[aidenn0]

I think "old and cynical" is correct, inasmuch as the human brain operates largely on pattern-matching and given that "scientists report breakthrough in X" gets proven to have a very small chance of actually affecting our lives, it becomes easy to be dismissive.

As far as "appreciate anything that might only help the next generations" I think if we are still significantly burning fossil fuels 40 years from now, the next generations are in for a lot of pain even if the very next day they get replaced by fusion, so fusion just feels like it's coming too late to make a major impact.

[fuckHNtho]

At the same time you are complaining about how the media handle scientific milestones (and this is unquestionably a major one), you are adopting the short term, one track, 24 hour news cycle perspective the media has spoonfed you. Global warming is only one problem. We don't need to give it a monopoly on concern. We need to push for a more nuanced, sophisticated longer term view on the major obstacles that guide a civilization. "Energy" in the public conversation should be about more than global warming.

Fusion is an energy solution that would set us up for billions of years. If we figure it out any time in the next millennium we'll have hit the jackpot.

Your take is like getting upset someone mentioned computing but didn't talk about javascript. You'd rather articles not be written about fusion until it's ready to heat your frozen pizza? God forbid we flood the news cycle with scienific progress and detract from what Elon thinks about cabbage.

Edit: for those of you feeling slightly anxious you missed new Elon gossip about cabbage, I made that up.