James Chang

    I love space. I love the magnetic pull between celestial bodies, and the way the past is ingrained in the vast ocean above us. I love the rings of planets, the vivid colors and the specks of light that dot the alluring sky.

   However, exploring space has a time and a place. That time and place is simply not today. We look up to a sky of wonder, yet we’re drowning in the world today. We always think of how a rocket can land on the Moon, but what about the cost?

   We are putting time and money into finding out if there was a droplet of water on Mars at some point in time thousands of years ago, but for what purpose? This knowledge may fuel your patriotism by making other countries jealous of our precious discovery, but take a second to think: how much does this knowledge truly benefit humankind? Is it truly more important than ending terrorism? Ending addiction? Ending mental health crises? Being human should mean prioritizing our society and our planet over the enormous universe above us. If we cannot do this, we will have failed future generations.

   Take NASA’s discovery this month of the most distant black hole known to man. This discovery, while record breaking, has no positive effect on the world today. Imagine how different the United States could be if some of the $25 billion allotted to NASA went somewhere else; homelessness, comparatively, is given $3.6 billion, despite being more dire.

   Critics may argue that useful technology has been a byproduct of space exploration, such as memory foam, freeze-dried food and Velcro. Overall, these innovations are irrelevant to society, especially given the extensive amount of time and effort necessary to achieve them. Furthermore, these technologies still may have existed without space travel; we will never know.

   Space exploration is not an obligation. To survive, humans only need food, water, shelter and medical care. A scientific quest for more knowledge is not a need, it’s simply an interest at best. We want to know how the universe was formed and why light cannot escape black holes, but the greed for knowledge should not be prioritized over the necessities many humans lack. Two billion people live without access to clean water, yet many countries would rather blast off to another planet than help.

   Additionally, humans do not have a great track record about caring for the needs of a planet; extinction, deforestation and contamination of water are all products of human behavior. What would happen when humans reach other planets? How do we know that we won’t be replacing each new planet we destroy with another, continuing on and on until every planet is a meaningless orb, spinning aimlessly in space?

   It is fearfully ignorant to turn a blind eye to the world that we live in today; rape, starvation, climate change, trafficking and war are happening at this very second. Yet humans should not be destined to live in fear. So, before spending another second dreaming about the giant leaps for mankind, think of the small steps we can take for humanity.

   Fixing the world will take time, money and effort; but it’s much more beneficial than blasting off to a utopian world in the clouds. First, look at where your feet stand.