In regards to your question, I think adults need to either stumble upon the value themselves, or be exposed to many many specific examples of its value. I thought about your colleague's hesitation all morning and I think answer is quite simple. Without knowing more, it might stem from a lack of imagination on their part. People only want to think very superficially sometimes, and don’t want to put in the effort themselves to think deeply. Much easier to just shrug and say it’s not good for anything.

So one might need to put in the creative work for them, and come up with many applications themselves, both directly to their work and more tangentially to their lives, until the evidence becomes overwhelming.

Teachers are also key to this. Assuming there is a spark of curiosity in a student of any age, I’m convinced a good teacher’s enthusiasm can enkindle it into something great.

Thanks for taking the time to read the piece and comment.