A World of Innovators
The majority of the population is somehow devoted to operate, maintain and sustain society. With over 7 billion people (and counting…) on the planet it is obvious that a remarkable effort should be deployed to keep things going in order to safeguard achievements and seek further prosperity. For instance, humanity should cover the modern necessities intended as what the luckier part of the world takes for granted, such as: food, shelter, safety, bureaucracy (institutions), infrastructures and alleged inalienable rights and akin (Privacy, any?!).
Another significant part of the population appears to be employed in the entertainment industry —in its many and increasing forms and sub-forms— according to trends, streams of globalized influences and sudden viral content and habits. The diversion industry is not anymore just about noble and less-noble sports, racing competitions of every sort, or gladiator combats. Nowadays this gargantuan business involves engaging video-games, hyper-realistic 4D cinemas and addictive time-sucking apps, to name a few. All of this, while fantasizing and daydreaming about the upcoming virtual reality, or at least an augmented one, perhaps through holograms. Even more evasion.
Apparently, just a narrow part of the population "really" innovates and makes humanity progress, taking relevant steps in several areas such as natural and physical sciences, social studies, technical disciplines or politics. Ok, maybe not much about the last one.
Some have argued that we live in an innovation stagnation period. We apparently advanced too fast —whatever that means— in the past decades, and now things and discoveries are bound to come at a slower pace. There is a tangible unease towards a future of less meaningful ideas and creations, defined by an evanescent and perhaps inflated significance. There is a widespread fear that we will not assist anymore at frequent breakthroughs, or game-changing events. Is it really the status quo? The way it is supposed to be? Have We (as humanity) reached a technological/innovational speed peak?
With all of the hordes of freshly graduated worldwide; the internet-delivered (potential) knowledge; the thriving of open and affordable online universities and the growth and successess of similar wisdom-spreading aimed projects, can this really be the current situation?
Furthermore, among all of these educated and supposedly skilled people, why there can't be more innovators, such as single visionaries or teams of eager knowledge explorers?
Whether this is the actual status or not, the issue may reside somewhere else. Sometimes (quite often actually…) I wonder about how much is still out there to be known, learnt, acquired, or yet to be discovered, in countless fields of research. Contentedness, seen as accepting what achieved so far, can surely be a good and enviable status when aimed to avoid the never-ending pursuit of sheer materialism. However, when dealing with humanity enhancement, improvement, evolution and betterment, few things should be accepted as limitations (ethical concerns, to name one). And that does not imply hampering curiosity, creativity and potential genius.
Innovation does not necessarily have to be a sudden cure for cancer, a solution for global warming or an effective pill for hangovers (although they are all more than welcome). Innovation and insight can originate from several little steps, made individually or by many. Idealistically, built by a collective, collaborative intelligence. Sometimes it is about combining previously unrelated ideas and processes. Some other times it involves revolutionizing, overhauling past and current concepts and notions, while challenging what is recognized as obvious, or certain. Tangible examples can be an educator ideating a new effective teaching method, a modern agricultural entrepreneur modifying an ancestral harvesting 'dogma’ in order to adapt to recent climate variations, or whatever revealing observation made by an amateur scientist through the still underestimated and unexplored field of biomimicry.
Innovation can be sought, created, or discovered by chance, serendipity or pure randomness. Nevertheless, it is surely harder to be found in stillness, blind repetition, routine or indolence. On the other hand, it is more likely to manifest itself when questioning, inquiring, criticizing (constructively), taking action and ultimately, caring.
Not always “letting it be” and accepting passively, is the optimal choice.
This article was just the culmination of thoughts about unwilling, unenthusiastic and listless people, deliberately or otherwise, characterized by lack of initiative. Surely, entertainment should be part of our lives (as much as relaxation) and I am not trying in any way to criticize or demonise it, especially since reading this article can be seen as entertainment as well. This piece attempts to be a peculiar call for innovation, boldness and even grit. Also, ambition, inspiration, curiosity and whatever may drive yourself.
Purpose is already out there to be found.
