One Way trip to mars?

[fastboy21]

personally, i wouldn't go. there are lots of folks though that would do so, however.

i am a little envious of the type of person who has so little tie to anything on this planet that it would actually make sense for them to colonize Mars knowing the would never likely return to Earth.

How many of the original colonists to North America were able to return to Europe? The analogy isn't perfect because at least in the 15th century the technology existed to get them home, but how many could actually set out with the mentality of "if things don't work out i'll be back in a year"? I would think most left their friends and families behind thinking that they would most likely never ever see them or the place they were born again.

Is that the human spirit of exploration or just desperation to escape the misery of where they were?