Keyboard worrier

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Vent for the Day

In a discussion thread was this gem. What do you think?

'Innovation requires imagination, which requires an atmosphere where people can do that freely. That's why freedom is always better and leads to the "great ideas."

It's the idea that's important. Whoever has the idea can always get the geeks to actually create it.'

That's nice. Have someone else do all of the work, and get none of the credit. That's why the US and UK are overrun with technical talent.

5 comments:

dearieme said...

"That's why freedom is always better and leads to the "great ideas.""

One doesn't, of course, wish to be rude, but in the 19th century, unfree Tsarist Russia contributed more top class culture to the world than the free USA.

Ann Innovator said...

Have you ever heard of the "X-Factor" projects in the USA?

If not, go surfing. Freedom to innovate (ie without government interference) really does work.

Anonymous said...

It all depends what you call an "idea", doesn't it? It is rather like the way in which educationists talk of "teaching children to think", as opposed to teaching them the facts or concepts about which thought might be exercised. Your discutant presumably means by an "idea" something like a "fantasy" or "desideratum", and the geek is the person who says that it might be possible (or is impossible). But why does he think that all ideas are realizable, unless the geeks have already filtered them?

James Higham said...

Interesting that you mentioned freedom today, Sackers.

Sackerson said...

James, this was Paddington's post, but yes. I wonder whether the political class is aware of the strength of feeling in the country? Or are we deluding ourselves?