Do we really spend our time for nothing or it's a part of something bigger (next big thing)?

Recently, a very interesting article has come across my desk by Ukrainian scientist who studies abroad computing clusters and other interesting things in reference to the pure science.

His main message was that mankind have chosen the wrong way in developing project network and paid excess attention (in his opinion) to various consumer services. We went to develop consumer culture instead of moving science forward - that was his main idea.

We cannot overlook the movie "Idiocracy" with plot of a story about Earth which collapsed in a mountain sized garbage, where people have a very low IQ, mainly because distinguished scientists of the past didn’t get enough financing to develop fundamental things, but instead of this, there was a massive financing for research hair preservation and potency.

In actual fact, when you take notice of startup’s financing, wherefore people afford the high expenses on “Kickstarter” or another platforms like this, it may be a little dizzy, because it's all so far from dreaming of conquering the universe and getting cosmic space, where people dreamed of it in the 70-80s of the last century.

You must admit that those things which SpaceX is testing right now aren't much like the selfie coloring app…

In the late 20th century, the mainspring of scientific revolution were State governments which were involved in armaments drive. Fear is not less effective motivator for moving, even more effective than finding pleasure. But bipolar world is gone together with the large financial appropriations for defense research. The standard of living in many countries of the world has increased substantially and in the general population there have appeared funds that are comparable to state budgets.

It is clear that this money could not fail to notice. It’s a resource which must be used, but how? In the Soviet Union they did it quite simply, they hadn’t paid one salary and just said that it was transferred to the Peace Fund. They would spend this money on the next R-36M (SS-18) development. But in the world of “damned capitalism” that’s not the way, for this reason is required another way.

There is a well-known joke that the first 40 years of childhood are difficult for men :). Basically, we are the same kids who have learned to pretend to be adults. All of us like entertainment, extreme, interesting and bright things. Mankind is so structured that be fond of pleasure. Most effective teaching methods are built on the game. Almost all modern training techniques are also built on the interactive method, which is actually the same as a game. People are willing to pay for participation in the game, regardless of their own intellectual development and IQ.

Let’s think about an interesting industry as the porn industry or gambling. Despite the numerous restrictions and prohibitions, people around the world continue to watch “adult movies” and gamble. These areas have considerable incomes and form an integral part of the economy. It is a big secret that modern video streaming technologies, fast payments, and many other convenient things have roots from these industries.

Modern startups are a good tool for obtaining financing from people who would never have invested in the development of science or technology. Some of them, perhaps, have never heard the word “investments”... But people are looking for more comfort, entertainment and impressions. Therefore, the whole variety of new digital inventions, mobile applications, network technologies right now is fighting for banknotes in your pocket or on your bank account. And this money is used to move mankind forward. Because, this is no longer a direct dependence, but an indirect one.

How many programming languages do we have for developing software? Or do we have the same development process as before? Who remembers assembly code debugging? How much is it differ from creating projects using a high-level language and frameworks with libraries?

You buy an application with augmented reality and you are testing a technology that in the future can be applied in the helmet of an astronaut who landed on Mars. You are watching porno in HD quality, and in this way you stimulate the development of streaming video, which can then be used in telemedicine, you are entertained by 3D printing of various unnecessary things, but this technology will create the necessary things for the colonies of mankind in the Universe.

All these things have appeared not because of targeted financing from corporations and governments. They appeared mainly, in order to quickly meet the consumer needs. Thousands of startups that compete for your attention, use the latest technology, challenge and compete for the right to entertain you better and more conveniently. Competition and natural selection on the market right here creating following perfect solutions that will increase the computational capability of machines, create an artificial intelligence, and provide the next scientific revolution.

Therefore, when throughout the centuries (at least 19th and 20th) all the mainly used disruptive technologies have got through commercial market resulting from conversion and removing of the heading “confidential” on military inventions, so now, in my opinion, there will be observed backward diffusion of commercial solutions to military applications and their adaptation for the needs of pure science...