In the year 1980 development began on the Cassini-Huygens expedition spacecraft, comprised of an orbiter (Cassini) and a lander (Huygens) – which you can read more about here (link).
Of particular interest to my article is the section toward the bottom of the page (linked above) entitled “Venus and Earth fly-bys and the cruise to Jupiter”; which (paraphrased) states the journey of the craft using the gravity of the sun for 2 Venus fly-bys, followed by an Earth fly-by, then on to Jupiter & the Saturn.
Now … what has this got to do with capitalism? Well, here’s what logic, mathematics, science & engineering achieved in this project:
- Design of a complex space craft in 2 parts;
- Design elements relying on prediction of events & influences that had not occurred at design time;
- Design elements to deal with unpredictable events;
- Launch of said spacecraft onboard a rocket to leave Earth’s gravity well;
- Multiple slingshot passes of spacecraft around the gravity wells of other solar system bodies;
- Precise rendezvous of spacecraft with the correct position of Saturn after a launch that took place years before;
- Traverse the acute gap between Saturn’s rings to set up orbitals;
- Deployment of lander craft on the moon Titan;
- Beaming back images & other data to Earth.
NOW … think about that achievement for a minute … an achievement which ENTIRELY depended on maths & science, but in no regard relied on a single principle of economics.
NEXT ask yourself this … IF science can do this amazing thing:
- Why does capitalism claim war is inevitable? Can’t it be stopped?
- Why does capitalism claim injustice is inevitable?
- Why does capitalism claim poverty is inevitable?
- Why does capitalism claim homelessness is inevitable?
- Why does capitalism claim ecological destruction is inevitable?
… and if capitalism isn’t claiming all the above, why the fuck does it keep doing all of it?
When science learned to split the atom, did it ask capitalism to turn it into a weapon? No. Capitalism asked engineering to turn that scientific discovery into a weapon.
When science discovered chemistry, did it ask capitalism to make chemical weapons? No. Capitalism asked chemical engineers to make chemical weapons.
When science discovered medicine, did it ask capitalism to deceive and manipulate people into hypochondria? No. Capitalism asked (& bribed) doctors to over prescribe medications, and asked marketing to tell people to take drugs for everything instead of taking care of their health in the first place.
No matter where you look, you’ll find capitalist apologists trying to take credit for the achievements of science, when in reality all they really do is corrupt & misuse these discoveries.
If we can send a spacecraft like the Cassini-Huygens to Saturn … don’t you think we can also:
- Solve poverty & homelessness;
- End war, tyranny & exploitation;
- Cure instead of merely treating disease;
- Offer free education and healthcare for all;
- Allow students to set their own study course instead of having curriculum dictated to them.
There’s nothing we can’t potentially do … but there’s one thing that keeps getting in the way & causing utterly unnecessary distraction, suffering & waste … the beast is capitalism.