Science and technology has moved on significantly since the Da Vinci days and modern day “geniuses” like Musk surround themselves with experts in each field.
On some topics you just have to accept that someone who has spent years of their live dedicated to a complex topic might actually be better placed to judge a solution than someone who specialises in an entirely unrelated field but happens to demonstrate a passing interest. Particularly when the topic is literally a matter of life or death.
On average, sure. And that may be a rational reason for a busy investor to reject a pitch meeting, but that's never a reason to dismiss an idea once you've read it, or in a forum where there is no cost to that idea existing (such as HN).
It’s a reason enough to be skeptical. How often have you read on here someone saying “can’t you just do x y and z” to a problem that is grossly more complex than the commenter initially appreciates?
A better stance would be to take such pitches as an interesting take but one which still requires peer review.
Edit: Remember when Musk tried to pitch a submarine to save those children stuck in a Thai cave and how local divers have to point out the passage ways were too narrow for even Musks child size sub? Being smart doesn’t mean you are equality qualified to resolve hard problems in other people’s fields.
It's an excuse not to think. Now, if you feel that YOU are not qualified to evaluate the idea, that's a different story. Don't act on the idea until it comes from someone you trust. But that's no reason to tell others it's unworthy of their evaluation.
On some topics you just have to accept that someone who has spent years of their live dedicated to a complex topic might actually be better placed to judge a solution than someone who specialises in an entirely unrelated field but happens to demonstrate a passing interest. Particularly when the topic is literally a matter of life or death.