So the People Elon Sends to Mars Don’t Get Hungry Games

A Proposal to Fuel Change

The world is hungry. Not just for food but for change. People need hope like they need air. They need a purpose and they need to feel good about that purpose. We are being snuffed out because there is so little progress made in so many years of hoping for change that never happened. As a dreamer, and a mother, it gives me a tiny bit of hope when I think of a rag tag bunch of kids sending rockets into space to build the earth Gen X could only fantasize of while held hostage on a planet that older generations seem intent to destroy.

I am a closet nerd who was once married to the world’s biggest original nerd. Over the course of our married life, every date night we ever went on included a sci-fi movie and all conversations for the following week or more revolved around what was good or bad science regarding that movie, which was awesome because in the days before we found our common Sci-Fi connection, date nights were rather quiet and dull as he did trigonometry in his head to avoid having impure thoughts about me and I would ruminate on the meaning of existence.

To maintain our connection I happily consumed enough Sci-fi to earn a limited degree in what it would take for humans to go venturing off this planet which we have yet been able to adequately maintain and share. The idea that we could be prepared for this undertaking in my lifetime seems impossible. At the same time, the closet saint in me that equally enjoys sipping at the dregs of ancient texts really likes the idea of carefully placing the best of humanity in sacred vessels and launching them into the heavens adequately endowed with everything they need to create new, improved homes for mankind. I want our children to have the honor and freedom to work together, to give and receive appreciation for each person’s unique understanding and contribution so they can prosper as one race of human earthlings instead of stewing in hatred of self and each other on a earth of human races.

It is a modern notion that money is needed to solve problems when throughout human history, it is patience, ingenuity and hard work that create thriving people and communities. Mankind is currently frozen in a state of fear and apathy as our humanity is stripped away as we are chastised from every direction for a history we can not change while being driven into a bleak and hopeless future tainted with a false idea that there is not enough for everyone. I believe humans are brilliant and can overcome anything, but I think that they need to gather under the banner of a common goal to make that happen.

Why not go to Mars?

I propose an all ages alternative education system based on solving the problems that must be overcome to best utilize resources to make Elon’s dream come true. Rather than being forced through a program of memorization and testing to prove their knowledge, students would explore ways to find solutions to problems in small learning pods dictated by their ability and interest level while also being trained to care for their mind, body, and the daily running of a community. Everyone would also learn how to do the unpleasant jobs and learn to take pride in the benefits of physical labor while being encouraged to innovate ways to make jobs more pleasant and self sustaining for everyone's benefit.

· I propose this be an open option for all people to participate, beginning with a multi-generational think tank of people willing to work together to generate ideas and funds to solve problems to create learning centers within their own communities. Public and private schools should have the option to participate to bring in extra funding for their principalities.

· General as well as specific problems could be outlined with grant money available to best proposals.

· The more participation and cooperation within a community, as well as creativity shown to solve problems, to integrate and facilitate a new structure for education and the utilization of resources would create more opportunities for funding.

· Soliciting funds from more fortunate private donors to actively prove experiments and studies conducted in their own schools and communities is encouraged. Ignoring the media mongers that have nothing to add to the world but hate, misinformation, bigotry, and pictures of their giant butts could also be ignored while humans turn their attention to children who are solving problems in their own communities so they will have the tools to solve problems when they leave this planet for other worlds.

· A web site where students and teachers have online profiles would be available for sharing progress with donors. Daily updates on projects and observations, with comments open for idea exchange as well as collaboration with interested parties.

· On-call Mentors, ready to assist all students and participants to solve educational and personal problems. Local jobs and opportunities could be created at all levels in all industries to support individual communities.

· Communities would be encouraged to find ways to create sustainable local food, products, services, and vibrant local artistic, cultural and athletic experiences to fund and self sustain educational endeavors, house, clothe, and feed participants as well as barter for access to specialized teachers or consultants who would be willing to travel to schools or scholarships to training facilities and classes for representative students who excel in chosen areas of study.

I know it’s a rough outline, but I feel confident that there are enough brilliant people on this planet to flesh it out and find a way to make the shift to invest in our most precious and valuable resource, our beautiful, beloved, children. They deserve the opportunity to have a purpose and live an enlightened life full of knowledge and hope and free of the fear that keeps us chained to the broken system of the bloodthirsty few.