Where good ideas come from | Steven Johnson

[@tipani86]

It's now 2020, and this is still a great idea.

[@doctor-dan]

"I have an idea for our organization, it will be useful in 2020". I hope this idea kick in for we are having a little bit of modern times problems.

[@annasavilova1765]

I came here for this comment, thank you

[@DavidGitongawriter]

Eureka moments rarely happen and if they do, they have been cultivated for months, and sometimes years, before that eureka epiphany occurs. I agree with what the speaker says: You have one half of an idea and the other person has the other half and if you're in the right environment, they turn into something larger than the sum of their parts.

[@lindsayd9584]

I love how you have written this out I was trying to find the words myself.

[@jamesduff6937]

Couldn't agree more that it might take many years. What I'd like to point out to people is that a very big idea/concept can have many eureka moments in them- some big ones and some small ones. And correct, they do turn into something larger than the sum of their parts.

[@triforcelink]

i find that often times talking to people allows me to solidify my own thoughts/ideas, it feels like i am learning from myself

[@iGlobalThink]

One of the best TED talks of all time.

[@crudhousefull]

I get great ideas when I'm explaining something to someone else. I surprised by how naturally ideas forms when you go through with a strain of thought

[@johnnielawson]

Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge. This is something I need to think about further as I work out on my own on ideas that run around in my head over and over and I often get stuck. Thank you 'I need to get out and mix more'. My online project could be so much greater. Johnnie Lawson

[@HarpreetKaur-hh4zu]

Hey

[@reyvanbanda45]

Hey, what happened?

[@aileronhelicopters]

Looks like you quitted

[@sheikhshafayat6984]

"Chance favors the connected minds" ~ an awesome way to finish the talk

[@julianott4671]

I purchased his book on this topic right after watching this video. What a great speech!

[@abhi5a]

This is the genius of TED. Beautiful. After a couple of average speakers, TED is finally back!

[@benjaminmendenhall7425]

I have to write 4 pages on the main idea of this video. FML

[@AddctFrk14]

Benjamin Mendenhall So did you do it? or drop out of school and won't answer cause you're living in the streets with no access to wifi to reply on KZbin?

[@navalravikant7339]

Benjamin Mendenhall This is a 20 minutes video. Writing the script alone can spread to at least 4 pages

[@benchernjavsky7097]

RIP

[@waterkingdavid]

Haha. I notice the first post was done 4 years ago. The first reply 2 years ago. The second 1 month ago. The 3rd 1 month ago. Eureka is still on it's way!

[@conorryan1462]

F

[@barrieroche1106]

Are good ideas like happiness. You spend so long looking for it before you realise you had them it the time, just needed someone to share it with.

[@butabenjai]

"chance favours the connected mind" love it.

[@naccm]

El sputnik, los cafés, y los submarinos. Muy interesante, y bien relatado. Steven da en el clavo (no creo que sea el primero ni el último) de la generación de ideas, en relación a la importancia de los "espacios que generan conexión" y, además los "sistemas abiertos". ¡La historia del sputnik es genial! Thanks, Steve. Thanks, "Tedians"

[@anthonycarco2062]

Interesting concept for idea creation. He made me think about the environment around me and how they influence the way we think and in turn how this effects the ideas we come up with! Anthony Carco

[@P00P0STER0US]

I like this a lot. It's funny how cool it is to have a concept you thought you understood turned at an angle and shown to you in slightly new light. Connecting the development of new ideas with the development of new networks, and studying the nature of these networks. Just a cool twist on an old thought.

[@Knowledgeinvestigations]

For a ten-hours-of-brilliance discussion of this same topic, watch James Burke's Connections series (from 1979).

[@luckystrke]

I Love how he wraps it up in the end. Great Talk!

[@poderosomor]

“I have an excellent idea for our organisation, it will be useful in 2020” Management should have listened to this guy.

[@KowdleBala]

Thank you Steven Johnson and TED.

[@andreasolis3347]

I enjoyed watching this so much. I came here from my management class and boy, i learned so much!

[@WillsThoughts]

GREAT VIDEO! HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT

[@11889music]

I think the fact that you watched this on the internet, and we're having a dialogue about it here (oti) answers that question with a great affirmation!

[@nVtheWolF]

She says something about letting introverts be exposed in an environment where they can comfortably express their ideas freely among others. Steven states that the idea is there, but the eureka moment occurs more often when people get together to talk about their mistakes and push through the mental blocks. He never said ideas don't come from being alone. He brought up Darwin for example and how his eureka moment was months of contemplating and research alone. In fact the idea starts off alone.

