Somebelievethatintheageofidentikitcomputergames,massentertainmentandconformityonthesupermarketshelves,trulyinspiredthinkinghasgoneoutofthewindow.But,thereareotherswhoholdtheviewthatthereisstillplentyofscopeforinnovation,lateralthoughtandcreativesolutions.Despitethestandardizationofmodernlife,thereisanunabatedappetiteforgreatideas,visionarythinkingandinspireddebate.Inthefirstofaseriesofmonthlydebatesoncontemporaryissues,weasktwooriginalthinkerstodiscussthenatureofcreativity.Hereisthefirstone. Yes.Absolutely.SinceIstartedworkingasaninventor10or12yearsago,I’veseenabigchangeinattitudestocreativityandinvention.Backthen,therewashardlyanysupportforinventors,apartfromthenationalorganizationtheInstituteofPatenteesandInventors.Today,therearelotsoflittleinventors’clubspoppingupallovertheplace,mylastcountwas19nationallyandgrowing.Thesenon-profitclubs,runbyinventorsforinventors,areanindicationthatpeopleareonceagaininterestedininvention. I’vebeenaprojectleader,acroupier,anITconsultantandI’vewrittenamotormandrel.Ispentmyteensundera1950stwo-toneRileyRMEear,learningtoputittogether.BackintheSixties,kidslikemewerealwaysoutdoingthings,makinggo-karts,ridingbicyclesorexploring.Welearnedtoovercomechallengesandsolveproblems.Weweren’tjustsittingataPlayStation,likemanykidsdotoday. ButIthink,andhope,thingsareshiftingback.There’salotmoreinternlindesignandcreativityandsuchtalentsaregettingamuchhigherprofileinthemedia.It’sevidentwithTVprogrammessuchasChanne14’s?ScrapheapChallenge?orBBC2’s?TheApprenticeandDragon’sDen,wherepeoplearegivenatasktosolveorfacethechallengeofsellingtheirideatoapanel. And.thankfully,theimageofthemadscientistwithelectrifiedhairworkinginthegardenshedislonggone—although,therearestillafewexceptions! That’snottosaytherearen’tproblems.Withthedeclineinmanufacturingwearelosingtheabilitytoknowhowtomakethings.There’sarealskillsgapdeveloping.Inmyopinion,theGovernmentdoeslittleornothingtohelpinnovationatthelone-inventororsmallormediumenterpriselevel.Iwouldlovetoseemoremoneyspentonteachingourschoolkidshowtobeinventive.But,despiteeverything,ifyouhaveagoodideaandrealdetermination,youcanstilldoverywell. Myownspecialistareaispackagingclosures—almosteveryproductneedsit.IgottheideaforSqueezeopenafterlookingatanoldtinofbootpolishwhenmymothercomplainedshecouldn’tgetthelidoff.Ifyoucandosomethingcheaper,better,andyouare100percentcommitted,thereisachanceitwillbeasuccess. Iseeafantasticamountofinnovationandopportunitiesoutthere.Peopledon’trealisehowmuchisgoingon.Newmaterialsarecomingoutallthetimeandthespaceprogrammeandscientificresearchareproducingavarietyofspin-offs.Innovationdoesn’thavetobehigh-tech:creativityandinventingisaboutfindingtherightsolutiontoaproblem,whateveritis.There’salotoftalentoutthereand,thankfully,someofthemoreprogressivecompaniesaresuddenlyrealizingtheydon’twanttomissout—it’sanexcitingtime. Whatisthedebateconcernedwith?
A.What should we do to inspire people’s creativity? B.Will people’s invention and inspiration be exhausted in the future? C.Is there still a future for invention and inspiration? D.Who will be winner of the future technology?正确答案C
