Month: April 2004

A new idea has its day.

These recent threads are coming together in my new role. A novel piece of development that has suffered the deaf ears of sceptics and comfortable conservatives may at last see the light of day as the opponents die off (metaphorically speaking) in an ongoing re-organisation. I can but hope.

No matter how good, an idea needs a nurturing environment to gain a foothold, flourish and prosper.
The downside risk is more worrying; in the wrong environment, bad ideas get the same advantage.
See the memetics / tipping point posts recently below.

Cycles of Renewal

I’ve several times indicated my human generations view of the major industrial cycles of innovation (Kondratiev Waves), and I suspect I’ve seen this quote from Max Planck before [Quote] …. innovation rarely makes its way by gradually winning over and converting its opponents. . . . What does happen is that its opponents gradually die out and that the growing generation is familiarized with the idea from the beginning. [Unquote] [Ishmael Community]

Light at the end of a tunnel ?

Been very busy with a project that just reached a major milestone this week, so hoping to be less busy for a spell. Starting in a new role as soon as I’m free of the current project. Taking a week’s break so there won’t be much new blogging activity for a little while.

Stop Pandering to Scientists

Stop Pandering to Scientists. From Ray Girvan [Apothecary] In Guardian Life, there’s a pertinent article, Stop pandering to the ‘experts’, in which Professor Steven Rose argues that we need a mainstream press far more critical of science stories: “Investigative journalism is just as necessary here as anywhere else … The media have a tendency to treat ‘science’ as monolithic, speaking with one voice, when doubt, uncertainty and the clash of competing paradigms are the stuff of scientific advance. What is needed from our scientific communicators is to take courage, get critical, and do not be overawed by authority.”