Does this mean we’re near the end?

Yeah that’s crazy to me. Of course it’s sad that we are at this point but to suggest that the article shouldn’t be written is just silly. What’s the alternative? Just isolate ourselves in our little echo chambers? People aren’t as intelligent as we’d like to believe. Moreover, confirmation bias and selective reasoning are strong behavioral forces. There has to be some middle ground between grossly unprofessional profit seeking and state run media.

Musk’s whole “slash government spending” schtick is such a farce. Tesla wouldn’t have domestic manufacturing facilities without a DOE loan. SpaceX survives off of government contracts.

It didn’t help. Nor does the electoral college, gerrymandering, first-past-the-post, unmitigated influence of well funded interest groups, etc. But I think we just need to accept that people are stupid.