Innovation and Modern Greatness
Below is my attempt to draw a connection between past and modern times in relation to the idea of Greatness, which in this case refers to the achievement of large-scale impact and the progression of humanity. In our day and age, the world of yesterday seems like it never even existed due to an insane amount of technological advancement. We forget that by relating to the past, we can easily interpret the future. The future, in my opinion, belongs to the technologists.
Throughout history Mankind has seen numerous ages. From hunters and farmers to militarists and conquerors, we have prevailed through the hardships attributed to evolving species and have accumulated a vast collection of stories we label with the moniker “history.” During this time we have seen individuals impose themselves onto these pages, either due to their skills in leadership, war-making, science, or wickedness. Nevertheless, they demonstrated that a single soul can change the world. The most consistent pathway to obtaining this for some time has been war. However, taking a look at our world today, it seems apparent that the Age of Conquerors has now ended. We will likely never see another Alexander, Caesar, or Napoleon. This is, of course, good, as we finally recognize war as a vile thing, but our vantage point is limited to a modern lens. We have no need for conquerors anymore. What value can come from the taking of land and the burning of capitals, especially when we consider the nuclear arsenal most nations have? Yet we, and especially those younger in years and bolder in aspirations, still feel the need to obtain a notion of “greatness.” It is half the reason why we idealize celebrities so much. For so long this has been found in war, and now it cannot be for the sake of the world. Therefore, we must find it in something else.
As has been stated, mankind is in a transition phase, where war is no longer a necessity and can safely be stated as something evil. We no longer have the need to send our youth to the army in order to rise, but instead send them to University in hopes they become productive members of society that can contribute to general economic growth. Why is this? Because nations are now judged on their GDP and other indicators rather than the land they own. Our battle with other global superpowers has become a race to develop the latest and greatest technology to foster both military advancement (so that we may threaten better) and economic scalability. Humanity has always been dedicated to this sort of advancement, but progression no longer requires destruction to necessitate it.
So, understanding the state of the world as compared to antiquity, what are one’s options if they wish to impact Humanity? With a finger on the page of modern history, we find a path to legacy: Innovation.
The creation of things is forever desirable for Mankind as this will allow us the chance to move forward. I have often thought of why this is the case on an existential level. Why does Humanity need Progression? The answer is very intuitive. Life in general is a battle for meaning. We do everything we can do to avoid dread, forever lurking. But it is illogical to have any, as there is so much left for us to discover in the realm of mathematics and science. Innovation is this discovery. Whether it be finding a beautiful formula or harnessing electricity, we come closer everyday to finding a logical meaning to life. I propose that one day we shall even solve consciousness! (Or at least find it to be a building block of the universe and indivisible as elementary particles in the atom are). In this way, we can disprove the philosophical idea of Nihilism as it makes no sense to believe that nothing has meaning when we have yet to truly understand the universe and all its properties. Innovation is the physical search for meaning. Adding on the fact that it can create riches beyond belief in a capitalist society, it maintains itself as both a noble and desirable pursuit. An individual looking to impact this world must see technology as those of the past saw warfare — a means of holistic progress. Only through progress can true greatness and goodness be ascertained, as only through progress can we make a reasonable dent in the universe.
Therefore, a theory can be posited. Greatness, in the sense of large-scale impact, a leap of progression, the imposition of one’s vision onto the world, and finally and most importantly, an increase in general welfare, is not constrained to a certain field, but rather a certain time period. When war was needed by Humanity, greatness was held by warriors and imperialists who used it as a tool to disperse new forms of liberty. When builders and maintainers of nations were needed, greatness was stolen by founders and politicians who secured order in the face of chaos. And now, when Mankind finally has the ability to bring forth technology of unlimited potential, greatness shall be found in the pockets of innovators. Those truly wishing to make a wide-reaching difference would be wise to understand the times they are in and seek out the opportunities it presents. It does not matter if one is an engineer or not, they should still recognize the scale of freedom technology presents and seek to incorporate it into their respective fields. I am not suggesting that one should abandon their passions, but rather use the various options technology provides to bolster their success. The world is forever changing, meaning that door leading to impact is forever open. This impact can be in law, medicine, economics, or childcare. It matters not, only that currently, the best tool available is technology enhanced by constant transformation, as it was conquest or vast sums of wealth in the past.
In this sense I have become very fond of those building startups. They are dedicating themselves to the advancement of mankind and adopting large amounts of risk in the process. There is no better place to find modern greatness than here. Those who have changed the world in the past 50 years have used their technical skills to build brands and businesses which have fostered immense consequence. I can only hope that, going into the future, we shall see those individuals who have a vision for what the world could be and desire to make a name for themselves both in history and in society inclined towards innovation in various fields. For the sake of humanity, we require this rather than the building of needless empires and the formation of dictatorships. We can not remain in status quo for long if we expect survival. Our only hope to see the future is to build it.
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