I too agree about accomplishments. Elon Musk provides a company to supply a much needed transportation solution to ferrying men, women and cargo to the ISS while Jeff Bezos created a transportation vehicle for the public to ride up into space. I’m ambivalent to both and can imagine the research, costs and expensive trials and errors before successfully carrying humans in each endeavor. Both serves a purpose. While many may criticise Bezos’ actions as nothing more than a very expensive thrill ride, many ignore this and sign up willingly.
Try imagining being around 8 yrs old and somehow convincing your dad to go on the Coney Island parachute ride. My dad rarely spoke about his experiences as a WWII army veteran but he rode up with me as I clung to the left side cable as we went up. If I’m not mistaken, we sat on plain canvas or wooden bench seat and maybe belted in. No safety cage, sign offs against accidents. Researching ticket costs, adults - forty cents, children - twenty five cents. My parents were poor all their life so this was an unusual treat as my older brothers and sisters didn’t go on that ride. After looking down as we ascended, I looked out over the ocean and saw the gentle curve of this little orb we call Earth. Approaching seven decades and still recall this from memory. Many flights over the years, some across the ocean and the Coney Island parachute ride stands out in memory. Each of us has memories of the best things in life we have no control to experience a once in a lifetime thrill. Others with more resources do it often.