[yupmetoo]

I know this is outside the topic, but to critique your analogy - you could spend a lifetime trying to make a better battery, and share the knowledge of 1000 ways to not make a better battery, which is useful in and of itself.

[nightski]

I wasn't trying to imply such a pursuit wouldn't be useful, rather that you should only do it if you find it individually fulfilling and not solely because it might benefit humanity as a whole (because it might not, no one can predict these things).

But of course this is all just a personal opinion and highly subjective.

[seanflyon]

While we cannot predict the future with perfect certainty statements like: "A better battery will benefit humanity" are safe bets. There are many things that we know with a high degree a certainty will benefit humanity.

[nightski]

And if you find that individually meaningful you should go for it!

Notch however, clearly did not enjoy working on something with so much publicity whether it benefited humanity or not. I don't think we should belittle him for that.