[@jeffglaza8318]

Steve Johnson hits some gold nuggets on the mastermind effect. Could this video have been better? Sure, but if you are so distracted and willing to pick out the flaws and miss the diamonds in life well you will continue to come up short.

[@javiercantos5406]

introverted people like myself I find to be more innovated, and thinking alone is thinking alone no matter where, so well put words

[@Business-writersCoUk]

This is what I call the art of confused creativity (or if you prefer - creative confusion).

[@Woosah11]

We are all very fortunate to have such a loving God who can provide us with great ideas!

[@minimaxhall]

480p... We meet again..

[@Aritul]

Lol.

[@rhemash]

That was great information! Thank you so much for sharing it. Napolean Hill, in his Think and Grow Rich and Master Key to Riches, says when two minds come together a third mind is formed. Here's to collaborative thinking!!

[@KnightsofEmerald]

I love that last quote: 'chance favors the connected mind'

[@Aritul]

Yes!

[@demetrius235]

They can be complimentary. For example in corporate R&D. On one hand, you need to have those regular meetings with colleagues to discuss your results and problems in an open, non-hostile environment. You also need the time to be able to go and read the literature for guidance, run your experiments, collect the data and develop an understanding of what it's telling you. Susan and Steve are not contradicting each other.

[@aeroxoxo]

Watching for English class

[@MsBHoopingAllure]

By some (good) chance I found this channel...connecting me to the wonders of connection. If only more cafes existed where thoughts were shared , and not just within one's group.

[@crushinnihilism]

The world before coffee sounds like a world worth living in!

[@TransparentUtoptia]

Reminds me of my Mindbank concept, open innovation sort of approach to solving problems, edification and reward based on contribution and merit, basically put a pile of money in the middle of the virtual table, and let the best problem solvers self assign a task, and other verify what that task is worth, and pay accordingly. Having people bring their strengths to the virtual table, and work independently and or together. We have enough brain power on this planet, but greed stifles innovation. Creating a model where people can come forward with their concepts, get the support they need from relevant experts (solving problems as a side hustle or just out of pure passion if cause/problem/opportunity means something to them), it's a rough thought but has legs eh?

[@nishkaarora6343]

This was so interesting, very well spoken.

[@oollmmann]

Open innovation and creating physical environments where we can both mingle physically and wiredly can be the key factor to shift the social complex system towards a different society where ideas and projects come together, emmerging and creating value by openly interacting among free and open individuals that look for the common colective good.

[@koshershiksa4481]

Satan borrows steals and copies. God inspires. Something these beast system dwellers will never comprehend.

[@ronaldramirez1325]

El vídeo de Steven Johnson es muy interesante, nos propone una secuencia de cómo hacer las cosas a través de un buen desarrollo, criterio, pero sobre todo creatividad, el ejemplo de Starbucks es muy claro y nos impulsa a convertir un pensamiento en una idea, debo mencionar que las ideas tienen un concepto muy amplio, pero es importante que se cumplan las características de las mismas, es difícil tener una idea pero no un propósito.

[@danieljohnsonfilms]

Blown away by this talk. Wow.

[@eagleeye1975]

AWESOME TED TALK! Finally something substantive, rather than a puffy thing.

[@kahlidkhalid4301]

So informative and creative i like it so much to listen it.

[@GeracaodeValor]

great!

[@MateusVinicius-lo2hl]

Feliz em saber que vejo o mesmo video que você!

[@MatheusAnti]

@@MateusVinicius-lo2hl eu tbm! E foi bem no início....

[@LeonidasGGG]

Last time I shared an idea with my boss and coleagues I got fired and none of my coleagues speaks to me anymore - true story. Now I just learned to keep my mouth shut :(

[@joemac356]

What a great speaker. Not once did he utter, "uhhh", or, "ummmm". Unless this was edited, he knew exactly where he was going all the way through his speech.

[@Viper1698]

joemac356 1:17

[@thephilosophicalagnostic2177]

Wonderful. I believe we are still in the Enlightenment. It's just moving a lot faster nowadays.

[@quantumboy19]

wonderful thought...but i believe the great ideas are popped into the surface of the mind in a man's quiet moment....it just gets nurtured in the process of connecting the idea into the "liquid" network.

[@Aritul]

The neonatal car incubator was such a neat innovation!

[@Speed001]

I think I remember that intial setup with switching from beer to coffee, depressant to stimulant and more ideas formed.

