I don't take the engineer's and entrepreneur's stance here that every thing that I work toward have a so-called practical application and measurable economic va

I don't take the engineer's and entrepreneur's stance here that every thing that I work toward have a so-called practical application and measurable economic value. You can spend your life on something without expecting it to "make you better". The efficiency in my craft that I gain may prove to have some value to others in the "real world", but make no mistake, I'm not driven by anything but my interest in the craft itself.