The NVG arguement is indicative of just about every other "discussion" on technique, training, etc: we all seem to passionately believe in what we have experienced and are reluctant to believe that it could be done any better. The long line introduction is a good example. A bloke in the States thought it was the bees knees in the 60s (I believe) and yet it is only recently in Oz (last four years or so) that we have seen it as an often preferable way to conduct external loads, and it is still not getting favour in the UK. Why? because we are reluctant to believe it could be better than how we learnt to do it. Same as NVG.
Find me an ANVIS 6 or 9 NVG pilot or crewman who would choose to fly without them. So why is it so hard to convince those who have yet to experience them? As with long line, the yanks were on to it straight away, the Kiwis saw the benefits are changing asap, and the Aussies and Poms? Still saying it couldn't possibly be better than how WE do it now.
The cost of an NVG upgrade is NO WHERE NEAR the cost of an IFR upgrade. A 3 axis autopilot cannot be fitted for much less than $1M US. An NVG cockpit can generally be done for less than $50K US. A slight difference. And I say 50K because you do not need to go to the lengths that some NVG product pushers have you believe. Simply floodlight the cockpit.
But this arguement again pits Instrument flying against NVG. As I said before, I believe they are not competitive technologies, NVG is a direct competitor for NVFR not IFR. So the question is whether or not you want to spend about $80K US on significantly enhancing your safety and response envelope or not - not wether it is more cost effective than an IFR upgrade.
To give you some sense of objective perspective, let me ask how much resistance would there be to a technology that increased your visual acuity by nearly 16 times?
Unaided night vision acuity is 6/200 (metric here) yet ANVIS 9 (omnibus IV) caims acuity of 6/12. Resistance to such huge technological leaps or changes really shouldnt take us by suprise: we see it throughout our past, like we did with long lines, and like we will continue to see with NVG, HUMS, etc.