[acegopher]

I've read the Bobiverse series too :-). Maybe the question then is, do intelligent species have the will to invest the capital and labor required when there is no payoff in those decision-makers lifetimes? I think there are individuals who do, but I think it's an open question if societies can.

[andrewflnr]

Human societies already undertake multi-generational projects. For an easy example: cathedrals. We seem to have fallen out of the habit in the last few centuries, but historically it hasn't been that rare. We would only have to be slightly closer to rationality to make it commonplace.

[circlefavshape]

Another example https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uffington_White_Horse