[@SharpDesign]

15:09 the Hunch over Lunch, awesome how things build to better ideas

[@bulletproofdesignsllc9742]

I believe Steve has tried to simplify the creation of ideas, but missed a major aspect of the topic. He focused on the collaborative aspect and ignored the individual's role in idea creation. He also seems to say that most innovation is a germination process of collaborative work, when history is replete with examples of individuals taking action to solve a problem. The main aspect of creative ideas, IMHO, is the special individual encounters a problem and must by their nature solve this problem, whether out of necessity or curiosity. Often an individual may have an idea, but lack ambition or the knowledge to solve the problem, so the idea dies on the vine or possibly takes a back seat and germinates over time (the Darwin example). Great ideas come not only from those who think, but from those who execute. Sometimes the thinker can benefit from collaborating with those who can execute, and it is that framework which is applicable to Steve's answer to this topic, but at the cost of ignoring the role of an individual thinker/doer having the will to solve a problem that first affects their life or productivity, and may also have greater implications for others. IMOExperience: I purchased a Unisaw. It weighs 668lbs/302kg. I am now in my 60s and half the man I was physically in my 40s so I needed a way to lift it and handle it. I wished to accomplish this task as cost effectively as possible, so purchasing a lifting device was disregarded. I also wished to solve the problem for this task and all future lifting/handling needs with available materials in my shop, so I designed and built my own "Gantry Crane". Here is where I also think Steve ignores a major aspect of the topic. My invention is somewhat collaborative since a gantry crane is not a new idea, but my gantry crane was designed and built to a different set of standards than ALL previous methods of solving the problem. This mindset of creating solutions to problems that have multiple uses for greater benefit rather than accepting a solution that only addresses the immediate problem defines the difference between good ideas and great ideas. It would have been a couple of hours of design work, and a couple of days construction to simply build "just another crane", but I decided to define the solution to the problem of lifting heavy items in my shop, by applying specific requirements not previously applied in the building of cranes. So my solution which was based on a simple already common plethora of available products became a new idea in crane function and design, based on new rules. You can search me on Grabcad to see more about my invention if you wish to know more.

[@berdenefourie3456]

Bulletproof Designs LLC totally agree, well said!

[@remylebae3395]

This comment is underrated. I was thinking the same thing. There is truth in what he says but there are many individuals who've done it without a coffee house. The true commonality is problem-solving. Well said.

[@estheryang6450]

Good point! But I don't see any conflict between his talk and your opinion. Yours focused on why there are ideas created, but his focused on how they come from. Take design thinking for instance, it is a problem-solving process and part of it is brainstorming to create new ideas. He did simplify his thought very much, but the complete thoughts and examples can be seen in his book, which is deeper and more informative.

[@azumaninjay]

"chance favors the connected mind" I like that.

[@rzvpooya]

Chance favors the connected mind! Awesome :D

[@16yearoldwhiteboy]

I might have to argue a point about the alcohol versus stimulants. Many of the greatest most genius musicians (such as piano players like Art Tatum, google him if you don't know him) drank insane amounts of beer. I think it helped him musically because it helped him get rid of his nervousness to be great (a psychological trick that works in music as long as you don't get carried away with the drinking).

[@MindAgilis]

Could certain video games stimulate creativity, mental flexibility and innovative problem-solving?

[@xnivaxhzne]

How are you telling this?

[@youneslahsini1789]

that gave us motivation for more creativity and innovation .

[@rixtex9]

to me it sounds like...............nobody actually knows what they are doing...............the idea leads us................we don't lead the idea................

[@JerzyFeliksKlein]

I spent 17 minutes wondering where he's heading with that talk. Just to find out he wasn't heading anywhere. He just wanted to talk...

[@nr655321]

That's a very formal way of looking at ideas, as if they were the same as duck fat or silk worms.

[@pokee9]

finding people who listen is key.

[@lukeloeb2314]

I am convinced the only reason this video has over a million views is because professors force their students to write about it.

[@inkythinker]

My professor sent me here ...

[@selexssalami4095]

My did too....lol

[@alternateview8971]

Can attest, currently writing about it

[@shukriashafaie3855]

😂

[@dawoodkhan7075]

Mine too

[@CurtHowland]

@jakylili Keep in mind that what we know of as "germ theory" is a very recent development, with sewage treatment even more recent. People commonly used rivers and streams as both water sources and toilets. The sterilizing effects of alcohol were exceedingly important even though people did not know why it worked. The habit of boiling drinking water did not exist in Europe until the introduction of coffee and tea, both of which use boiled water which also sterilizes. But again, no one knew why.

[@128pagenovella]

it's almost like he's saying two minds are better than one. imagine what humans could have achieved if we'd been aware of this amazing notion from prehistory. we'd have civilisation and everything. mindblowing.

