/sci/ - Science & Math

>>12679499

>>11880359
fanaticism is a better option. Fanatics will perform better than slaves and are more willing to sacrifice themselves to the cause. Given current enthusiasm for mars colonization it should be possible to obtain a practically limitless supply of fanatics. Humans can perform better than robots, but the upkeep cost of humans makes humans more expensive. However, there are options to greatly reduce this cost. The best way to do this is with induced torpor. Induced torpor decreases human upkeep cost and enables more humans to be sent in the same spacecraft. Less upkeep, plus no need for useless space to move around means a smaller rocket. Another huge advantage of torpor is being able to store work units until they are needed. There are huge unknowns with offworld construction, but work is likely to be as or more dangerous as underwater work here on earth. As work units fail they can be replaced with work units in storage. A huge advantage of humans over robots is that failed work units can provide supplemental protein. In the near term, protein production on Mars will be basically nil, necessitating expensive shipment from earth, so any additional protein sources we can obtain have a huge benefit. Fanaticism poses a huge advantage here, enabling us to overcome any associated taboos. Fanatics may volunteer to have their protein resources be used for the good of the colony in the event of their failure, making their consumption by other colonists much more palatable. In addition, fanaticism may be used to encourage docility inducement due to exposure to deep space radiation. Brain damage inducing radiation is a great way to make colonists more docile and manageable, and we can encourage this with perhaps a rite of passage or radiation baptism.