>Are they abandoning their dreams—and does that matter?
It definitely matters, ask any developing nation about the brain drain and you know the reasons why individuals do it, it's a net gain for them but a loss for their nation. Now take all those reasoning and apply to the brain drain within disciplines and domains. All disciplines and domains are important and need significant contribution to continuously innovate.
Even at an individual scale people should do what they like/or are naturally good at, only then they will be able to do great work.
It definitely matters, ask any developing nation about the brain drain and you know the reasons why individuals do it, it's a net gain for them but a loss for their nation. Now take all those reasoning and apply to the brain drain within disciplines and domains. All disciplines and domains are important and need significant contribution to continuously innovate.
Even at an individual scale people should do what they like/or are naturally good at, only then they will be able to do great work.