Final Blog- Literature Circles

I read: Where Good Ideas Come From by Steven Johnson
I'm responding to: Becca W's blog on Temple Grandin's Thinking in Pictures, My Life with Autism

Initially, it is unlikely that one would think these two books are related in any way. However, there are various similarities among them.

In the first few lines of her response, Becca discusses the way that Grandin instructs and guides the reader through autism. When I read this, I thought about how Johnson uses this same method of informing and guiding. Though Johnson teaches the reader about the perfect formula for innovation and good ideas- not autism. Therefore, both of these books are, to an extent, handbooks or guides.

Not only do both of these books act as teaching devices, they also largely discuss innovation and inventions. Becca mentions Grandin's squeeze machine, which actually simulates a hug or a hold. I considered this fascinating invention for awhile and about how well it relates to Where Good Ideas Come From. Johnson mentions a variety of inventions, such as incubators that run on car parts, the printing press, and the World Wide Web. All of these things were once just small "slow hunches" or ideas that had been brewing in someone's mind. However, after some creativity and work, these small thoughts grew into inventions that have had an immense impact on society today. I thought about Grandin's invention and realized that this process probably happened in her mind while she considered creating the squeeze machine.

The squeeze machine is so entirely creative that I'm surprised it didn't appear in Where Good Ideas Come From. To simulate a human embrace is an entirely new and significant idea. I think Grandin's invention is the epitome of creativity and innovation.

Johnson uses the metaphor of "coral reefs" often in his book. By referencing animals (especially those that live within coral reefs) to humans, Johnson mimics Grandin's thoughts that humans are very much like animals. Johnson especially mentions the amazing abilities of animals- like the water flea Daphnia that is capable of both sexual and asexual reproduction and the beaver that indirectly creates a "platform" for many other species.

Although Temple Grandin wrote a book about living with autism and Steven Johnson wrote a book on the history of innovation, there are striking similarities between the two.

Where Good Ideas Come From- Lit Circle Response

Where Good Ideas Come From

Meeting #2, pages 43-128

The three chapters in this reading discuss three major patterns that tend to be the platforms for innovation: Liquid Networks, The Slow Hunch, and Serendipity. Liquid Networks allow people’s ideas to flow freely and connect; Johnson often associates this particular pattern with structure and communication. He then discusses “slow hunches,” in which ideas sit idle in the mind for years, until one day the ideas are complete; Johnson discusses the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the World Wide Web to further get across his point. In Serendipity, the creation of environments that foster such moments are talked about, as well as the effect that the internet and new programs, such as DEVONthink, have had on these serendipitious moments.

“[Serendipity] completes a hunch, or opens up a door in the adjacent possible that you had overlooked” (109). Johnson proves this statement by examining various moments when creativity thrives and people are enlightened with a serendipitious insight. He explains that going for walks, taking long showers or baths, reading, keeping journals, and looking everything up on the internet often lead to those moments where slow hunches are completed, and innovation is created. By allowing creativity and switching things up a bit, innovation is nearly unavoidable. Google requires its employees to spend one hour of every five hours they work, working on their own projects. By allowing personal creativity and creating serendipitious environments, innovative ideas are discovered and completed.

Captured Thought: Documenting Daily Life

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: Wake up at 7, brush my teeth, wash my face, drive to school, go to classes, drive home, do homework, eat, shower, brush my teeth, wash my face, go to sleep.
Saturday, Sunday: catch up on sleep, do more homework, see friends.

My life, like the chorus of a dull song, tends to be ridiculously repetitive. It is as if I live everyday the same way, and I'm so entirely sick of it. If only there were some way that I could excite my days- change this rhythmic pace and disrupt the consistency.
Recently, I've been thinking a lot about how to do that, and I've decided that there is definitely something I could do, or anyone looking for a bit of change could do, to make their cake of life a little less vanilla-y:
Often, as I sit in class or at the dinner table or in the car, I try to think of interesting or out of the ordinary occurrences of my usually repetitive day. Surprisingly enough, there is always something. Yes, it's typically something small and silly, but it makes me feel better, knowing that there has been a change- some addition of rainbow sprinkles to my stale cake of life. Sadly, I tend to forget these moments- caught up in homework or too bored to think of anything except nothing.
Therefore, if I were to document these moments, say by writing about them or taking a picture of them, I could remember the reasons I have for living this dull life. It is the little, unexpected, spontaneous moments that occur during the course of my too regular day that remind me that this life isn't so bad, after all.

No day, no matter how invariable it may seem, is ever the same.

3/4/11: Today's unusual event: the cookies and cream cupcake that I got for free at a new place called Cup of Cake... Who doesn't get excited over a delectable (free) cupcake?
No One.