I just finished reading How We Got to Now: Six
Innovations That Made the Modern World by Steven Johnson (2104). It was an easy, interesting read, especially
after the depth of Ian Stewart’s Visions of Infinity. The basic premise of the book was to explore
the development of six basic areas of technological progress enabling our
modern lives, including discussion of the timing and events that made
innovations in these areas possible.
One of the first things I did when I started reading this book was to
scratch “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie” onto the title page, because both
books are based on the shared premise that a specific action can yield an unexpected
result. Yet that result can be
beneficial, easily adopted and make so much sense in retrospect that it is easy
to lose track of its origins.
I thought of “Mouse” (Numeroff, 1985) because it
follows a certain linearity of thought; it is, after all, a child’s book, a
memorable favorite with my daughters. It
traces the unintended, yet easily explicable consequences of providing a mouse
with a snack, and eventually leads (via a
convoluted, tortuous path)… to the mouse wanting another. But that’s okay, because topology indicates
that sometimes a straight line is actually a full circle. Topological thought also indicates that
simply exploring the neighborhood can reveal lots of surprises; but if you
really think about a subject, then the outcome often seems more like
inevitability than a surprise. So it
is with Six Innovations. Many of the innovations discussed were almost
inevitable at the time they arose, and they’ve become afterthoughts in the
backgrounds of our daily lives of Western Privilege. But mostly, this was simply an enjoyable,
easy-to-digest exploration of How We Got to Now.
For some sake of completeness (and yet without in any way capturing everything in the book!) and
to give Mr. Johnson his due, his Six Innovations are:
- Glass; a natural curiosity formed from a most abundant element; from Egyptian Jewel through Venetian Artisans and Glass Cathedrals; enabling optics, from microscopy through astronomy, but also providing simple reading spectacles for the masses, and thereby fueling a cultural thirst to read; and with glass fibers enabling communications at the speed of light; Glass has always been there, and yet was only usefully harnessed fairly recently. The once-mysterious quantum behavior of silicon provides stability under ambient conditions, and yet allows for a clear amorphous solid once critical temperatures are achieved. It took the confluence of a group of political outcasts in a surprisingly progressive setting to enable the achievements of Venetian Glass; and this was all supported by the basic technologies (furnace, materials, etc.) locally available at that time. The use of Glass as an illustrative example of innovation introduced the author’s Material and Long Views, as well as the over-arching themes of Collaboration, Incubation, and Timing. These are all repeated throughout the book; and deserve to be further explored and otherwise kept in the forefront of our thoughts.
- Cold; we are fundamentally a stenothermic species, and a simple cool drink, our daily comfort, food preservation and our basic ability to function and live in otherwise hostile environments are all based on control of artificial environments (in lieu of the original solution, preservation and transportation of naturally formed ice.) Physics indicates that a rapidly expanding gas absorbs heat and thereby cools the environment; once understood, these cooling mechanisms have enabled our rapid expansion from temperate climates (well-fed and in comfort) throughout the tropics. Check out the world’s fastest growing areas; they are generally hot!
- Sound; our communications might be our most human property, and while most are familiar with cave paintings as early expressions of art and culture, there were perhaps sacred cave chambers based on acoustics. We are vocal animals, after all, and caves may have provided for the first Masters of Ceremony. The ability to share the word with others quickly and authentically with ever-expanding audiences, whether via telephone or phonograph, radio or microphone, whether delivering a Sermon, Propaganda or Ethnic Music; this ability simply increases a sphere of influence. And while shared opinions and music add so much to our daily lives; it’s worth postulating that simply harnessing and sharing Sound could have culminated in the brewing and general acceptance of individual’s Civil Rights. It’s further worth realizing that the Civil Rights of Tomorrow are being influenced through these same means, today.
- Clean; simple hygiene and the ready availability of clean water; these are things I think I understand! But what I’ve clearly forgotten is how relatively recent acceptance and availability of these are. Here in Grand Rapids, Michigan, I’ve enjoyed a monument to the Four Horsemen of Public Health; this is one of the original test communities for fluoridation of public water systems. In concert with Chlorination, Immunization* and Pasteurization, I take for granted that we’re all a bit healthier than we might be otherwise. On the whole, we live longer, healthier lives, with better prospects and less misery because of Clean. On ever more extreme scales, cleanliness allows for the development of Extreme Compute Chipping, and all the technological wonders associated with that. But now, in a sense, we’re back to silicon and Glass!
