Who innovates the Innovators?

To me it is very obvious that ideas do not care who finds them. And while complex ideas or lots of ideas stacked together into some complex form are all over the place and critical to modern technology and infrastructure, there are all kinds of places where simple ideas rule.

And who are these people who are the simple Innovators? All over the place.

Like one of my favorite modern ideas is containerization for shipping.

Did a web search just now, and went to the result for the Wikipedia which was at the top. And will link to it here, but what I wanted is in a single sentence:

In 1955, former trucking company owner Malcom McLean worked with engineer Keith Tantlinger to develop the modern intermodal container.

And you know it's not a complicated idea. You have these rectangular containers that can stack well on big ships, be easily moved on and off, and can be trucked around easily.

Changed the world.

Luckily for me have been fascinated by simple powerful ideas for a long time. And am lucky enough to have some innovations myself! But I've talked TONS about them all over the place. Here I'm just talking the excitement of it.

Today reality is that Innovators are springing up all around us, many I'm sure unsung for the moment.

Our world is just beginning to understand the power of those people despite the famous names who have become celebrated I think because they were so specialized. Like just with computers. Or just with social media.

But that's less fun than those who can come, look at something, and figure out another way to do it. Innovate. And do that across a variety of areas.

Who innovates the Innovators? The web does, of course.

I say the modern technology that yes we tout so much has given vast powers at the fingertips of so many around the globe and is pushing minds far further than ever before. The web can be your teacher, your partner, your assistant, and your global distributor for the new ideas that YOU find.

Innovation has become a calling I firmly believe. And the next wave of global movers will be Innovators who can go into just about any area, check things out, and find better ways of doing things.

And change the world.


James Harris