The only thing that George got wrong was failing to realize that he is not an engineer, but an inventor. I am saying this as a fan of his work. He is something that I would dare to call a techno artist. He is the Kasparov of sw engineering, not Karpov. His ideas are like lightning. A powerful strike that shakes the earth (or Earth? maybe). But his agenda and his goals interfered with his God given power.
Ironically, you can hear him saying on a podcast with Friedman (dont' remember which episode) that one should not have a lofty goal, but then you have him talking all about such goals. The Saviour persona takes over (not saying he doesn't have that in him), but this does not suit him.
It should be instinct, rather than intellect that guides him (which is the case with every artist).
Think of the reason he got into hacking. From what I understand it was one summer, now long time ago, him being bored. That's it. Boredom mixed with curiosity and innate talent.
What got Kubrick into making films? Him seeing how bad the films he saw were. Him thinking he can do better. And he did.
A perfect example of motivation that was purely technical in nature. Problem solving skills that needed an outlet. That doesn't mean it is the only reason to get into films, far from it.
In words of Kubrick himself: “Some directors are primarily interested in working with actors, others are more interested in visual composition or camera movement. I don’t think there is one correct emphasis.”
We all know to which group Kubrick gravitated to (the latter of course, just like his idol Max Ophüls). My point? There was something specific that got him stared and not just: "I wanna make films". Take a look at what got him started filming 2001. It was not a book by Clarke, but this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universe_(1960_film)
More precisely it were the special effects he saw from a Canadian documentary in the link above. Barry Lyndon? NASA lenses. Could you say the same for Scorsese? I don't think so. He would never. Ever. Do it for those reasons.
Moving on.
When N.Tesla invented induction motor did he do so for the improvement of the infrastructure and improving the lives of others? No. He did it because he wanted to improve DC motor. Or namely, the fact that he did not like the sparks that came from the brushes and that were caused by electrical arcing on commutator segments.
Did he care to perfect his invention? No.
Mikhail Dolivo-Dobrovolsky did.
N.Tesla could not care less about the materials used or the number of phases that would make the motor perform at it's best (even though he was invested in the production phase initially). Why? Because his mission was complete. He gave the idea. He built a working model. Then he moved on.
Just like Kubrick, his energy came from a desire to solve a problem.
No shame in moving on.
Imagine Kubrick calling it quits after Lolita.
Or N.Tesla devoting his energies on perfecting the induction engine.
Or Elon Musk working on electric cars and not caring about space travel.
Etc...
Not good.
Because there are people in this world made specifically for that role.
That would be the Torvald's of the world (L Torvalds: "I am not a visionary. I'm an engineer. I'm happy with the people who are wandering around looking at the stars but I am looking at the ground and I want to fix the pothole before I fall in"). The Karpov's. The Marcan's. The George R.R Martin's...
Not Nikola's, not Elon's or Steven King's. Not George's.
And just because visionaries look at the stars does not mean they have a lofty goal. Or that they are entitled. Visionary is the wiring of the brain. Those blessed with it should not go against it.
I could be wrong.
I am not that technical.
I am that educated.
I have not achieved much in life.
English is not my first language.