- Time; what is our basic unit of time? Our ideas of time were once based on the observed position of the sun, but now a second is defined in terms of atomic behavior. Time was once perceived as local and natural, but universal calibration, the development and acceptance of time zones, schedules, logistics and the Time Clock have enabled business and production efficiencies. By getting us away from our natural rhythms, these practices tamed us in a sense, but they’ve certainly increased our standard of living. Time was once represented by the gears of a clock; understanding, mastering and manufacturing these gears contributed mightily to the Industrial Revolution. Now, perhaps, time is represented by atomic decay (or electron orbits or whatever…) These understandings led to the Atomic Age. We’ve been collectively chipping away at both ends of our understanding of Time, exploring exceedingly brief, sub-atomic happenings while developing a sense of universal events over the course of billions of years. In so many ways, we are balancing short term interests and needs with long term sustainability concerns. This exploration ends with The Most Provocative Question; Have we been good ancestors? We know the answer; it's too easy to conclude that only Time will tell.
- Light; I’m not that old, but I grew up in an old New England farmhouse that was, in many ways, closer to an age when sperm oil had great value; than to an age where I could have an internet presence. The world has changed a lot in the last 150 (15? 1.5?) years, and access to affordable indoor lighting has played a huge role in this. Indoor, recreational lighting was clearly once a luxury; let’s acknowledge the ludicrous nature of a proposition whereby dangerous, multi-year oceanic hunts for the purpose of draining whales’ cranial fluids is viewed optimistically and accepted as a true business plan; for what we now enjoy at almost inconsequential cost. Controlling light made flash photography possible, and made visible the previously unseen. Seeing is believing, and this had a huge, lasting impact on social consciousness. So it's not just comfort, ease, and theoretical physics; it's our enlightened selves.
As I type this in comfort on a cold and wintery February day,
it is difficult not to acknowledge
the degree to which I enjoy and benefit from these developments. The book
explores the hidden history of each of these in a fun manner, and provides a
perspective from which I should appreciate this comfort. It’s probably never a bad idea to take the
time to understand and appreciate one’s position in life or the contributions
of others in supporting that position.
And while we all think we understand the significance of the Bells, Edisons
and Einsteins of our past; let’s remember that these folks had mentors,
contemporaries and competitors; and let’s recognize that these unnamed folks enabled (directly or indirectly) the specific
“inventions” assigned to The Geniuses.
 |
| Yes, this is a photograph from Page 101 of this book. Its caption reads: "Employees install the 'red phone,' the legendary hotline that connected the White House to the Kremlin during the Cold War, in the White House, August 30, 1963, Washington, D.C." That's my date of birth. |
{While the Cold War certainly influenced my generation, and my first reaction to this picture was "What a world I was born into!", it seems pretty harmless and sensical, compared to what could be depicted today.}
So let's chalk this exercise up to another Appreciative Inquiry of mine, and let's give thanks for our relative comfort, position and privilege. Let's be good ancestors and not screw things up too much for those that follow. Whether at work or in the boat, I hope my personal use of contemporaneous, interwoven Material and Long View approaches to issues will become second nature for me; I hope I make some meaningful connections. I further hope those connections can result in some meaningful outcomes.
***
Now, Why would I voluntarily
write a book report for my blog? I’m
uncertain; but it’s becoming something of a trend. At the very least, these efforts are
something of a tangible, lasting, heartfelt “thanks” to the gift book’s
giver. But I honestly do enjoy exposing
myself to these different thoughts and trying to understand, adopt, assimilate,
or otherwise extend them. I’ve read so
many great pieces, and I’ve forgotten so much of what I either did or might
have learned. I’d like to avoid that; I
need to be more efficient with my learning and living. I want to find some of those unforeseen, yet
obvious connections for myself; I want to anticipate some outcomes. Maybe this writing exercise makes things a
little more concrete and accessible to me.
And recall, this all started with a concept from the humble beginnings of A Sand County Almanac;
and exploration of that initial concept of my
Numenon has (IMHO) been a beneficial
use of my time.
*Disneyland, Measles and
Chris Christie are currently in the news…
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