Some are noticed. I recently had an exchange with someone in Asia about how education, set within a stimulating culture, can produce a remarkable number of brilliant minds. Minds like Turing, Huxly, Shannon, Raman, Bohr, Einstein, Planck, etc. They themselves building upon the knowledge and rich culture of their predecessors.

We have lost that. Our best and brightest are wasting their brains earning quick bucks designing Quants for Wall Street. No wonder the Economist's top story this week was that China has become a scientific superpower. So yes, we are what we think we are: shallow and opportunistic.