Picture this scene.
AF: -‘Here take this, it will make you well again.
P: -‘What is it? ‘
AF: – ‘Just a shot of mould juice.’
P: ‘No way! That’s irresponsible, extremely dangerous, frightening!’
This ‘could’ be a replay from 1928 scene when Alexander Fleming first discovered Penicillium – a discovery which has saved lives ever since. And if ‘irresponsible, extremely dangerous, frightening’ reactions had dominated or persisted – would that have been the outcome?
Fleming discovered this powerful medicine by accident. He found one of his Petri dishes containing Staphylococcus bacteria uncovered and contaminated with a blue-green mould known as Penicillium notatum. This discovery created one of the most useful drugs in history, extensively used since 1942. Accepting his Nobel Prize, he also warned, overuse could lead to ‘bacterial resistance’ – and that’s another story.
I want us to reflect that ‘mould juice’ was a ‘left field’ idea and its often ‘left field’ ideas that make us hold our breath, react in horror, derision, surprise – and that it takes these types of ideas to push our thinking in new and innovative directions. If we believe this, then no questions and comments are stupid or laughable, even if our first reaction is ‘that’s ridiculous!’ ‘It’s ridiculous,’ – these types of ideas are precisely those that should stop us in our tracks, warn us to take greater note! These ideas occur in our Alpha brain platform, often when we least expect; they have a serious and certain place when we think ‘innovation.’
Pure innovation, (distinct form incremental innovation) is about new ideas at the ‘intersection of fields’ – fields we don’t habitually align or see as connected. That’s why the Renaissance – an unprecedented era of innovation – happened in Italy, not elsewhere. The Medici had created, though perhaps not consciously initially, a space in Florentine society for the ‘intersection’ of new fields -ideas to be discussed, shared and to collide in innovative ways – and the Renaissance happened!
Our innovation for many years has been technologically dominated and $$$ driven. Perhaps it’s time to balance this practice. To ‘hear,’ ‘listen’ to,’ and ‘reflect’ on intersectional collisions’ before we deride, dismiss and crush them as ridiculous, ‘left field,’ inappropriate, even ‘heretical.’ Humans flying like birds sounded ‘heretical’ in Da Vinci’s time, yet we have aeroplanes we used to fly us everywhere grounded, waiting for solutions to do so again. Galileo said the earth was round, not flat as was believed and was imprisoned. Few even 50 years ago envisaged our technically, globally connected world today. I’ve just finished a virtual Pilates session and recently I had a medical consultation in a drive-in clinic. All because we allowed ‘left field, or what seemed like ‘inappropriate’ ideas a short time ago to be listened to, heard, reflected upon and acted on to innovate and cope with a pandemic. This will have consequences on ‘time, resources, lifestyles!’
My point is this, we hear a lot about innovation. So why are so many people in public media and on social media platforms crushing ideas that make us react, rethink, respond, have an opinion –especially when some of these ‘left fields’ might be the idea types that could foster transformational innovation. Innovation takes curiosity. When we over focus on fast reaction, after reaction, this does not encourage curiosity. It equals draconian mindsets, spinning and crushing to maintain control.
Stop putting people and ideas down – listen, hear and reflect, instead. I’m not overly political, nor a pure naturalist, or an anti vac activist and not a Trump supporter either, and still I have to wonder if his off-the cuff, seemingly inappropriate musing of ‘internal disinfectant’ could be an opportunity to push our thinking towards new ‘intersectional collisions. ’ Collisions of ideas that deliver new ‘mould juice’ like solutions at truly ‘new intersections ‘with the potential to strengthen, or ‘disinfect’ our natural immune system at lower cost more effectively, this would align with true medical ideas.
It makes me think that my great grandparents, great uncle, grandparents survived the Spanish flu, those before them survived the black death plague, or I would not be here. Was that something to do with their own immune system and lifestyle? If so, were they the lucky ones. There is a body of science and respected scientists whose work evidences this intersectional line of thinking, who are prevented from publishing. That’s because the $$$ opportunity of powerful lobbies is threatened.
I’m not a doctor’ or a specialist. I quietly wonder if we focus more on the opportunity for ‘We, NOT ONLY ME,’ and $$$ with integrity, might we not vision new intersections, with effective positive health outcomes?
What might happen?…. If we replaced arrogant with true alpha brain activity and think innovation. We did that with smallpox and polio!
I’m just musing! What will you do?