Everything is a Remix Part 3 (Original Series, 2011)

Summary

Creativity is often shrouded in myths of inspiration and genius, but it actually involves ordinary processes of copying, transforming, and combining existing ideas. This video explores how major innovations, such as the steam engine, typewriter, and lightbulb, emerged through incremental improvements and combining existing elements. It highlights examples like Apple's Macintosh, which succeeded by merging the graphical interface with household appliance simplicity. The video also discusses 'multiple discovery,' where similar innovations emerge independently. Ultimately, it underscores the interconnectedness of creativity and how technological advancements build on the work of others.

Takeaways

• 🌟 Creativity is not a magical process but a result of applying ordinary thought tools to existing materials.
• 📚 Copying is fundamental to learning and is a necessary step towards fluency in any domain, including the arts.
• 🎨 Artists often begin by producing derivative work, as seen in the early careers of Bob Dylan, Richard Pryor, and Hunter S Thompson.
• 🛠 Transformation involves taking an idea and creating variations through a time-consuming process of tinkering, which can lead to breakthroughs.
• 💡 Innovations like the steam engine, typewriter, and lightbulb were not original ideas but rather improvements on existing concepts.
• 🔗 The most dramatic creative results can occur when ideas are combined, leading to major breakthroughs in history.
• 🖥️ Xerox's Alto computer was ahead of its time with a graphical user interface, but it was Apple's Macintosh that popularized the concept for the home.
• 🔄 The Macintosh was a result of combining the graphical interface with the idea of a computer as a household appliance, simplifying user interaction.
• 📈 Apple's Macintosh demonstrated the power of combining existing technologies in new ways to achieve commercial success.
• 🔍 The interconnectedness of creativity has been obscured by cultural myths, but technology is revealing these connections.
• 🌐 The internet and other technologies are examples of the cumulative work of many people over time, rather than the product of a single genius.
• 🤔 The concept of 'multiple discovery' suggests that major breakthroughs often emerge independently from different places at similar times.

Q & A

What is the common myth surrounding the act of creation according to the script?

The common myth is that creativity comes via inspiration, original creations break the mold, and they are the products of geniuses that appear as quickly as electricity can heat filaments.

Why is copying considered an essential part of the learning process in creativity?

Copying is essential because it allows us to become fluent in the language of our domain, which is a necessary foundation of knowledge and understanding before we can introduce anything new.

Can you provide an example from the script of an artist who started their career by producing derivative work?

Bob Dylan's first album contained eleven cover songs, which is an example of starting a career by producing derivative work.

What did Hunter S Thompson do to understand the writing of a great novel?

Hunter S Thompson retyped 'The Great Gatsby' to get the feel of writing a great novel, emphasizing the importance of emulation in the learning process.

How does the script describe the process of creating something new through transformation?

The process of creating something new through transformation involves taking an idea and creating variations, which is time-consuming tinkering but can eventually produce a breakthrough.

What is an example of a major improvement that came from the transformation of an existing idea?

James Watt created a major improvement to the steam engine after being assigned to repair a Thomas Newcomen steam engine and spending 12 years developing his version.

How did the combination of ideas lead to creative leaps in history?

Combining ideas can lead to creative leaps by connecting them together, producing some of history's biggest breakthroughs, such as the printing press, the assembly line, and the internet.

What was the significance of the Xerox Alto in the development of personal computers?

The Xerox Alto was significant as it invented the modern personal computer with a mouse-driven system and a graphical user interface, which was way ahead of its time.

How did Apple's approach to the Macintosh differ from the Xerox Star?

Apple aimed to merge the computer with the household appliance, making the Macintosh a simple device for home use, unlike the Xerox Star which was intended for professional use.

What was the key innovation that set the Macintosh on a path towards long-term success?

The key innovation was the combination of the graphical interface with the idea of the computer as a household appliance, which led to a cascade of transformations that made the Macintosh user-friendly and affordable.

What is the concept of 'multiple discovery' as mentioned in the script?

The concept of 'multiple discovery' refers to the same innovation emerging from different places or individuals around the same time, suggesting that major breakthroughs may be somewhat inevitable due to concurrent work in the field.

