𝕩

[Elon Musk @elonmusk]

Peter is not correct about me in this case.

I have always known that dangers from Earth will also pose dangers to Mars. Obviously so. However, the immense difficulty of traveling to Mars means that there is a much higher likelihood of mitigating risks originating from Earth.

A clear example of major risk reduction would be a deadly pandemic. Since it takes 6 months to reach Mars, there is an automatic 6 month quarantine!

Even traveling at the speed of light, a deadly computer virus or AI attack can potentially be stopped due to Mars being ~4 to ~20 light-minutes from Earth.

This doesn’t mean that a Mars civilization eliminates all risk, but it absolutely greatly reduces the risk of consciousness being extinguished.

Moreover, Mars is a stepping stone to extending consciousness broadly within our solar system and ultimately to millions of stars within our galaxy, which would extend the probable lifespan of consciousness as we know it by many orders of magnitude.

That said, what I personally find most motivating is not the risk reduction aspect of extending life beyond Earth, but rather the inspiring nature of exploration and being out there among the stars!

Perhaps we will meet aliens or find the remains of long-dead civilizations that lasted millions of years …

[Elon Musk @elonmusk]

Grok Imagine

[Elon Musk @elonmusk]

/dream

[Elon Musk @elonmusk]

It’s time.

[Elon Musk @elonmusk]

Great video of Starship launching

[Elon Musk @elonmusk]

You can just talk to Grok Build

[Elon Musk @elonmusk]

Download Grok Build and type /tutorial

https://t.co/lOJK57wDP5

[Elon Musk @elonmusk]

Yup

[Elon Musk @elonmusk]

Hardcore

[Elon Musk @elonmusk]

A low birth rate due to extended periods of prosperity and low perceived external danger is the primary reason that Rome and most other powerful civilizations collapsed.

Rome had a very high birth rate when under extreme pressure from Carthage and a low birth rate a few generations after Carthage, their last serious threat, was finally destroyed.

[Elon Musk @elonmusk]

Yesterday’s Starship launch

[Elon Musk @elonmusk]

Any civilization that loses faith in the future will die.

Exploring the stars is an exciting future that you can believe in.

[Elon Musk @elonmusk]

They are invading just as surely as a conventional army would, but slow enough to avoid triggering an armed defense by Britain

[Elon Musk @elonmusk]

Good analysis

[Elon Musk @elonmusk]

True

[Elon Musk @elonmusk]

Exactly. Incentives explain outcomes.

[Elon Musk @elonmusk]

Asimov’s Foundation series was a major influence on me.

That and the fall of Rome, from which Foundation takes inspiration, is what convinced me that we need to extend consciousness beyond Earth to avoid a potentially infinite dark age.