Well, it doesn't matter all that much that each of us agrees that building Technology X will help with Big Problem B. Why? 1. It is hard to predict how innovat

Well, it doesn't matter all that much that each of us agrees that building Technology X will help with Big Problem B. Why? 1. It is hard to predict how innovation unfolds, builds on itself, and cross-pollinates. For example, who predicted that 140-character-or-less social media messaging would benefit democratic uprisings in Egypt? 2. We aren't going to agree on the big problems. My criteria is simple: somewhere/somehow in the economic system and public spheres, we need diverse investment in technological advancement across many time scales.