So a little update since we’re about halfway through my “Cult of SpaceX” article series. Right now, I’m still slightly behind where I want to be. Ideally, I want to have everything I need to say regarding SpaceX and its fanbase done before January, so I never have to address it again.
Now, you certainly might wonder if this subject gets so under my skin, why am I spending so much energy and effort addressing it?
Because it’s inescapable in my hobby. It isn’t just that SpaceX makes up a sizable chunk of the current United States launch launches, but also that over the past couple of years, the fanbase has become incredibly vocal – as has the news media surrounding them. People who feel the company can do no wrong and whatever they say they are going to do they will do and you’re wrong if you think otherwise.
That, at its core, is the phenomena that I call the “Cult of SpaceX” – a fanaticism that goes far beyond where I feel it ever should in such scientific subjects.
I’ve addressed a decent chunk of the trend already – hell, I could leave it at what I’ve already said, with just one or two follow up articles to tie it all together. However, in the interest of covering all my bases, I know I have at least 5 more articles to go on the subject before I’ve covered most of the core elements at this time I feel need to be addressed. There are maybe 10 more individual articles including those above 5 that I feel would be good to do, to help back up the statements made in the main entries. That’s quite a bit of writing about one singular topic, even for me.
However, here’s the good thing: Once I get these articles out, I never have to address these topics again save for passing comments, links back to those original articles or, if things change, a follow up to append the old article.
I do this because at this stage, with the kinds of “conversations” I’ve had, seeing the company brought up on social media or on most websites is actually stress educing. Yes, conversations with SpaceX fans have gotten that bad at times that I’ve become permanently wary of the average fan.
Yes, it is something we are going to get in to in the 5 main articles. Yes, it will be a big one.
With that all being said, this still isn’t actually an issue with SpaceX themselves. As I’ve said numerous times, while I do have some major issues with the hype machine that SpaceX has going for it (more on that later as well) and their far-off plans (which borderline on the side of Trendy Science) I don’t have some arbitrary hate for them.
The fans, however, I cannot stress enough how hard a very vocal group of them make it to enjoy the space scene now.
Hell, it’s hilarious, I used to love SpaceX. An older article actually shows this quite well, and equally demonstrates how quickly a combination of a company proposing something far ahead of where they are, combined with the fanbase going toxic on you, can just destroy your interest in something.
Seriously. When you don’t want to check Space news because you know, no matter what it is some obnoxious SpaceX fan will be there to criticize things and state how amazing their lord and savior Elon Musk is… well, what’s the point?
Once I get this all out though, I know it will be there, in the public and when I have to, I can just cross link to that, and let that be that. Everything will be there, tied together, and I can focus on things I enjoy.
For what it’s worth, I’m going to be unfollowing and unliking many space related pages online. It just isn’t worth it. Hell, a part of me wants to just say “fuck it” and nuke all SpaceX content, both launch coverage and these articles and just… let it go. Hell, I’ve wanted to stop covering rocket launches before.
Space and rocketry isn’t just a hobby for me. It’s a passion. It’s something I truly love, and for it to be as intolerable to enjoy as it is now, well, that’s just not right.
https://www.xadara.com/tag/cult-of-spacex/