[@bigshel99]

Interesting talk... I'll have to check out his book when it comes out.

[@human-connections]

ha ha @ 7:12 newton is all like oops my ball!!! but seriously great video!!! and great thoughts helped me :D

[@amouirstandiford4533]

Purdue in the house 🏡 💪🏾

[@tayloreh]

Creating new ideas from living in a world where different connections are possible - stepping into what we don't know we don't know... It makes me think of Landmark Education... Highly recommend a thorough gander at them if this video piques you... they get mixed opinions from people who've never really taken it, but those who have, 9/10 say their life is better for it.

[@Selektionsfaktor]

This is why I've come to love TED!

[@wendyangus9574]

his theory works with creativity as well, music for me.

[@CalumnMcAulay]

This guys very clever! This is the first time I've heard anything from him.

[@bergweg]

connecting vs. protecting, competing vs. cooperating.

[@yochezable]

20 minutes to tell me what we all already knew. 2 minds are better than one and creative ideas are a cultivating collaboration of other ideas.

[@youjunhu236]

Chance favors the connected mind. I now realize why phd students in a research group I once worked at often lunch together and drink coffee together

[@lxxxCrUsHeRxxxl]

Still doing my homework in 2021

[@hspannu777]

this show is awesome...

[@Lagnar]

By the end, it kinda puts a whole new spin on "The Internet Generation." Bravo! :}

[@ActiveDevelopment]

Great video, highly recommended!

[@Mega2Sakaura]

That is so true bro xD Both the shower and toilet XD

[@jonanice]

chance favours the connected mind wow that makes so much sense

[@7thetruthwillfreeyou791]

I've had the flash the stroke their finding. Stroke of genius I call it

[@mike4ty4]

"An empty desk is a sign of an empty mind." - paraphrase, exact source not known

[@DABarker]

So, what was the idea for 2020?

[@markus310773]

"That's what your office should look like." First requirement accomplished :)

[@DianaGarland]

@CurtHowland Copyright and patent are for protecting work, not ideas.

[@AussieGriffin]

Well put, and this leads to a question society must first acknowledge, then answer: Who benefits from academia judging ideas by how fearsome they are, when knowledge usually brings understanding, empathy and a sense of security? A.G.

[@crownsword8045]

Answer to first question is fear. Fear that others will reject, critisize, or steal the ideas, because our culture is privatized property instead of shared property. Second answer: Fear. If you make people believe they are powerful, smart, creative, then you can't control and capitalize ideas. Competitive consumerism-based capitalism demands secrecy and secrecy demands control. Third Question Answer: Fear. If it helps me survive, I like the idea. If it doesn't, it might change and threaten it.

[@thejlx]

Could be summed up in one thing =Open Source This is the very thing that makes it great

[@RoganRicheart]

So this is why Master Mind Group meetings work so well.

[@Ggonzales0406]

That cameraman is so distracting.

[@maceoremy]

@ExtremeBogom As someone of African descent, who grew up in North America and Afro carribbean who does the majority of his business in Africa I feel qualified to look at this relatively objective. Developing areas of Africa issue have progressive ideas, intelligent people, like all places in the world. Ideas dont get going because developing Africa is not a safe environment due to resource consuming nations, mainly US and Europe and now China.

[@TheGardenofWisdom]

Great talk! Has anybody read his book?

[@SomethingSea1]

@DavidSabine (part 1) I'm impressed by your understanding and willingness to discuss - most YTers, including myself sometimes, are rather apt to go about pigeon-holing people. Yes, I agree - many of the teachers are brilliant and wonderful, and it's a shame they do their teaching in schools where their talent goes to waste.

[@DavidSabine]

(part 3) creativity called "classrooms". I stand by those statements and have two things to add: (1) the vast majority of parents choose to not direct their child's education after the age of 4 or 5 even though all modern, 1st-world states deem "home-schooling" to be perfectly acceptable (how else can we explain the fact that public schools are bursting with kids); and as such (2) said parents are entrusting, by their own choice (not commanded by the "state") somebody other than

[@ReformationDesigns]

Awesome content -- thanks for the upload.

[@ronaldomarinho9890]

O acaso favorece a mente conectada! - Steven Johnson

[@AnietieOffiong]

Nice Idea inspiring talk.

[@victav]

@NicosMind can you please tell me where I can find those lectures you speak of?? They sound interesting.....

[@joshuabenjaminbillano2645]

wonderful :)

[@welyweah]

Very good thinking there, get past the silly negative comments, quiet insightful.