[itronitron]

except that 2M isn't wasted, it funds the productivity of an average person's life which they then use to pay taxes, buy food, and pay back their student loans

[chii]

Some may say that it's a waste if the value of the output is less than the input.

[itronitron]

if by output you mean return on investment then yes, but the input isn't wasted, it just gets transferred through outputs to other inputs