RE: Why your kids won't land on the Moon
I guess it all stopped when the Cold War was over.
However the mankind's spirit was the one of expansion. Since the Earth is all done with it - the only way is up there.
It does not really matter whether it is radiation, or cold or whatever there. We either go there - having the great purpose - reach the stars, or will slowly degrade.
There will always be those needing the shelter and food. Feeding them may be one of the global tasks, but it cannot be the goal of mankind.
It is a typical logical confusion - mixing urgent and important.
Long story short - with the end of Cold War humankind lost one of the great ideals (Communism). Now, with the upcoming crisis and further degradation of international markets, another great idea - Liberal Capitalism seems to be losing its momentum too. There may be an end to a history in Fukuyama's sense.
Unless humankind finds a new idea - we are doomed to slow degradation and decline. Reaching stars may be such an idea.
