Which are all pretty base incentives. We should be going to mars, as a species, for its own sake. The idea that the thing that might justify our first visit to another planet, for some people, might be because it would make good reality TV is just horrifying and saddening and stupefying and should be confronted at every opportunity.

> We should be going to mars, as a species, for its own sake

> The idea that the thing that might justify our first visit to another planet, for some people, might be because it would make good reality TV

In this post-modern age of hyperreality, there's not nearly as much difference between the two as you may think.

> just horrifying and saddening and stupefying and should be confronted at every opportunity.

Yes, well maybe. You can fight it. You can wallow in it. You can also see it as a kind of gravity-assist :)

Um, the moon landing was reality tv and it was awesome.

The news is also a reality TV show.