SxSW 2008 kicked off for me with a panel on how to be both more innovative and fulfilling. This panel led by Amy Hoy and John Athayde of Hyphenateme.com was essentially a plea to not have tunnel vision if you want to be healthy, happy and innovative. They cited several quotes but the most comprehensive was their opening quote from Robert Heinlen:
“A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.“
The concept makes sense to me. Once we become experts, we stop learning. And if our ego gets in the way, we horde what we know and, many times, decide not to share. It’s only those that don’t know or the n00b that can be honest enough about what they don’t know so that they can begin to ask questions.
Essentially have a shoshin.
They also had a good analogy for how ideas grow. The best dirt is compost, which is made up of anything biodegradable. Shit, rotten meat, dead things . . . essentially failure is the compost heap for success.
A really good first talk for the week.