A historical perspective on AI investment is being questioned through the story of Melville Ballard, a 19th-century deaf man who pondered complex thoughts without language. Ballard's reflections, documented in an 1880 Smithsonian Institution paper, highlight the precedence of rational thought over language, challenging the current AI models that prioritize language over reasoning. This historical insight suggests that true understanding requires rational capacity beyond linguistic capabilities. The article also draws parallels with the speculative fervor of 1880s San Francisco, likening it to today's Silicon Valley. The speculative nature of AI investments is compared to historical get-rich-quick schemes, suggesting a potential repeat of past economic cycles. The piece concludes by questioning whether Silicon Valley will break free from this pattern or continue to experience cycles of rapid wealth creation and subsequent downturns.