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The idea of a lone genius sitting in a room in isolation coming up with a brilliant idea seems to be a myth. Most idea generation come from interaction with ot

by Johnie 13y ago

The idea of a lone genius sitting in a room in isolation coming up with a brilliant idea seems to be a myth. Most idea generation come from interaction with other people and finding different opportunities in putting together two disjoint ideas. This is how college campuses work and this is how tech areas, like Silicon Valley, work. Yes, you need time to reflect on those ideas and maybe in quiet isolation. But you still need the data gathering.

freshhawk 13y ago
Doesn't the research show that it's most effective to have people reflect, come up with ideas independently and then compare ideas, followed obviously by more reflection? No one is saying collaboration is bad, just stressing that the reflection part can't be skipped. And in my experience it often is.
- deleted 13y ago
  [deleted]
- stephp 13y ago
  Yes, exactly. Also pointing to the fact that "this is how college campuses and Silicon Valley work" is not proof of anything, unfortunately. I worked in a huge open office before, as is fashionable at tech companies right now, and it was the ultimate worst. I've read research saying it wasn't just me, either; people are really hindered in overly-collaborative open office environments. Especially introverts-- which many of us are.
Florin_Andrei 13y ago
You need both. But the thing is, we're kind of crowding out our quiet time with a bazillion of electronic distractions.
cia_plant 13y ago
What about, say, Isaac Newton? He invented calculus, but did not share the discovery for years, until after he'd used it to work out an entire theory of physics. He hardly collaborated with others and his ideas can hardly be considered anything but brilliant. How is this story mythical? I could ask the same question about Einstein, Grothendieck, Ramanujan, or Perelman. Or in other areas than math/physics, there are people like Emily Dickinson, one of the greatest poets in history, who lived as a recluse. In philosophy, Kant and Nietzche are I think examples of relatively isolated thinkers - at least during some of their critical periods - who are standouts in their field.

by Johnie 13y ago

freshhawk 13y ago

Doesn't the research show that it's most effective to have people reflect, come up with ideas independently and then compare ideas, followed obviously by more reflection? No one is saying collaboration is bad, just stressing that the reflection part can't be skipped. And in my experience it often is.

deleted 13y ago
[deleted]
stephp 13y ago
Yes, exactly. Also pointing to the fact that "this is how college campuses and Silicon Valley work" is not proof of anything, unfortunately. I worked in a huge open office before, as is fashionable at tech companies right now, and it was the ultimate worst. I've read research saying it wasn't just me, either; people are really hindered in overly-collaborative open office environments. Especially introverts-- which many of us are.

Florin_Andrei 13y ago

You need both. But the thing is, we're kind of crowding out our quiet time with a bazillion of electronic distractions.

cia_plant 13y ago

What about, say, Isaac Newton? He invented calculus, but did not share the discovery for years, until after he'd used it to work out an entire theory of physics. He hardly collaborated with others and his ideas can hardly be considered anything but brilliant. How is this story mythical? I could ask the same question about Einstein, Grothendieck, Ramanujan, or Perelman. Or in other areas than math/physics, there are people like Emily Dickinson, one of the greatest poets in history, who lived as a recluse. In philosophy, Kant and Nietzche are I think examples of relatively isolated thinkers - at least during some of their critical periods - who are standouts in their field.