According to Neil deGrasse Tyson the reasons people/societies take on huge expenditures (Great Wall of China, Manhattan project, Apollo space missions, Spanish ocean exploration, TVA, Egyptian pyramids, Cathedrals):
- defense/war
- economic return
- veneration to power
“The urge to discover is not there, I wish it were it is just not.” Many countries have figured out the economic benefits of large investments of science and engineering: China, Singapore, Korea… Europe and the USA are limiting such investments while continuing less useful spending. I think the results will be very obvious 20 years from now. It isn’t that the USA and Europe are not making such investments, they are, but at a much lower rate than probably is wise economically.
Related: Neil Degrasse Tyson: Scientifically Literate See a Different World – Vaccines Can’t Provide Miraculous Results if We Don’t Take Them – Nanotechnology Investment as Strategic National Economic Policy – Economic Strength Through Technology Leadership
Interesting. It would be good to do a timline of Arkwright’s Spinning Jenny, Stephenson’s Rocket, Baird’s TV, Bell’s telephone, etc. and see if there is a correlation with time and money expenditure on other activities like warfare, infrastucture development, etc.
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