Would you leave Earth on a generational ship?

[Danoz]

A ship is being sent into space with 1000 people on board. While these people will never reach their destination, 200 years travel distance to destination, you will be part of the community to carefully raise the future generation and the first humans to colonize a new planet. You have been specifically selected from a random pool of individuals with your occupation (whatever that may be, reference Joe the Plumber thread).

On board these are personal quarters and a ship-wide monetary system. There is no contact with Earth whatsoever. Conditions are not ideal, but they are livable and there's a gymnasium, research/entertainment facilities, classrooms, and restaurants.

Don't ask logistical questions, I don't have the answers yet

Would you go, knowing that you would die 1/3rd into the journey and never step foot on land again?

EDIT: My response, I would go if I could bring my wife and my pups -- and do something fun like teach English or Anthropology.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

Has a viable world already been sighted?

What are the circumstances on Earth and why has it been decided people must leave?

 

[SmoothieX]

I read a series of novels that involved this concept. They were pretty good books.

I guess it would depend how attached I was to Earth. If I didn't have many attachments here, I'd consider it.

The idea of colonizing somewhere sounds all romantic, but I'd never see the day. I don't know if I'd like being cooped up on a ship with the same people the rest of my life.

 

[Roger Wilco]

For sure, without any hesitation! If space travel ever gets viable/affordable in my lifetime, I'd do literally anything to get on board.

 

[Danoz]

Has a viable world already been sighted?

What are the circumstances on Earth and why has it been decided people must leave?

Viable world has been cited.

Circumstances are exploration and spreading humanity, though people are still scared of growing population, global warming and pollution levels.

 

[Danoz]

For sure, without any hesitation! If space travel ever gets viable/affordable in my lifetime, I'd do literally anything to get on board.

I have a strange feeling somebody is going to make a dirty remark about this...

 

[All Seeing Eye]

I'd probably go, Earth has become such a shithole that i'd never want my descendants to live on it. They'd possibly have a better life on another world and if that means me living the rest of my life on a ship to get them there i'd do it, i'd be able to teach my descendants values which here on Earth wouldn't last 5 minutes.

I'm assuming an Earth like world is the destination BTW.

 

[trekkiedane]

No way!

The ship would have to be a lot bigger -and the complement representative of personhood rather than just what experts thought was needed for such a trip.

To me it sounds too much like a job you can't quit if you were chosen b/c of your knowledge and skills.

And what's this with "no contact with Earth whatsoever"? -Unless the propulsion technology is what is interfering with communications I see no reason why it should not be possible to let people on board the ship log on to the internet. Sure, the delay will eventually be so that you'd have to wait for the data you asked for reach the ship and the data stream wouldn't be the same sort that is used in the terrestrial internet, but it would still be possible to get news from home on a daily basis.

 

[RandyS]

Absolutely. One of the great regrets of my life is that I'll never be able to ship out on the Enterprise. This would be an acceptable replacement. My only requirement would be to take my girlfriend with me. And if she wants to bring her damn cat (which she would), I guess that would be okay too.

And I wouldn't even want to reach the new planet. Dying in space would be great.

 

[Mr. B]

I can't think of a single good reason to guarantee my death happens on a starship.

 

[Mallory]

Sure, I'd do it. But then I've already lived here for 50+ years, so I won't be having any more descendents, unless the ones I already have get picked too for some reason.

 

[Hermiod]

No, because for a generational ship to work the crew must have children with each other in order for the mission to eventually be a success. Anyone else worth sending on such a mission wouldn't want to reproduce with me and would back out.

 

[Rÿcher]

Hellz yea I'd go! Provided it's like Voyager and I could take my family (my IMMEDIATE FAMILY, daughter, wife) and Kes stopped by every now and again to "say hi".

 

[All Seeing Eye]

No, because for a generational ship to work the crew must have children with each other in order for the mission to eventually be a success. Anyone else worth sending on such a mission wouldn't want to reproduce with me and would back out.

Artificial insemination.

 

[Sledder]

Tempting but no, I've got a family of my own plus lots of people I wouldn't want to leave behind for the rest of my life.

 

[auntiehill]

If I could take my husband, then HECK yeah! Sign me up.

 

[Hermiod]

No, because for a generational ship to work the crew must have children with each other in order for the mission to eventually be a success. Anyone else worth sending on such a mission wouldn't want to reproduce with me and would back out.

Artificial insemination.

Yeah, with my views on that subject I'm really going to go ahead with that.

 

[WillsBabe]

When I was younger I would have signed up for this without hesitation. It saddens me now to think that the answer would probably be "no". I think I'm too old to take that much of a change and a chance and leave everything I know behind.

 

[shrantastic]

I've always dreamed of working at an Arctic research station or on a big ship- this would be just as good. Let's go!

 

[DanCPA]

would I go? sure
But I'm a CPA so I doubt I'll be of too much use on the ship