just to be clear

i do think space, as in outer space, exists.  i don't think the moon landing was a sham.  i do, however, think that space exploration is a colossal waste of time and resources.  i also think that astronauts are cuckoo.  the diaper-wearing stalker astronaut was, to my mind, exactly what we get when we build up this weird fetish with perfection and not belonging on earth.

for further evidence, what we have here is a picture of the founder of cirque to soleil, who went to space as a space tourist to raise awareness of the need for clean drinking water.  would someone please explain to me what seems sane about spending millions of dollars to draw attention to--not alleviate--a pervasive condition of dire poverty?  also p.s. he is wearing a clown nose, which does not exactly make him appear sane.  (others may disagree. i have slim to no tolerance for whimsy.)

relatedly, people love to read ayn rand novels.  having it your way and having specially picked amazon recommendations is not enough for people to feel extra super deluxe special in their own very exceptional way; nay, they must read boring and preachy novels about how special they are--in spite of living in the world and having bodies and experiences and dealing with other people's competing interests.  those things are just little road bumps on the way to being really very intensely special without having to answer to mediocrity or petty earthly concerns.  the ayn rand characters are astronauts in their way.

all this thinking that it's so great to be disconnected and unbeholden and exceptional is, i think, stupid and pathological.  i can't help but suspect it's also related to why non-poor people hate poor people so much--  poor people have the temerity to be mired in circumstances.  the rest of us are just floating in space with clown noses on thinking about how important water is.