What this makes me wonder is, if the problem is not enough funding for visionary work, or more accurately that modern funders misunderstand how and why to find visionary work, then what will change their minds?
Because I feel like I've read a few of these posts, watched similar talks, and I nod along and agree every time. Only problem is, I'm not a wealthy benefactor, director of a research institute, or a business exec with control of discretionary R&D funding.
Where do those people hang out, what would convince them like this post convinces me, and is anyone working on that?
I think it is hard to get people to understand what they do not understand yet, actually what they have opposing experiences to. It seems to me making money is easy if you a) work hard b) are extremely goal driven (and obviously you need to be sufficiently smart). Now this seems to be working in research too, where the extremely goal driven part means you focus on publishing research papers in prestigious places.
I think it is working in research (given for example that some of the papers in conferences like POPL are just great). Of course you won't hear from those instances where it is not working (until it does).
The problem is you somehow have to decide who to give money to, and you cannot possibly know who carries a vision inside of them that they are actually able to realise given enough funding and time.
Because I feel like I've read a few of these posts, watched similar talks, and I nod along and agree every time. Only problem is, I'm not a wealthy benefactor, director of a research institute, or a business exec with control of discretionary R&D funding.
Where do those people hang out, what would convince them like this post convinces me, and is anyone working on that?