What is the value of life?

I just finished watching a movie. The Martian. It’s about an astronaut on a Mars mission that gets stranded on Mars after an unfortunate mishap during a storm, and he was left for dead, but he was alive. And he found a way to survive for several months. Ultimately, he was rescued.

Ok. Let me say again. Ultimately, he was rescued. This is obviously a fictional movie (and it is great) but it raises an interesting question. What is the value of life? In the movie, they sent an entire space crew back for an additional nineteen months of lost life in space to get him, at a cost of billions of dollars, at extreme risk that could have killed the entire crew at any moment. Do you do this for one man?

I like Matt Damon. He’s a great actor. His movies have inspired my writing. I might give up my own life to save his ass. But would I be willing to give up six other lives and billions of dollars on a mission that most likely would fail if implemented?

I was an Infantry NCO. To me, the answer is easy. We are fighting a war, not a battle.

We are fighting a war, not a battle.

Think about that for a second. In the movie, we set not only our own American space program behind as a result of the initially failed rescue mission, but also China’s space program, where they have gratiously donated their top secret rocket to resupply the rescue craft. Nevermind it was our own top secret technology. Well great, thank you. Kumb By Yah motherfucker. Let’s all work together for the good of the people. I’m about to barf. Sorry.

Okay what about your pet? I love the kitties. I would do… well, I mean, there is a budget. Sorry but there is. And I am not a young guy. It won’t be long before our own health care system is going to place a number on my life. If I get cancer now, I’m getting treated. Ten years down the road…. ain’t happening.

Think about it. A couple billion dollars. As much as I like Matt Damon, I can think of a hell of a lot better ways to spend that money to save people.