The idea of everything coming from something that already existed may seem unoriginal, however, it's important to recognize that even the most groundbreaking ideas are often built on the foundation of others.
To achieve big progress, we need really weird people who can challenge the status quo and change the way we think about things. However, as companies get comfortable, they lose their innovative edge and become less adaptable to change.
The podcast hosts discuss the need to continue creating and innovating, and question whether other organizations have looked at Tony Hsieh's success with Zappos as a model.
The episode features stories of technical malfunctions at an event where Farnam Street's The Great Mental Models project is discussed along with one innovator's approach of having different projects to work on.
The technological advancements that we enjoy today are a result of inherited knowledge that has been passed down through generations, from roads built by the Romans, to calculus invented by Newton, to inventions such as parkas and kayaks. Humans inherited this broad knowledge, and ants also have a range of inherited knowledge.
The concept of natural selection discovering and implementing mechanisms such as the 20 sided object and gears can influence and inspire human innovation to create and innovate in ways that are efficient and cost-effective.
The history of innovation is marked by highly disagreeable people who invented solutions for a problem, just as James Watt invented the horsepower to sell steam engines to mines. Moreover, there are people for whom the idea of electric cars is attractive, but who refuse to join the Tesla cult, creating a whole market for electric cars.
Sometimes sheer serendipity allows innovators to turn their frustrations into a successful idea. This can happen when unexpected events create opportunities that were otherwise unnoticed.
The transcript discusses the story of an innovator and inventor who experienced a big setback in his superconductor work and how he dealt with it, as well as his struggle to get his film scripts produced.
The division in the space of ideas could be productive in building better roads and hospitals rather than separating countries.
