You speak as though there's an enormous gulf in producing social value between working at Facebook and working at Renaissance.

Speaking as a physicist who left the field, the vast majority of research physicists are not going to make a significant impact on advancing human knowledge. They're all too busy teaching bored undergrads, competing for underfunded grants, and politicking to get their name onto more papers.

I'd rather do math and make lots of money. Wouldn't you?