Dear Ken,
Your said:
"It's not clear what benefit would be served by a mix between Bell Labs and Facebook. Facebook has certainly developed a business model -- as much by accident as by design. This model has enriched the owners and shareholders, but Facebook has not made a contribution to the world on the order of the Bell Labs contribution. For that matter, I can't see that Facebook has the problem-solving capacity of a Bell Labs or a VTT, and suggests that they can neither invent nor innovate at the same level."
Personally, I think these are debatable issues. It depends on how invention and innovation are understood and which values are held. If invention and innovation are understood to be solely technological and high values are held towards them, then you are right; otherwise, all is open for discussion. For me, life will be greatly impoverished without transistors, and so will it be without family and friends; and for others, without music and poetry and still for others, without Facebook...
I find it rather sobering to think that AT&T was a monopoly and Bell Labs in its heydays was a microcosm of military-industry science complex. None of these facts can tarnish the Nobel medals won, but they do put things in a different perspective and render comparisons more difficult.
Finally, just to be clear: although I know some companies are already mixing 'Bell Labs and Facebook', that's not what I suggested. I was saying that variations between them exist...implying that it is not necessary to polarize them.
All the best,
Rosan
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