College Fix reports:
Virginia Tech academic: Stop sending humans into space — it’s ‘imperialist’
Yet another university academic is warning about continued human space exploration due to its “imperialist mindset.”
Savannah Mandel, a PhD candidate at Virginia Tech and an “outer space anthropologist,” adds to what seems to be a trendy argument about investigations into outer space.
According to Virginia Tech News, Mandel’s book “Ground Control: An Argument for the End of Human Space Exploration” argues that “rushing to send more humans to space […] mirrors an imperialist mindset that harms Earth’s humanity and environment.”
Mandel (pictured) said the space industry is “highly bureaucratic, highly politicized, and highly technical,” and the more she learned the more she began to question the utility of continued manned space operations.
She said she wants a “systemic change” in human-led space efforts, one of which is “the inclusion of more social scientists” at NASA and elsewhere.
Mandel noted that when she worked at Spaceport America she would “list all the pop stars going on Virgin Galactic flights,” but would also note the “poverty statistics for the local area.”
“It was such a stark contrast,” she said. “When I went to [Washington] D.C., and started working in space policy and science writing, I saw how militarized space exploration was and how colonial the rhetoric was around it.”
When looking at space-related/technology companies and organizations, Mandel said she asks “What is influencing this? Who is influencing this? What beliefs and values have gone into this?”
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Comments
What a maroon. What an ignoranamus.
In all human history, from the ancient Greeks, to the Polynesians, Spanish, English and now the Americans and Chinese into space, man has always sent out explorers and then colonizers.
If he wants the west to stop “colonizing” then he is ceding the moon and mars to the Chinese.
I’m trying to figure out if this is a pun since she is at VT.
Nope.
“Stupidity cannot be cured with money, or through education, or by legislation. Stupidity is not a sin, the victim can’t help being stupid. But stupidity is the only universal capital crime; the sentence is death, there is no appeal, and execution is carried out automatically and without pity.” -Robert Heinlein
How can someone be an “Outer Space Anthropologist” without ever leaving Earth?
Plus, how can you even have a specialty in “Outer Space Anthropology” when the only humans in outer space are a handful that we throw up there for limited periods? You might as well call yourself a “Lunar Petroleum Engineer.”
She’s an Astro-NOT……
“I saw how militarized space exploration was and how colonial the rhetoric was around it.””
Nah… she barely heard the first four words of the Star Trek intro before her feelz exploded.
No man has boldly gone where no man has gone before…..on her….
Another one whose views are derived from feeeeeeeeeeeelings.
Occupy Mars!
Yes, NASA needs more social scientists to talk about how the moon feels when we land on it.
They already have space psychiatrists to deal with the luna-tics…..
These ideologues are the modern equivalents of the Know Nothings from two centuries ago. They prize rhetoric over rationality, and resist progress as being forced upon them by shadowy enemies of “fairness”. The Know Nothings blamed the Catholics, the modern Progressives blame all institutions except their own, especially those who promote exploration over ignorance.