What good is the study of philosophy if any conclusions or ideas that come of it never reach the minds of the masses?

Sure, things trickle-down and diffuse through the memescape or zeitgeist or other $2 word to describes the cloud of culture that loosely connects all human thought.

But what is truly the point of seeking insight if only a handful of people will ever benefit from it directly?

Wouldn’t it make more sense to just spend one’s time learning how to build a better mousetrap? It’s not like the people running the planet are guided by the kind of philosophical thought that holds up to actual scrutiny by people who think critically and dispassionately.

Maybe that’s why a PhD in philosophy seems to accessorize with a green, coffee stained apron, rather than an executive business suit.

Just a random thought on wrestling with as I drive halfway across the country.