[philipallstar]

> it's really sad that scientists need to justify their funding to the public

The (mostly American) public pays their salaries; it's not that odd. The public elect the government (mostly the US government) that distributes the funds. The US voter in general has just got tired of living in the "worst place in the world" while also funding the majority of the world's science and health breakthroughs, I think.

[slfnflctd]

This take seems a tad myopic to me.

We are rapidly and increasingly falling behind at least two other nations in terms of science and health breakthroughs.

The things that make the US seem like the worst place in the world are mostly a result of political gridlock, which is advantageous (in the short term) for a small group of people who thrive under the status quo, who do everything possible with their outsized power to manipulate the electorate to keep it that way, out of cowardice.

The US voter in general has been horribly misinformed, misled and manipulated into supporting things that are both against their own personal interest and against the greater good for the country as a whole.

I don't know how to fix this, but I personally don't think making grand proclamations about how great we are/were while pointing blame fingers around to obfuscate the more obvious reasons for the average citizen's discontent is a smart or ethical way to approach the situation.

[philipallstar]

> We are rapidly and increasingly falling behind at least two other nations in terms of science and health breakthroughs.

Perhaps you are, but I'm not convinced. What's the metric?

> The things that make the US seem like the worst place in the world are mostly a result of political gridlock, which is advantageous (in the short term) for a small group of people who thrive under the status quo, who do everything possible with their outsized power to manipulate the electorate to keep it that way, out of cowardice.

The political lines are clear. You can see endless interviews with kids on college campuses who've been indoctrinated to believe the silliest things. That America is the worst, most racist and sexist place in the whole world.

> The US voter in general has been horribly misinformed, misled and manipulated into supporting things that are both against their own personal interest and against the greater good for the country as a whole.

This seems a tad myopic itself. While I agree people are being misled, I would count both you and I as "people" in that regard, and equally not knowing what's best for everyone. If we did, we could just be the only two voters and it would all be perfect.

> I don't know how to fix this, but I personally don't think making grand proclamations about how great we are/were while pointing blame fingers around to obfuscate the more obvious reasons for the average citizen's discontent is a smart or ethical way to approach the situation.

No idea what this means, as there were no grand proclamations previously mentioned.

I think part of the problem is America can do huge numbers of things right, and carry quite a lot of the advances that help the whole world on its taxpayers' backs, but still be mostly criticised and teased as a country from the citizens of other, generally older, now less high achieving countries. Who only acknowledge those massive, ground-breaking contributions when they are withdrawn and can be used to complain about the USA.