The main motivation for this work is the impact that its completion will have on human lives. And not only will there be a direct effect on individual lives, but but the improvements made in those lives can very reasonably be expected to improve the society itself, which will in turn lead to improvements in the lives of others.
Imagine how this world might be different if everyone, rather that just a few percent, of people had not only an understanding of, but an enthusiasm for science and mathematics. Imagine the world political scene if almost everyone, instead of almost no one, in a developed nation understood the historical and political foundations of the armed conflict and other difficult issues of the day. In fact, imagining the full impact of such changes is probably not even possible. Consider the fact that we have the technology and the capability, right now, to ensure that no person goes hungry, yet we do not have the political will to make that happen. The only thing that needs to change for that to be fixed is human minds. Yet the very areas of study that need to be undertaken for people to understand these ideas are those that are considered the least interesting. What would the world be like if 99 percent of people understood the historical roots of current conflicts, rather than the current situation in which 99 percent do not?