But why should it be like something to convert short term memory to long term memory? Computational systems can convert data between different forms of memory but we don't typically believe consciousness emerges from this operation.
Not agreeing or disagreeing with your larger point but garbage picking is an interesting example. Aren't there folks who volunteer to pick up trash/litter on the side of the road and in parks? There's definitely an incentive (maintaining your community and other emotional/less-tangible benefits of volunteering) but it's not quite being payed to do it.
How could you not care about proving this to others? You seem to harbor some hope that you can talk to a passed loved one via this or a related means? If you could prove this isn't just lucid dreaming then you could have the help of other people interested in taking the same path. Think how many people you could help and how this would revolutionize science. Don't you want to validate the method by which you're investigating the world? Shouldn't that be step one? I'm completely dumbfounded by your response.
Isn't the issue here short term vs long term consumer interest? It's all fine and dandy for consumers to pay lower prices because company A is eating losses to drive company B out of business but what happens after that.