The problem is that humans don’t work like that. We aren’t the passionate bunch the author think we are.
People work for money and status , we are extremely result oriented not passion oriented.
Even on here people enjoy technology , hacking etc. But if you gave us absolute certainty of economic and social success via some other drastically different path (e.g. a reality show such as Jersey Shore) , we would not hesitate one second and wear our tightest tank top and trunks , get tanned and play the part.
I say “us” because I include myself in this scenario too, and I despise reality shows but you cant argue with millions of dollars and millions of followers.
They are respectively the currency of financial and social success.
it’s far better to be a millionaire reality star whose claim to fame is clubbing and partying on camera than a professor with an IQ of 185 whose fusion startup went under