Elon Musk says we're going

The BFR will be ready to take passengers to Mars in 2024. It's will be tested and supplies will reach the red planet in 2022 to help us setup a new colony on the red planet. We need to pack light, but ensure we take along all the essentials to sustain human life, prosperity and happiness on the new world.

One very important question we will have to ask ourselves:

What do we leave on earth?

For the sake of long term survival on another planet, what we leave at home is far more important than what we take along.
Human society is complex, made up of a collection of systems and processes that help us coexist, cooperate, sustain life and achieve happiness.

Since the dawn of man, different systems have arisen to improve our lives and ensure our survival. Let's take a look at these systems. I have my personal opinion on whether these systems are necessary for life on a new world, or not.
You may have a different opinion and I invite you to share your opinion.

Agriculture

Large scale agriculture sustains our civilization because of the large human population on earth. Large scale agriculture does however bring with it many problems that now threaten our continued survival, problems like:

• deforestation
• pollution of rivers and seas
• health issues due to steroid & antibiotics use (abuse)
• land erosion
• animal cruelty
• slavery

Do we replicate our current agricultural systems on a new planet or do we adopt a smaller scale, more organic and environmentally friendly approach to producing food? Is the answer a combination of the two approaches?

Money

Money is, has always been and will always be at the root of all evil in human society. People wage wars, commit murder, suicide, genocide and a wide collection of atrocities in the name of the dollar bill. Do we want to take this system with us to another planet? Is money vital, needed or at all conducive to our survival?

My personal opinion is that money and all monetary elements like profit, debt, collateral, tax, interest and insurance should die a death on planet earth. In my opinion the people who intend to colonize other planets would have to live by a different value system, one that has the survival and happiness of their fellow Martians and the care of the planet as it's prime directive.

You tell me how excited you are about the colony on mars celebrating the opening of the first interplanetary casino?
If you think I'm wrong, please let me know.

Religion

Human civilization is yet to see the end of war, division and hatred brought on by differences in religious belief. For thousands of years we have slain each other in the name of a being that we cannot see, hear, feel or otherwise prove to exist.

I know that religion is and will always be a very touchy subject, but if we humans cannot learn to get along with each other regardless of our different religious beliefs, then maybe taking all our gods to another planet might be a very bad idea. Would we not be planting the seed for war, hatred and inevitably our own destruction on another planet?

Of all the obstacles we will face while colonizing the solar system, managing religious belief will be our biggest challenge.

I believe that our illogical division on the basis of religious belief makes us ill-equipped to leave planet earth.
Let me know what you believe.

Politics

Politics (in the western sense anyway) is the societal management system that is supposed to arbitrate differences in viewpoint and belief to enable us to function as a democratic, prosperous and harmonious society of people from different backgrounds.

Long ago this job was done by religious institutions, churches and religious leaders. There was very little separation between the government of a country and it's ruling religious institution. In some parts of the world this is still the case.

In today's world, western politics hales itself as inherently democratic, yet the politicians are paid salaries that are exponentially higher than that of a middle class employee. Lately, we have seen how the seemingly democratic political process can be corrupted to ensure that a certain party or individual remains in power.

What political system do we take with us to a new world to ensure democracy and prevent corruption?
Do we want democracy at all, or would a more militaristic system of control be more appropriate? (works for the people on Star Trek)

Fame, Birthright & Nobility

To this day in India people are still classified into different hierarchical groups via the caste system, which grants and denies access to resources, education and other means based on a person's placement within the system.

In the modern, western world the 'caste' system is based upon wealth, nobility (royal families) and fame (the Kardashians).

Should we take to Mars a system that divides people into different hierarchical groups, based not upon an individual's own performance, character and achievement?

Conclusion

I truly wonder if the human being in it's current form is at all equipped to colonize other planets.
We might not be the right kind of life form to start again and get it right.

Do we deserve another chance?