What?!... Perhaps I am misunderstanding your comment here... but...

Are you actually saying we should all sit back, and just let the government do the exploring and innovating for us at a much slower pace, in a much more inefficient manor (and at much higher costs)?

If that is ultimately what you are saying we should do... and I am not misunderstanding your comment here...

then I have to say that I really can't relate to that type of psychology and world view. It seems surprising to me.

Essentially, I am having trouble fathoming who someone would think it is actually a good idea to artificially discourage and purposely hold back explorers/innovators, who are eager to dive into humanity's greatest awaiting adventure of all time (a journey beyond our world, to other planets and stars)... adventurers who are driven to be the first to walk upon entire new worlds...

adventurers and innovators who will also innovate new technologies along the way, while creating new jobs and probably untold wealth.

Seriously if that's what you meant... then are you really sure you want to go through life always being the one who argues to hold back from new and great achievements?

Are you perhaps afraid of the risks, maybe? If so then there will always be risks, and many setbacks along the way, when people pursue their dreams, and push our species to new heights. But we shouldn't run like frightened children from such risks.

We should meet them face on: it's time to move forward. Humanity is long overdue, and the moment we set foot on Mars we will begin a new era of becoming an interplanetary species.

And thanks to people like Musk, this new era just might happen in less than 10 years.