I think it's fine to put money into fundamental R&D, NASA and the like. But, that's an expense. Treating it as such, lets us ask the right questions.
I didn't invest €3,000 last year in lunch, I ate €3,000 worth of lunch. The right question is "was it tasty?" In the kind of discourse that gets put around policy, I would be asking "what productivity gains did I make be eating lunch?"
That would be contrary to investment. Investing means putting off short term objectives for a chance of maximizing better long term ones. A nice lunch is a goal in itself, i.e. it makes you happy or w/e.
As far as I know, R&D is not a fundamental entertainment or the like (although NASA is), so it is an investment.
I think it's fine to put money into fundamental R&D, NASA and the like. But, that's an expense. Treating it as such, lets us ask the right questions.
I didn't invest €3,000 last year in lunch, I ate €3,000 worth of lunch. The right question is "was it tasty?" In the kind of discourse that gets put around policy, I would be asking "what productivity gains did I make be eating lunch?"