
Physicist Leon Lederman died age 96 selling his Nobel Prize to pay medical costs - lawrenceyan
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/leon-lederman-death-nobel-prize-sell-physicist-higgs-boson-god-particle-medical-bills-a8569761.html
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belsell
How our society values accomplishments/fame...

A symbol for a lifetime of distinguished work vs an interesting but small part
of a career.

This may contribute to many youths choosing fame and fortune instead of
putting in the efforts to advance science and civilization. How this will play
out in the long run could be worrisome.

"The American scientist later auctioned off his gold medal for $765,000
(£665,000) to help pay medical bills after being diagnosed with dementia. "

"The Nobel gold medal of the scientist who coined the phrase “God particle” to
describe the Higgs boson – the subatomic particle that accounts for matter
having mass – has been sold for $765,002 (£510,000) at auction in Los
Angeles."

[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/leon-lederman-
dea...](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/leon-lederman-death-nobel-
prize-sell-physicist-higgs-boson-god-particle-medical-bills-a8569761.html)

[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/nobel-laureate-
go...](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/nobel-laureate-god-particle-
physicist-leon-lederman-sells-nobel-prize-medal-for-510000-10285376.html)

"Well, Banksy’s phone booth is in the arms of the buyer who was able to pay
$960,000 for it at a Phillips, De Pury & Luxembourg auction in 2014 – quite
possibly after seeing it at the 2006 Barely Legal exhibition in Los Angeles –
one which intended to draw attention to the legal aspects of graffiti art and
was billed as a “three-day vandalized warehouse extravaganza.”

[https://www.widewalls.ch/10-most-expensive-banksy-
artworks-a...](https://www.widewalls.ch/10-most-expensive-banksy-artworks-at-
auctions/submerged-phone-boot/)

~~~
vixen99
'How our society values accomplishments/fame...'? It does of course. How much
was Lederman's $100,000 in 1988 (360,000 shared with two collaborators) in
today's money? The interesting question is how much more should society single
out for further special consideration those who have accomplishment and fame
over and above the great mass of folk who have neither?

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unao
Back in 1998, I was 13. For some longer period (at least 8 weeks) I was in a
very low mood - sort of existential crisis. By self-diagnosis, I would call it
a (mild?) form of depression. When in bookstore my parents asked me to choose
a book for myself and ended up with Polish edition of 'God Particle'. Not sure
but probably I was more interested in the _god_ aspect than _particle_. Till
today I remember some parts of the book quite well. Reading the book gave me a
lot of hope and - very likely - directly triggered some recovery processes,
which took another 3-5 months btw. I definitely would be a totally different
person if - for longer time - spiralling down the dark thoughts rabbit hole.

Just now I realised, I wish Dr Lederman knew this story. Too late,
unfortunately.

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dogma1138
I never understood if the people who are willing to buy those (same goes for
Olympic medals) are doing it out of some sort of “dignified charity” or are
they so cynical that they are willing to own a badge of merit that someone
else got.

I always wonder what they do with these afterwards how often are these
returned to the original recipient or family? I’ve seen stories about people
who found medals of honor at pawn shops and bought them to returned them.

I just simply can’t fathom owning something like this as a trophy.

~~~
drannex
Strategic investment, they purchase it now in the hopes that in the future
someone else will purchase it for more as a historical artifact.

------
ilrwbwrkhv
lol... america should definitely get its healthcare game sorted...

~~~
rayiner
Medicaid covers long term assisted care. But it requires you to spend down all
your assets first, which is not unreasonable for end of life care. You can’t
take them with you, and why should you get to save your assets to pass on to
your kids while having taxpayers pay for your long term care?

~~~
mtgx
Then if we are too follow your logic, wouldn't it a much bigger priority to
put a huge tax (at least 75%) on all inheritance over a certain amount (let's
say $10 million)?

~~~
rayiner
What is all this love for middle class welfare? If your dad requires $50k a
year in end of life care, why should he be able to leave you a $500k house in
the suburbs? I guess it’s unlucky for you if you build up some assets then
expensive end of life care wipes it out, but so what? Why do those folks
deserve taxpayer support when so many, not even poor people, but median
people, never managed to build up any assets at all?

I don’t have any problem with tax dollars helping the neediest, people who
would fall below the minimum standard otherwise. I have a huge problem with
tax dollars going to help protect the relative financial status and security
of middle class families.

