[cat_plus_plus]

How does a Wikipedia page improve my life and why do I have to dig into it rather than seeing these innovations around me first hand? As for Russia, remember you are talking to a Russian. Sure Pushkin was pretty good, in early 19th century. What good did you see coming out of Russia in 21st century, which we are almost a quarter into? Lots of things being invented in US suggest that US circumstances are pretty good for inventing and bringing inventions to mass use.

[palmetieri2000]

>How does a Wikipedia page improve my life and why do I have to dig into it rather than seeing these innovations around me first hand?

Might as well read: "why do I need research, evidence or information when I could just take anecdote and opinion?"

Because no one cares about your opinion and your anecdotes lead you to draw incorrect conclusions. You have countered precisely 0 of my points because you are conflating opinion with facts.

[cat_plus_plus]

No, you are conflating theory and practice, innovation entails bringing science and technology to public awareness and benefit. I don't need Wikipedia to know that China is brilliant at gain of function research for viruses, but can't say that I am grateful for the results. German BioNTech and American Moderna mRNA research that lets me go out without worrying about dying from said viruses is much more handy in my daily life. And if Huawei made a robot that washed my dishes and took out my garbage everyday, I would appreciate that too.