[rcMgD2BwE72F]

>Critics say that Colossal’s money would be better spent in protecting existing species, rather than de-extinct animals that have been dead for thousands of years. Maybe that’s true, but it’s extremely unlikely that this $150M would have gone to conservation otherwise! If rich people want to spend their money on de-extinction, and bolster reproductive technologies in the meantime, then we say “let ‘em.”

There's a French idiom for that, "pompiers pyromanes", which means arsonist firemen. Seems appropriate.

[IntrepidWorm]

In 1800's United States, fire departments in many large cities (Chicago and New York, to name two) were private for-profit industries. If a homeowner did not pay what was effectively protection money, the fire department would refuse to extinguish your property if it caught fire, and would sit around as the dwelling burned, in some cases with people still inside.

Fascinating idiom, thanks!

[Sayrus]

Tom Scott did a video[1] about this. For the UK at least, this may have been an urban myth rooted in the fact that only the fastest fire brigades were paid[2].

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wif1EAgEQKI

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_insurance_mark

[remote_phone]

That exists today in areas where you have to pay the fire department separately.

[BurningFrog]

Protecting existing species is a different goal though.

It's always true that if you have different goals you'd spend resources differently.

[fastball]

That doesn't really sound like the same thing?