The idea of a trip to Mars appeals to me because no earthling has ever done it before, and whether it's a one-way trip or a two-way trip, someone's got to it - even if the only reason for it is just because we can. It might not be urgent, but who wouldn't want to know what it's like up there?
To be the first Homo sapiens sapiens to set foot on the red planet, and to explore the terrain and collect samples firsthand on behalf of the rest of humanity, would be such a great honor. I am pretty sure that NASA has people who are more than qualified to do this and deserve the honor more than anybody else. Which is why I don't think it is a good idea to turn this into a reality television show and have a popular vote decide who makes it to Mars. I may be young but I've seen enough democratic elections to observe that popularity is not a measure of skill or character.
But if Mars One's plan is final, everyone might as well compete to become one of the first Earth-born Martians, and cross our fingers that whoever wins will indeed be up for the job.
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