You are shadowboxing - fighting an argument nobody is making. Someone is describing their personal experience of the world, not arguing that this is the best way to think about the world. It's an opportunity to learn about the ways that people learn things differently, if you can be curious and kind about it.
- History has demonstrated clear value in discovering and understanding concepts that have no practical use today
- One should not care to understand things that have no practical use today
Seems bizarre to think both things. That's why I asked.