Saturday, May 28, 2005

Some historical roots to Mass Innovation. Nice article in Forbes on Mass Amateurization (seen on Martin Koser's Furl feed). I especially like the quote about the mass amateurization enabled by the Model T: To be fair, all this amateur energy isn't exactly a new force. When exciting technologies emerge, Americans have always pounced and created something original. In his 1936 New Yorker article "Farewell, My Lovely," E.B. White eulogized the Model T and the creativity it inspired in its owners: "When you bought a Ford, you figured you had a start--a vibrant, spirited framework to which could be screwed an almost limitless assortment of decorative and functional hardware.... Gadget bred gadget. Owners not only bought ready-made gadgets, they invented gadgets to meet special needs." The difference today is simply the technology, says University of Virginia technology historian Bernie Carlson: "I would call it the Ralph Waldo Emerson or Henry David Thoreau theme, that it's as important to produce as it is to consume." Forbes Article Page 2 BTW, it wasn't just the gadgetry that was done by amateurs; the very act of driving was now a mass activity, where chauffeurs had previously been required. Also, according the PBS series A Science Odyssey, the Model T also amateurized automobile maintenance: owners could and did do basic maintenance to their Model T's. 3:45:32 AM