As for the P != NP conjecture...
With no known shortcuts, exhaustive enumeration is pretty much the best way we now have to solve those puzzles. That is all one can say about the issue.
With no
known efficient process for extracting the 8 million tons of gold dissolved in our oceans, mining is pretty much the best way we have
now to produce more.
With no
known efficient process for harvesting gold from asteroids
With no
known method to cost-effectively fuse lead + other cheap elements into gold
Let's try it with fiat money:
With no
known shortcuts for printing more money out of nothing or confiscating someone's funds
ahem
oops?