Over the past three decades, the gradual reduction in true American innovation remains negatively correlated with the gradual increase in the mass media’s ability to continually flood the populace’s awareness with insignificant (read: statistically insufficient) stories of successful innovators. This has led to a broad-based false awareness regarding our true state of competitive effectiveness. Yes, there is innovation in this country. No, it is not as prevalent as it once was. Some would state that this is the logical result of >50% of all hard science and engineering advanced degrees being bestowed in this country to students of foreign birth (many of whom return to their homeland upon receiving said degree). A recent New England Journal of Medicine article cited forecasts illustrating that by the year 2020, 80% of bio-engineering advanced degrees will go to foreign students in American universities. I believe this is just part of the story. Through the systematic dummying of our society (which begs for a separate blog entry all of its own), business culture has begun to reflect general culture and has morphed to adopt norms that actually instill disincentives towards the process of thinking (critical thinking, creative brainstorming, etc.). In Corporate America, we are taught that critical thinking is what you do during your off-hours. In fact, the fine art of brainstorming is now a course that must be taught so you can show your hard-earned certification on our résumé. As a F500 management consultant, I’ve become very use to seeing situations where ideation is simply given a superficial nod with little more expended towards its evaluation. Who wants optimization, intrapreneurialism, and positive change when one can work towards and embrace the status quo? When change (or just the idea of change) becomes a four-letter word, it indicates that our society has become mollified by its own history of success. Arrogance and ignorance become closely intertwined in this realm.  

There is literally a monetary hurdle imposed on the activity that I’ll call “practiced thinking” (sans the depiction of the Silicon Valley entrepreneurial culture). A primary example of this Onslaught Of The Stupid is when the ex-CTO of Microsoft was forced to defend his funding of Microsoft’s global research and development division AT EVERY INTERVIEW given during his tenure in the 90s. Dr. Nathan Myhrvold would patiently restate the tangible and intangible ROI of “practiced thinking” and cite a few viable examples of why this endeavor is actually primary to Microsoft’s longevity (fast-forward to now, and Microsoft has indicated that every single project in its pipeline has been thoroughly vetted by its R&D division for optimal market traction). Most obvious from this case in point is that the standard criterion applied to this cerebral-based activity is immediately categorized thusly, “You cannot make money from brainstorming.” It is currently considered of limited purpose in this country… like a peripheral effort that can be undertaken by anyone while zoned out watching “Reality TV”. I completely disagree. It takes an explicit degree of general and specific experience as well as broad applicable knowledge to generate innovative ideas (imaginary or not) – plus a rebel-like personality that doesn’t follow convention. This type of person is on the “endangered list” in our society and within the current business landscape. Additionally, I’ve yet to find certification training in practiced thinking that reflects these necessary attributes.

Personally, I seek-out and surrounded myself with idea-driven people as family, friends, and associates. It is people of this caliber that are required for continued innovation and forward momentum in any society. This particular variety of rarified “practiced thinker” isn’t limited by current stereotyping or succumb to cultural normative pressures — hiding in some ivory academic tower offering little free-market potential or willfully sequestered in some back office outside of the real work flow. These thinkers, and their ilk, are producers and their ability to create given the hurdles outlined here will be a true micro-measure of the continued success of our country in an ever-increasingly competitive global market.