Comment by Havoc
6 days ago
Suicide ideation and someone willing to take massive risks for something awesome are very different things
6 days ago
Suicide ideation and someone willing to take massive risks for something awesome are very different things
I'm sure the other astronauts are really looking forward to fly with a person showing signs of tolerating massive risks.
Historically, around 60% of all astronauts were from the military which is a high-risk occupation.
In the 50s, there was something like a handful of test pilots dying every single month. A subset of the ones who survived became the first astronauts. My understanding is that there are still a significant number of astronauts who were test pilots first.
If you don't have massive risk tolerance, you don't sign up for a moon mission.
Each and every one of them is fully aware that it’s a massive risk and has made their peace with that. You’re getting strapped to a giant rocket. It’s inherently dangerous
I don’t actually think astronauts take massive risks. They take massively well-understood and meticulously mitigated risks.
Maybe this is a perspective or semantics thing, but I think it’s distinct and important. They’re not Mavericks they’re Icemans.
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Right, so let's add more risk by flying side by side with some nutjob with no regard for their own life. Sounds reasonable.
> The trip is far more awesome than anything I have planned for the rest of my life.
If you would give your live for a single awsome trip (and you would still have multiple years to live), then you are likely suicidal.
Even if it is rational because your live sucks so hard, I would still have to classify you as suicidal.
Is jumping on a grenade to save another person suicidal? Or is it just a matter of you not agreeing with the rational?
No. You save another person. An awsome trip isn't the same.
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...no? It's the same as when you say you'd 'die for somebody'. I don't want to die, but if I had to die to save my family I would. That's not being suicidal. Similarly, if space is important enough to you to take this risk (which realistically is a pretty low risk!) I wouldn't call that suicidal either. I take the risk of death driving in my car every day; that's the nature of life.