At 22:42 30/10/2010 +0200, Chris wrote:
Keith asked:
> What is your evidence that space tourism has very high status?
Mark Shuttleworth became a national star in his country and received global
celebrity status. Also the other space tourists so far got a lot of media
attention.
MS certainly gained national and global attention because space travel is
still a rarity. But this is not the same as the status that's accorded to
the original bunches of astronauts who not only showed great courage but
who had already proved themselves to be exceptional people.
> At this
> time, when it's still extremely dangerous, only a few hundred rich people
> -- and probably eccentric ones at that -- have their names on Richard
> Branson's waiting list at $200,000 a seat.
Well, as you say, it's "only" a few hundred because it's still extremely
dangerous. Also note that this trip requires very good physical fitness --
something that's rare among very rich people.
> And, as for seeing Earth from space, the view would still
> have nowhere near the same clarity as satellite photos taken at selected
> cloud-free times.
If photos could substitute being there and seeing the real sight, the whole
tourism industry would pretty much collapse! (except sex tourism perhaps)
Include sex tourism by all means! That's the very point of all tourism --
the closeness, the being with it, being inside it, breathing the same air.
Eating your fish 'n chips or the Mcburger in novel (usually urban)
surroundings. I'll not deny that orbiting the earth mightn't arouse a sense
of wonder, even an overwhelming one, in the minds of some. But I haven't
noticed any great mass desire to see the clouds lift from a close view of
the Himalayas, or the night-sky in a totally non-light polluted region, or
the aurora borealis, or coming across a family of tree frogs in a rain
forest. . .
Now with the Internet, people can see photos of the most beautiful places
and sights for free at home, but still the travel industry is humming more
than ever (if you discount the general economic crisis).
As before.
> >But your challenge was: "Find me a new consumer product that's highly
> >desirable by the rich".
>
> That was only by way of additional comment on our present times and the
> likely future years. In times of prosperity, plenty of people would have
> the money for lots of tourism but, except for the retired and the very very
> rich, few would have the disposable time beyond a week or two a year. Those
> who earn the most tend to work the longest hours.
Excuses... Even in my expensive country, there are middle class tourists
(even from Japan). A week or two a year is enough for a holiday, many in
Europe have 4 weeks, and the retired are a large & growing sector in tourism.
Two or four weeks in a year, or even a year-long world-wide liner cruise by
the retired, is still only a small fraction of the discretionary money
spent on status objects. No, tourism by the masses has probably already
reached its peak among people in the advanced countries. Obviously there's
a lot more to come from the people of developing countries but, apart from
the Taj Mahals, Shakespeare's birthplaces, Sydney Opera Houses, Niagara
Falls, etc of this world, a growing number of really beautiful places of
the world will be shielded from being trampled over by an increasing number
of environmentally-aware rich. (And that sentence, incidentally, is not to
be taken as a justification of the rich, just a modern fact of life.)
I took your challenge and others confirmed it. Take it or leave it...
I'll do both. I think we've reached the end of this particular limb now.
Neither you nor MG have refuted Fred Hirsch's original argument that the
really high-status objects or services of this world would only be
destroyed by mass consumption.
Keith
Chris
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Keith Hudson, Saltford, England
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