Jan 1
Why inclusion and acceptance could harm innovation and unconventionality
Reading the header you might believe I'm some right wing troll looking for a quick shock value superficial article to persuade you to vote right next time. However, I'm not that.
The whole basis of why this idea is being dispersed out of my mind into others (hopefully) is purely for my own interest of what other think of said idea. I do understand the slight political undertones that may resonate with the message but believe me, i wish for you to understand and potentially respond in a more philosophical light.
What do i mean by “inclusion and acceptance”?
I have asked myself this question many of times. Within modern society we have indefinitely grown to appreciate and see all with the same, if not, similar perspectives- Growing to be more egalitarian. Theres no longer massive collective worldwide scrutiny amongst a section of society (in my eyes) as there were back before people got excited over mail and dull of email. Maybe I'm too young and inexperienced to even talk upon such issues of post oppressive structures/hierarchys and their breakdowns. However as polarising as you want to get about wether or not society is male, female, black, white, asian, mammal or animal centric- one thing can 99.5% agreed upon..the society we live in now is far more accepting of difference than any society before it.
What on earth does an accepting/inclusive society have to do with innovation and unconventality then?
Lets hope you asked yourself this article so far. I believe that unconventionality derives from the pre-established conventions we have already put in place and/or live by and the will to push said conventions so far that it then leaves room for a new variant of the pre-established convention, its innovation, its new format.
For example, in America during the 1960s and early 70s many cars had very box cut, square or rectangular design to them, sporting very harsh edges- mostly due to growth of popularity of the ‘muscle car’.
Still following?
Although now, in present day of 2021 the most cars we see today are far more curved, smooth edged and far less abrasive if you were to be hit by it. The whole shift toward the new smooth style was mostly due to the innovation of physics and how car manufactures realised the smoother it is the more economical cars become.
Now that might have seemed like a awfully longwinded, disorientating example of innovation and yes it was, this idea i initially thought of needed an ounce of non needed information rammed into it somewhere.
What I'm trying to get at though is that without the pre-conceived convention in the 60s that cars had to look like lego brick with wheels we would never appreciate the brilliance of the innovation that smooth cars were. In Layman terms, we wouldnt have smooth economical cars if it were not for boxy cars.
Enough cars and pseudo science, how does this apply in a more abstract sense?
Well, lets first remind ourselves that unconventionality leads to innovation as it the deviation from established conventions- change is brought upon in the face of a status quo.
So say we progress to a time were we accept all and everything, not ever having a concrete format- not having a set collective way of convetions. Then in said ‘time’ to what extent does the conventions begin and when does the unconventional ways end?
Without conventions would we fall into a purgatory of constant acceptance? failing to then appreciate unconventionality and its potential innovations- never understanding the beautiful ambiguity of certain ways in life?
The end point of this idea is really just, if you see everything in the same light you will never appreciate its difference. Although, i do believe deeper it could possibly provide insight to a potentially threatening dull future- where all is one.
Conclusion
You can very easily write this idea off as just a high thought or a worded waste of time but like i said at the beginning ive written purely on the basis of wanting to invite dialogue. So please leave a comment let me hear what you have to say.
Thanks for reading :)
