When those things did happen, how much of that was because people had multiple options and chose one of them over the other?

I think the solution is in education. Do not teach people about the things that are useful right now. Teach people to value the things that make their lives better.

I'm ok with thinking as a hobby. That's doing it because you value it. If there are not enough people doing it, the problem is that they don't value it or don't know how to value it.