Why are we obsessed with innovation?

With the boom of the Tech industry, back in the 80’s and it’s constant reinvention through the last 30 years, people became obsessed with the idea of entrepreneurship. In the end, whats the main drive behind the regular founder? One could guess that is progress, passion, the will to change the world, love for mankind or a multidisciplinary that englobes a moral vision…

A system of ideas that promotes ideas that have to be well accepted is a rotten factory of innovation.

I would love to see a Tech Summit where these subjects where the central piece and all technological innovation would be streaming around these central problems. Instead, the word innovation is used bluntly.Why is having a smaller phone, an app that manages my fitness or a A.I driven music shuffle considered the epitomes for innovation? Do they really change our lives, do they really shape the way we leave? Haven’t we seen much of these revolving concepts over the past 30/40/50 years?

This misconception comes from the usage of the economic performance as the barometer for social/personal success. According to the economical perspective, innovation is nothing more than the seeding and growth of a new consumer market. A new business opportunity. Does it bring any value? Yes: capital.

So whats the problem?

The problem resides in the misusage of a term that resumes one of the most distinct characteristics of mankind: being inventive, the toolmaker. And promoting this sublime trait within the limited scope of economics, is crediting lesser deeds with the same importance of the real deeds of true inventors: Archimedes, Aristotle, Da Vinci, Tesla, Einstein, John Bardeen (Technology); Plato, Cicero, Aquino, Descartes (Thinking) among many other colossal thinkers… These are the true innovators. The ideals they pursued were ingrained within human nature and really elevated mankind to new standards.

Promoting a superficial ideal of innovation, and a narcissistic vision will only enslave us more within the necessity to produce more economic value. In the long term will only create dependency and imprison true ideas. A system of ideas that promotes ideas that have to be well accepted is a rotten factory of innovation.

To conclude on a positive note, I don’t want to end with the economic viability taken from these so called innovation, I only stand for a more balanced focus on the Tech Innovation fuzz that we are leaving now, and to invite every one to thing thoroughly over the true meaning of Innovation.