Outlines

00:00

🎨 The Myths of Creativity and the Power of Copying

This paragraph dispels the myths surrounding creativity, emphasizing that it is not an act of divine inspiration but a process that involves learning through copying. It highlights how even renowned figures like Bob Dylan, Richard Pryor, and Hunter S. Thompson started their careers by emulating others. The paragraph explains that copying is essential for building a foundation of knowledge, which then allows for transformation and innovation. Examples such as James Watt's steam engine, the QWERTY keyboard, and Thomas Edison's lightbulb illustrate how significant improvements are often built upon existing ideas rather than being entirely original.

05:00

🔄 The Evolution of Innovation: Transformation and Combination

The second paragraph explores the evolution of innovation, focusing on the transformative process that leads to breakthroughs. It discusses how combining existing ideas can lead to significant leaps in creativity, citing the development of the printing press, the assembly line, and the internet as examples. The paragraph also delves into the story of Xerox and its Alto computer, which introduced a graphical user interface but was not commercially successful. It explains how Apple's Macintosh borrowed and improved upon these ideas, emphasizing the importance of combining the graphical interface with the concept of a computer as a household appliance to create a user-friendly product.

10:05

🌐 The Interconnectedness of Creativity and the Inevitability of Innovation

The final paragraph discusses the interconnected nature of creativity and the concept of 'multiple discovery,' where similar innovations emerge independently but around the same time. It uses historical examples of calculus, the theory of evolution, and the telephone to illustrate this phenomenon. The paragraph also touches on the cultural obscuring of this interdependence and the challenges we face in dealing with it legally, ethically, and artistically. It concludes with a personal note from the creator, Kirby, thanking contributors and viewers for their support and inviting them to engage further with his work.

Keywords

💡Creativity

Creativity in the video is discussed as a process rather than a magical ability. It's defined as the application of ordinary thought tools to existing materials. The video emphasizes that creativity is not a divine spark but a skill developed through practice and learning. For instance, the script mentions that 'creativity isn't magic it happens by, applying ordinary tools of thought to, existing materials'.

💡Myths

The term 'myths' is used to describe common misconceptions about creativity, such as the belief that it is inspired by divine intervention or that original creations are the product of geniuses. The video aims to debunk these myths by illustrating that creativity is a learnable and replicable process, as seen in the script where it says 'the act of creation is surrounded by a, fog of myths'.

💡Copying

Copying is presented as a fundamental aspect of learning and creativity. It's the process of emulating existing works to understand the domain's language and build a foundation of knowledge. The video uses examples like Bob Dylan's first album and Hunter S Thompson retyping 'The Great Gatsby' to illustrate how copying is a precursor to original creation.

💡Transformation

Transformation is described as the act of taking an idea and creating variations, which can lead to breakthroughs after time-consuming tinkering. The video cites examples like James Watt's improvements to the steam engine and the evolution of the typewriter keyboard to the QWERTY layout, showing how transformation builds upon existing ideas.

💡Combination

Combination is portrayed as a powerful method for achieving creative leaps, where connecting different ideas can produce significant breakthroughs. The video provides historical examples such as the invention of the printing press and the assembly line, demonstrating how combining existing elements can lead to revolutionary inventions.

💡Innovation

Innovation in the video is not just about creating something entirely new but also about improving upon existing ideas. It's shown as a continuous line of invention by many different people, often building upon the work of others. The script discusses how 'major advances' are 'not original ideas so much as tipping points in a continuous line of invention'.

💡Graphical User Interface (GUI)

The GUI is a key concept in the video's discussion of the development of personal computers. It's defined as a mouse-driven system with icons and a visual layout, contrasting with command-based systems. The video narrates the story of Xerox's Alto, which was ahead of its time with its GUI, and how Apple's Macintosh later adopted and popularized this concept.

💡Commercial Viability

Commercial viability refers to the ability of a product or idea to be successfully sold in the market. The video mentions Thomas Edison's work on the lightbulb, emphasizing that while he didn't invent the lightbulb, he made the first commercially viable one, highlighting the importance of marketability in innovation.

💡Multiple Discovery

Multiple discovery is a concept that explains how the same innovation can emerge independently from different places. The video script provides examples such as calculus by Newton and Leibniz, and the theory of evolution by Darwin and Wallace, illustrating that groundbreaking ideas often arise concurrently due to similar conditions or knowledge bases.

