Eureka! On the clustering of geniuses

by Rohit Krishnan Read the Original

Successful ideas come from clusters of people working together and supporting each other, evidenced by the simultaneous birth of companies like Uber and Lyft, Microsoft and Apple, and Paypal and X.com. Clusters of smart, ambitious people often create innovation and progress, and two examples of such clusters are Silicon Valley and New York for finance. The challenge is to find and encourage these clusters in order to expand the innovation landscape.

The discovery of many inventions and breakthroughs happening at the same time by different people has been attributed to clusters of smart people exploring similar fields at the same time, like the Hungarian super geniuses and Silicon Valley's "mafias". “Clusters of smart, ambitious people often create innovation and progress.” Collaboration amongst talented individuals can often lead to major advances in science, technology, and business. This demonstrates the power of a team, and the importance of fostering an environment that encourages innovative thought.

Hungary in the 20th century had a large number of geniuses who were successful in their fields due to a combination of cultural/educational factors and the ability to make progress on certain topics. This suggests that genius clusters are aided by free time, networks, and the feasibility of making progress. “Geographic proximity and similar social circles can result in a faster reproduction of ideas.” The closer people are to one another, the more likely they are to share and build upon each other’s ideas. This demonstrates the importance of creating an environment where communication and collaboration can easily take place.

Ideas are everywhere and much less exclusive than one might imagine; many great ideas were achieved by standing on the shoulders of giants and often simultaneous discoveries occur. “Put smart people together, they do even smarter things.” Working together amplifies our individual genius and creates a synergy that can drive innovation and progress.

Success is not about individual genius, but about execution and being in the right place at the right time. Many successful ideas come from clusters of people working together and supporting each other, as evidenced by the simultaneous birth of companies like Uber and Lyft, Microsoft and Apple, and Paypal and X.com. “It also needs the variable that is feasibility of making progress.” Realizing a great idea or invention requires not only the right people, but a roadmap or vision of how to get there.

Successful companies often have similar ideas and founders based on their know-how in the space, resulting from the collective actions, ideas, and future potential of the industry. Successful clusters form due to geographic proximity and similar social circles, resulting in a faster reproduction of ideas and emergence of new ones. “Particles of raw inspiration sleet through the universe all the time. Every once in a while one of them hits a receptive mind, which then invents DNA or the flute sonata form or a way of making light bulbs wear out in half the time.” Inspiration is all around us, but only those who are receptive to it can capitalize on it and make something great.

Clusters of smart, ambitious people often create innovation and progress, and two examples of such clusters are Silicon Valley and New York for finance. These "cluster-creation-centers" are known locations where people can move to increase their chances of being a part of a successful cluster. “Even within this rarified list let’s see what we find: Godel’s theorem was clearly a massive accomplishment. However in the theorems of limitations of formal systems there’s Tarski’s undefinability theorem and Church’s proof and Turing’s halting theorem, all of which revolve around the same few issues.” The best ideas often build upon existing ideas, with many people contributing to the development of a concept.

The innovation landscape is like a city of tall spires standing together, requiring clusters to form and attract talent. The challenge is to find and encourage these clusters in order to expand. “And that execution is made easier when you’re surrounded by people with whom you have a trusted relationship.” Working with people you can trust reduces the effort and stress of getting things done. This is particularly true when tackling complex problems that require multiple people to work together.