you say that, but minecraft is worth actual money because it sells a product that lots of people want to buy and has a lot of potential for further attached products (servers, DLC, etc). A more apt comparison would be whatsapp/instagram/whatever ridiculous social app facebook is buying this week for $X billion, without any revenue or business model to speak of.

You're saying developing human space flight is the least "tech-y" of those industries?

Minecraft seems like a more innovative and clever use of technology than sending more primates into low earth orbit. It certainly benefits more people.

If SpaceX can deliver on their long-term plans, they'll benefit more people in more ways than Minecraft ever could. Cheap access to space could be a computer-like revolution. Minecraft is ultimately just a toy, albeit a highly creative and potentially educational one.

"If SpaceX can deliver on their long-term plans"

Exactly. Minecraft is work $2.5bn now. SpaceX may well be worth a lot more in the future, but neither company is at the same stage of development in their respective fields.

Excellent point. It's a high-stakes gamble. But the potential payoff is far beyond anything like Minecraft.

Hmm.. By this logic, Kerbal Space Program should also be valued around this price. Its a highly creative and potentially educational toy ABOUT sending primates (or whatever kerbals are) into low earth orbit!

As a huge fan of KSP and mostly uncaring towards Minecraft, I can't really disagree.

Yeah, you're right. People are actually willing to pay for minecraft instead of have it coerced out of them by government.

As far as government coercions go, it's hard to understand how someone could have a problem with forcing people to give up money in order to develop the most important technology in the history of technology. Would you mind explaining your point of view in a little more detail?

There won't be a market for space travel until it's a reality, so this would seem to be one of the only ways forward.

> it's hard to understand how someone could have a problem with forcing people to give up money in order to develop the most important technology in the history of technology

I'm not trying to defend stefan_kendall3's position, but you made a pretty large personal value judgement in that statement. You think this is "the most important technology in the history of technology"; many people don't.[1] In fact, many people think that human spaceflight, including some of the Earth orbit missions we already run, are a waste of valuable resources that should be diverted elsewhere.

[1] For the record, I think human spaceflight is pretty important in the long term, but disagree that it is most important area of technology. I think certain areas of medicine should be placed ahead of it, for example.

Good point! Thanks for the point of view.

I was genuinely hoping someone would provide a defense of stefan's position, but it's looking less like it'll happen. That's too bad, because it was a chance to learn something.

The space program has been (and will continue to be) directly responsible for many important technologies that lift the tide for ALL of humanity. Yes, even those who live in poverty.

If you are interested in learning how, read this short letter:

http://www.lettersofnote.com/2012/08/why-explore-space.html

Resentment of civilization is unhealthy.

Come one, surely you see the value in being "coerced" into improving the space program?