Make money or invent new technology?

[Manomanman]

For about 3 years now, I've seen two divergent paths (kind of like two equal paths described by Robert Frost) forming in my life.

One is to help people using my knowledge of psychology, especially people struggling in the business world. After reading "E Myth", I realized that there are a lot of people out there who just need help. I find this to be a meaningful thing to do, as I have an innate drive to "clean things up" that are "wrong". I feel that by teaching people how to master their thinking about their businesses, I will be mopping up some nasty stupidity in this world.

On the other hand, I started graduate school 5 years ago because I have a Star-Trek like motivation to explore and discover what is not known to mankind. I discovered within 3 years that the academic institutions of the world are not equipped for this task - they are gargantuan money sinks designed to maintain the status-quo. They are political idea-fronts. What I really want to do is move into researching neuro-technology in order to develop the kind of cybernetic systems you might find in an artificial organism like Data. I am hoping that with about 30-40 years of research and technological development, such AI would be possible.

Both paths are meaningful to me. The whole, "Provide value to others" is a daily self-esteem boost, and is very fulfilling. It's also profitable. The whole, "Create amazing new technology" is exactly like Dr. Noonien Soong portrays it to be: way too much time spent melding my mind with my creations that nobody but me really understands...creations that will radically alter our concept of intelligence and way of living (see Animatrix).

The contribution of the first option is that the nature of the "business game" will change in the world - as businesses become more efficient by mastering psychology, the world will end up in a higher state of energy overall, there will be fewer wars, mankind will evolve, etc. etc. The contribution of the second option is very much the same - there is some chance that we will enter a new era of mankind, but the most important thing is that our scientific knowledge of human intelligence and what is possible through AI will be radically enhanced. Both contributions are long-term, helpful, and they both lead to mankind evolving on a massive scale.

For me, both of these paths are borne of love, and they are about seeking truth. But I'm not sure how meaningful I will perceive either path to be in 1, 2, 10, 20 years down the road. My brother suggested that I start businesses, try to make billions on them, and then use the money like Batman to fund my research. I don't know that I'll be living that long though...

I prettymuch have to choose one and start working within the next month, because that will give me a year to prep as I leave grad school. I am making my first blog right now, so I'll have more data to know whether the "helping others" is really fulfilling, but I don't have a ton of experience with it.

What are some strategies to tease out this massive decision I have to make? And what are your opinions?

[Dot]

Manomanman, it's quite possible to take everything you want to do, and combine them - and out of that - create one path.

The only reason you see two paths, are that - from where you are - you can not see either one of them clearly. You're also being entirely theoretical. You have no idea that your "knowledge" of the limited amount of psychology you've studied will have any affect in the business world. You're throwing up completely hypothetical situations... inserting an unproven (yours) input, and arriving at a conclusion - and calling it a "path."

It appears, at least from your post, that you could create a path that includes psychology, business, AI, technology, and making money. Seems like a good place to be, and one that can be rewarding on many levels. And you've already discovered the need to pitch out much of the academia-fed "psychology" you've ingested. : )

My 2¢.

[Manomanman]

Originally Posted by Dot

You have no idea that your "knowledge" of the limited amount of psychology you've studied will have any affect in the business world.

The psychology that I've ingested thus far won't have an effect on the business world - because it's all sitting dead in academic journals that nobody reads.

The kind of psychology I'm really talking about is the development of jedi-mind-trick ****, like really high level stuff. My goal is to use psychology the same way that Steve Pavlina uses it, except that rather than apply practical knowledge about how to operate your brain to develop on a personal level, I want to discuss ways to apply this practical knowledge to the business world.

There's really no way to "know" that any particular entrepreneurial idea will "work". But that's why Steve advises that you set goals and be flexible in how you achieve them.

To be clear, my goal is support myself without having a job. I want to achieve this by working with people and to help them grow and learn, and also by working with high technology. I guess the important part is that I'm doing everything "on the cutting edge," because anything less will be boring to me. I'm right there with Steve Pavlina on the idea that evolution = purpose. My dilemma is that both paths are cutting edge.

I see the economy and technology as being interwoven - technology simply exists to make the economy more efficient.

But you point out something important: there's no way for me to have a good idea about which method to achieve my major goal will feel right from my limited perspective. Which is why I need to just "do it now" and start trying stuff. I feel like the paths may converge way down the road.

[themaster]

Take the path that is the most exciting.. if both paths offer the same excitement take either one..

And I agree and maybe you do too.. based on your second post.. the two choices may converge.. there is no need to see it as a limiting choice of 1 over the other.. you can always engage choice 2 anytime anyway

[Per Nyblom]

Manomanman, you and I seem to have a similar past. I went to grad school for 5 years studying Artificial Intelligence and thought that this was the only reasonable path any human could go since this kind of technology has the potential to change everything. It can automate all human labour and free us all (or kill us all, who knows )

Now I have left the academic world and started my own game programming/software company which I find very inspiring.

It sounds to me that you are stuck in the aim, aim, aim... phase now and the best advice I can give you is to simply fire a lot! It is extremely satisfying and I think that at a first glance this might seem like you are wasting your precious time but on the other hand you'll grow much faster and can "prune" a lot of speculative thought patterns and save that computation time for more useful thoughts and actions.

But this you already know Start firing now!!!!! You know exactly what to do next.