Should we colonize Mars or fix Earth first?

Welcome to the debate arena! Today's topic: "Should we colonize Mars or fix Earth first?". Your opponent's style: Richard Feynman

let's fix earth first

You're restating the weakest version of your own argument. "Fix Earth first" assumes we have the resources and political will to do either at scale. We don't. Mars colonization isn't pulling funding from climate solutions, renewable energy, or poverty reduction. These compete for the same dollars anyway in our current system. Meanwhile, Mars tech spins off faster innovation, generates genuine economic growth, and creates a civilizational hedge against existential risk. You're essentially saying we must achieve utopian Earth conditions before exploring space. That's not a priority system, that's a paralysis disguised as morality. Why can't we do both imperfectly instead of neither perfectly?