Where Good Ideas Come From：The Natural History of Innovation

Oneofourmostinnovative,popularthinkerstakeson-inexhilaratingstyle-oneofourkeyquestions:Wheredogoodideascomefrom?WithWhereGoodIdeasComeFrom,StevenJohnsonpairstheinsightofhisbestsellingEverythingBadIsGoodforYouandthedazzlingeruditionofTheGhostMapandTheInventionofAirtoaddressanurgentanduniversalquestion:Whatsparkstheflashofbrilliance?Howdoesgroundbreakinginnovationhappen?Answeringinhisinfectious,culturallyomnivorousstyle,usinghisfluencyinfieldsfromneurobiologytopopularculture,Johnsonprovidesthecomplete,exciting,andencouragingstoryofhowwegeneratetheideasthatpushourcareers,ourlives,oursociety,andourcultureforward.BeginningwithCharlesDarwin'sfirstencounterwiththeteemingecosystemofthecoralreefanddrawingconnectionstotheintellectualhyperproductivityofmodernmegacitiesandtotheinstantsuccessofYouTube,Johnsonshowsusthatthequestionweneedtoaskis,Whatkindofenvironmentfostersthedevelopmentofgoodideas?Hisanswersareneverlessthanrevelatory,convincing,andinspiringasJohnsonidentifiesthesevenkeyprinciplestothegenesisofsuchideas,andtracesthemacrosstimeanddisciplines.MostexhilaratingisJohnson'sconclusionthatwithtoday'stoolsandenvironment,radicalinnovationisextraordinarilyaccessibletothosewhoknowhowtocultivateit.WhereGoodIdeasComeFromisessentialreadingforanyonewhowantstoknowhowtocomeupwithtomorrow'sgreatideas.WatchaVideo