system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
CMV: Space exploration is NOT a waste of money

1. Money is NOT the issue. Only a tiny fraction of the U.S. tax goes to NASA. I'm tired of "but it's a lot of money" argument. Much more money have been spent on more unhelpful and destructive projects, maybe we should spare some of those to feed people instead. Do you want to spend billions of dollars to gather an army with cannons and guns to conquer countries with violence for world dominance, or spend it to prepare humanity with effective technology and space colonies they need for future generations to come?
2. Space explorations have done (and will do) much more than what it seems. Maps, online servers, and many basic functions on your Phone are supported by satellites on space. If we didn't spend money on these space missions, we wouldn't have a LOT of extremely time saving and useful technologies in our lives. Space missions can also allow us to invent more methods of food production, transportation, and much more. Just because it's not on Earth doesn't mean it doesn't benefit it.
3. Just because it doesn't change your or other people's life much NOW, doesn't mean it will not. Politicians and many other people care mostly for short term benefits and doesn't see this very useful. No, just because it doesn't earn you dollars a few days you start it, doesn't mean it's bad at all. It benefits the future of humanity and allows them (which includes your children, grandchildren if you have any) to survive and even become an interstellar species. **EDIT: Inform me now, why are slow, long term tasks (space missions) a waste when it can be just as beneficial as faster, more direct alternatives (directly donating money) when more time passes?**
4. Many issues right now in the world can't be saved with just money. Donations, assistance, even if you spend a ton of money on it, doesn't mean it's always ready. There are spare resources, but many people CAN'T access them due to climate, locations, illness and other factors. It's not just the money, many people have donation sites close by a few miles but DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE.
gpt
I actually don't want to change your view, because space exploration is awesome. Having said that...

You know how disturbingly large segments of the population of the US (and other countries) are refusing to follow basic pandemic hygiene, and are instead putting all their hopes on getting a vaccine soon, and _not_ actually confronting the broken things about their lives, instead screaming that everything should just go back to normal?

Space exploration is like that.

Every dollar we spend on space _could_ be spent on something that makes our current planet better. It _could_ be spent on climate change education, carbon reclamation projects, improving renewable efficiency, empathy education, critical thinking, ethics education, cancer research, etc, etc.

But instead of dealing with how much we're screwing up our planet and our society, we send helicopters to dead planets and dream of just getting away from this crowded ball. We deny reality when dreaming about space every bit as much as the person who refuses to wear a mask.