I do often wonder how many people would do something with a great deal more positive impact (research, full-time work on free software, working on that crazy, but possibly actual world-changing idea/startup, whatever) if they didn't have to worry every day about survival, aging out of their field, being forced to run faster just to stay where they are, etc. One day perhaps we'll get to see what that looks like. For now, though, chasing the money is often the rational thing to do, even if that means building yet another hyperlocal mobile social dog sharing photo app.