Iconic Innovation | Humanity’s Greatest Innovation
– Iconic Innovation
Yesterday a tweet from Venture Hacks caught my eye:
Man’s greatest innovations are the peaceful periods of history that make all other innovations possible.
It stood out because I think it’s profoundly wrong and I rarely disagree with anything either Nivi or Naval say, but the sentiment here seems outrageous to me. It’s akin to congratulating a wife beating alcoholic on managing to occasional not break her arm.
It’s akin to giving some sort of prize to US presidents for having not yet started any wars. (Ummm…oh wait…I guess we do that already.)
Are our expectations of humanity so low that not fighting amongst ourselves is an innovation? Click To TweetEntrepreneurs in particular risk losing our definition as value creators by an encroaching mass of mediocrity which thinks that cybersquatting and mechanical turk generated content farms are a form of entrepreneurship. Let’s just agree that capturing value does not equal creating value
Capturing value is great for you, creating value is great for everyone. Click To TweetSo please think before creating your SMB destroying Groupon clone. Tone down that sociopathic side of you that you think is critical to your success. It’s not.
When we focus on growing the pie, everyone benefits and your slice will taste sweeter. Click To TweetAs a planet, as a nation, as families, as humans, we have vast and intimidating challenges in front of us. We simply cannot pat ourselves on the back on not shooting each other. We can do so much more.
P.S.: Yes, I realize that the VH team undoubtedly did not intend to imply what I read out of the comment, but that’s the great thing about words.
The reader is an equal author of the meaning. Click To TweetP.P.S: I also realize that warfare is also responsible for a tremendous amount of iconic innovation.
I really enjoyed this but my favorite part was in the first P.S.:
“…but that’s the great thing about words. The reader is an equal author of the meaning.”
Thanks!
More importantly, as you note, it’s an historically incorrect statement.
Most of the notable innovations of human history (e.g. mechanization) are a byproduct of war. Even great institutions, like NASA, for instance, are a direct byproduct of war-time climates and subsequent paranoia.
And since modern business, and the capitalist system to a lesser extent, is an extension of war (with more rules of engagement), we could say that nearly all modern innovations are a byproduct of war.
War makes innovation. The greatest innovation in human history will be the point at which we discover a way to encourage innovation without the need for war as a catalyst.
I agree.
Pressing needs (e.g. creating “light bulbs” out plastic bottles filled with water in Manila’s slums http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHTD_RX3J2I) and burning desire (e.g. competition) are drivers of innovation.
It would be interesting to know what Naval/Nivi meant by the quote.