Quote 1
The sum of his discourse was to this effect: "That about forty years ago, certain persons went up to Laputa, either upon business or diversion, and, after five months continuance, came back with a very little smattering in mathematics, but full of volatile spirits acquired in that airy region: that these persons, upon their return, began to dislike the management of every thing below, and fell into schemes of putting all arts, sciences, languages, and mechanics, upon a new foot. To this end, they procured a royal patent for erecting an academy of projectors in Lagado; and the humour prevailed so strongly among the people, that there is not a town of any consequence in the kingdom without such an academy. In these colleges the professors contrive new rules and methods of agriculture and building, and new instruments, and tools for all trades and manufactures; whereby, as they undertake, one man shall do the work of ten; a palace may be built in a week, of materials so durable as to last for ever without repairing. (3.4.16)
Lord Munodi tells Gulliver about the origins of the Royal Academy at Lagado, which is a research institute and university for the future scientists of Balnibarbi. The key point here is that these "Projectors" (guys with projects) are all really idealistic, and they mean well. They want to save work and improve agriculture. But they are so out of touch with reality that all of their plans totally fail to achieve their lofty goals. In fact, their plans make everything worse, because they displace traditional methods that were in place before these "reforms." Gulliver seems kind of crotchety here – can you think of any examples in which he actually celebrates something new or recent?