Mars One wants to send people to the red planet for a reality television show by 2023. Many experts told Fox News that this idea isn’t plausible. Being able to harness materials from the planet now seems a far cry.

But we cannot forget the insight of Ray Kurzweil, the futurist who writes about the Law of Accelerating Returns (or more commonly called, “the Singularity”). Technology exponentially compounds itself. The progress in one discipline will affect and accelerate devices in other fields. Biological and nanotechnology may fuse. In a few short decades, humanity may become immortal and god-like.

 

To rule out Mars One’s ambitions would be foolish. So let’s assume that they will send people on a one-way-ticket to our planetary neighbor.

 

I think sending people to another world for (an albeit more transparent version of) the Truman Show may back-fire. What would stop the Martians from declaring independence at some point? What if they don’t want to live their lives in front of the camera—being our entertainment—anymore?

Even if the Martians haven’t the revolutionary spirit, much more could go wrong. A medical disaster could transform an entertaining show into an excruciating-to-watch battle for survival. Someone could go crazy from the isolation. Who would stop a murderer on Mars?

 

It would be cool to have human beings live on Mars. But let’s send enough people to replicate a civilized society—not reality TV.