These first-stage landings continue to amaze me. They seem like pure science fiction. I keep thinking of Anne McCaffrey's brainships.

— Emily Lakdawalla (@elakdawalla) August 14, 2017

I’m with Emily.

I know, as a proper leftist I’m supposed to despise Musk, SpaceX, etc., but the rocket landings of the first stage booster is about the coolest thing I’ve ever seen in my life.

We need more outlandish projects like this, not fewer — but with more acknowledgement of how much government had to do with its success, and that benefit (directly and indirectly) more citizens.

Still, though, most criticism of Musk seems to consist solely that he has the gall of even attempting to tackle large projects at all rather than any particular effort.

It’s more that the — for lack of a better word — haters would resist anything challenging or world-changing of any sort, because, like, trying sucks, man. It’s not cool.

In other words, those who say that single payer is impossible and that we shouldn’t even try are from the same camp that believes that we shouldn’t even attempt to explore space or think about Mars colonies, etc., or what sort of world we’re building.

The centrist motto: it’s all impossible so we should just give up now.