Re: Why our 'amazing' science fiction future fizzled

In keeping with our commitment to questioning answers:
The CNN article Why our 'amazing' science fiction future fizzled is a great example of Dr. Feelgood in peak form. According to this, the reason we don't have all the cool technology anticipated in earlier times is that people don't really want it. In other words, science and technology can accomplish anything, but society isn't serious about it. This is clearly sour grapes and false, like saying I could win the Olympic mile, but sponsors won't pay me enough.
Jet Packs: It takes a certain amount of energy to lift a person, and that translates to fuel or some other energy source. As we know from the electric car (lack of) progress, batteries are heavy, and so is fuel, and a 250-pound pack is not practical. These are significant barriers to jet packs, as is FAA approval, and the problems are not solved after all these decades.
Wakamaru? Not even close to the "Lost in Space" robot, Robbie, and not in the same universe as Commander Data. Mission Accomplished! Not!
Teleportation: "Physicists routinely conduct teleportation experiments today." Oh, really? There is quantum teleportation, but nothing like Star Trek yet, and not really on the horizon. Teleportation has not yet arrived.
Next, the writer tells us that we don't want these advances anyway, because they are bad for us. When did that stop us? Cigarettes, cocaine and alcohol sell just fine, thank you, and with plane fare so high and checkins so slow, teleportation is very much needed, so if scientists can get this working next week, that would be just about right.
Why is there a need for this kind of apologetics? Not every creative idea is possible, and scientists have moved on to inventing glowing monkeys and other useful things. Before the personal computer, we could send people to the moon, but with it we can't even survive re-entry reliably. Perhaps Windows Solitaire has claimed too many victims? Perhaps the writer is afraid we will lose faith in science and look to faith in God and hard work for our advances?
This is not very politically correct, but there it is. Everyone can now post their comments about how glowing monkeys are taking jet packs to the teleportation centers so they can go buy a new robot. Pardon me for not buying it.

Tribes

Just saw an ad for Tribes: We need you to lead us.
Part of the description indicated that everyone can lead. This begs the question: who follows?
Indeed, are we to be all chiefs and no indians (apologies for this old saying).
I discovered the book through a business contact who promises much and never accomplishes anything.