There's pretty clear upside to things like inventing firearms, cars, planes. The space-shuttle was honestly kind of a failure except as a publicity tool. It did a LOT to kill the US space industry. It was a step too far that we took, ended up short, and sunk untold resources making it worth. That was all great until all of the brains of the industry aged-out, retired, and/or died. We ceased innovating for decades (and abandoned the knowledge base needed to innovate).I guess I was brought up different! I think about the first idiot to ever shoot a gun. Or first crazy fool to drive a horseless carriage, fly a plane, the space shuttle! My family thinks I'm crazy for what I've done in my life so far, but if not for the craziest of us who would we all be? My first thought of a saddle was "dam fools are hanging off of a tree on a half inch rope and a piece of material?" If not for my quest to understand you-all I wouldn't be here! The craziest people are usually the smartest if you take the time to figure them out. No different than the stock market. No risk, no reward!
But enough about the shuttle.
There's not the upside to free-climbing El Capitan. Lots of other, easier ways up. No technical knowledge gained. Just a dude getting his own personal success for his own personal reasons, and taking a big risk of death in doing so.
There's no reward here, except the adrenaline rush, ego, etc. No comparison to the clear technical advances you list (except the shuttle).