We need minds that want to explore and think outside the box - but they need to be brought into the situation where they are motivated to try. The details aren't relevant up front, the interest is - and critically so.
In a factual way. Teaching kids the "fake it till you make it"/"high risk, high gain" methods will not solve problems, it will waste resources better spent elsewhere.
I do not disagree with any of your comments - but you have taken things further than was the scope of my post.
My primary observation was to the value of the reporting of this event by CNN as a mechanism to spark interest in youngsters so they get
into STEM career paths. Any consideration of the crappiness of an idea isn't overly relevant for that objective.
The secondary element was to set us "old fogies" back in our box a little. Yes, there are a number of facts about physics that will control the course of development of various ideas - but to claim we know everything about physics is simply arrogant. In truth our "old ways" of thinking are sometimes exactly what stops us from making progress. New blood, new thinking, new attitudes are necessary.
If somebody wants to head off into a quest for some pie-in-the-sky objective (especially if they've got a fresh approach) then I'm happy for them to pursue it - and this applies to a whole lot of other "bad ideas" - IMHO. While they may suck inordinate amounts of money chasing impossible goals, I would want them to travel the road of exploration so that the foolishness can be relegated to the lessons of the past once it has been completely explored.
Know when to call it is the problem.
Besides, one could look at all this Hyperloop hype as an example of brainstorming - one that has escaped the room rather dramatically - but it may give rise to other crazy, impractical ideas that might lead to something truly revolutionary.
Yeah ... well ... call me an optimist, a dreamer (just don't call me late for dinner
)