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That's what people say about almost every new invention to come along. It is difficult to wrap one's mind around new ideas...just human nature.
I spent a decent amount of time working in the venture capital markets before I retired. I learned at an early age that people who do not work (in some way) with new ideas, inventions, discoveries, etc., have a difficult time understanding things not already present in our world and culture.

My skepticism comes from the understanding of the physical world that I achieved in getting a STEM Ph.D. A career within the STEM field intrinsically involves creativity and innovation.

I have no trouble understanding and accepting new ideas, etc. But when science fictiony ideas that are based on wishful thinking and fantasy come along, I pretty firmly reject them. There is a reason my husband and son do not like me to watch science fiction shows with them--I yell at the TV, telling it just how wrong its science *fiction* is. Any new idea, to be viable, must be based on what is possible within the laws of physics.

I've pondered whether it would be possible to put the brain in some sort of device that would provide nourishment, and how long a human brain would survive in such conditions. How could external input be fed into the brain, and how would it interact with the world? Certainly, the world of human/prosthetic interfaces would have to be greatly improved before that can happen. Then, how long could the brain remain in prime functional condition? Etc. There are a lot of technical issues regarding the biological functions that I could list here, but this post is already quite long enough.

I don't disagree with you on some of your statements (particularly as regards the human brain).

And I certainly think it is important to not entertain fantasy and pure fiction.

That said, and as you know, STEM professionals are not immune to being closed-minded when it comes to new ideas. In fact, I would say that it is the rule, not the exception that scientists can be among the most hard-headed when it comes to accepting new technologies, concepts, inventions.

As to science fiction, I agree. I was a fan as a child, but most of it is just plain silly from my vantage point as an adult.