Reply To: Where does the information come from?

[Rezwan]

I’m thinking about the commandments because of September 11. The 8th command is:

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway.

So, taking some thoughts from Jon, here’s another attempt:

When it comes to energy, people are insatiable consumers, NIMBY-ous, and take harsh “wait and see” stance towards research.
Do the research to get them fusion energy anyway.

If you do fusion research, people will accuse you of wishful thinking.
Do fusion research anyway.

If you are unsuccessful in your fusion experiments, people will ridicule you and accuse you of fraud and waste.
Do the experiments anyway.

If you are successful, people may attempt to steal or stifle your inventions.
Succeed anyway.

Fusion is “oversold” but underfunded.
Fight for fusion funding anyway.

Honesty and frankness about the uncertainties of research make you vulnerable to defunding and derision.
Be honest and frank anyway.

The biggest scale ideas with the biggest budgets may or may not be outperformed by the simplest ideas with the smallest budgets.
Pursue a diverse range of fusion experiments.

What fusion researchers spend years building may be successful overnight. It’s a cliff edge phenomenon.
Keep calm and fuse on!

People really need energy breakthroughs but attack you with budget cuts and contempt if you attempt them.
Attempt fusion breakthroughs anyway.

Give the world the best you have and you’ll get swarmed by ungrateful people with pitchforks saying “what took you so long?”
Give the world the best you have anyway.