💡Cultural Ideas

Cultural ideas in the video are depicted as powerful forces that can obscure the interconnectedness of creativity. The script discusses how technology is now revealing these connections, leading to struggles in legal, ethical, and artistic realms, as seen in the line 'the interdependence of our creativity, has been obscured by powerful cultural, ideas but technology is now exposing, this connectedness'.

💡Remix

Remix, as the title of the video series 'Everything is a Remix,' encapsulates the theme of building upon previous works. The video posits that creativity often involves taking existing creations and reworking them to form something new. The concept is central to the video's message, as indicated by the creator's closing remark, 'hi there I'm Kirby I'm the creator of, everything as a remix'.

Highlights

Creativity is not magic but the application of ordinary tools of thought to existing materials.

Copying is fundamental to learning and building a foundation of knowledge and understanding.

All artists produce derivative work during their formative years to gain fluency in their domain.

Transformation involves creating variations of ideas through time-consuming tinkering.

James Watt's major improvement to the steam engine resulted from repairing an existing one and developing his version over 12 years.

Christopher Latham Sholes modeled his typewriter keyboard on a piano, evolving into the QWERTY layout.

Thomas Edison did not invent the lightbulb but made it commercially viable after testing 6,000 materials.

Creative leaps often occur by combining existing ideas, leading to major breakthroughs.

The printing press, the Model T, and the World Wide Web were all results of combining pre-existing elements.

Xerox invented the modern personal computer, the Alto, with a graphical user interface in the early 70s.

Apple's Macintosh succeeded by merging graphical interfaces with the idea of a computer as a household appliance.

The Mac's innovations included the menu bar, trash can, and making the mouse less confusing by removing one button.

Creative interdependence and multiple discoveries, like Newton and Leibniz inventing calculus, are common in history.

The concept of 'multiple discovery' suggests that major breakthroughs would still occur even if some key figures were absent.

The video emphasizes that many significant innovations are inevitable due to the interconnected nature of creativity.

Transcripts

the act of creation is surrounded by a

fog of myths myths that creativity comes

via inspiration that original creations

break the mold that they're the products

of geniuses and appear as quickly as

electricity can heat of filaments a

creativity isn't magic it happens by

applying ordinary tools of thought to

existing materials and the soil from

which we grow our creations is something

we scorn and misunderstand even though

it gives us so much and that's copying

put simply copying is how we learn we

can't introduce anything new until we're

fluent in the language of our domain and

we do that through emulation for

instance all artists spend their

formative years producing derivative

work Bob Dylan's first album contained

eleven cover songs richard pryor began

his stand-up career doing a not very

good imitation of Bill Cosby and Hunter

S Thompson retyped The Great Gatsby just

to get the feel of writing a great novel

nobody starts out original we need

copying to build a foundation of

knowledge and understanding and after

that things can get interesting

[Music]

after we've grounded ourselves in the

fundamentals through copying it's then

possible to create something new through

transformation taking an idea and

creating variations this is

time-consuming tinkering but it can

eventually produce a breakthrough James

Watt created a major improvement to the

steam engine because he was assigned to

repair a Thomas Newcomen steam engine he

then spent 12 years developing his

version Christopher Latham Sholes

modeled his typewriter keyboard on a

piano

this design slowly evolved over five

years into the QWERTY layout we still

used to it and Thomas Edison didn't

invent the lightbulb his first patent

was improvement in electric lamps but he

did produce the first commercially

viable one after trying 6,000 different

materials for the filament these are all

major advances but they're not original

ideas so much as tipping points in a

continuous line of invention by many

different people but the most dramatic

results can happen when ideas are

combined by connecting ideas together

creative leaps can be made producing

some of history's biggest breakthroughs

johann Gutenberg's printing press was

invented around 1440 but almost all its

components had been around for centuries

Henry Ford and the Ford Motor Company

didn't invent the assembly line

interchangeable parts or even the

automobile itself but they combined all

these elements in 1908 to produce the

first mass-market car the Model T and

the internet slowly grew over several

decades as networks and protocols merged

it finally hit critical mass in 1991

when Tim berners-lee added the World

Wide Web these are the basic elements of

creativity copy transform and

in the perfect illustration of holidays

at work is the story of the devices

we're losing right now so let's travel

back to the dawn of the personal

computer revolution and look at the

company that started it all

Xerox Xerox invented the modern personal

computer in the early 70s

the alto was a mouse driven system with

a graphical user interface bear in mind

that a popular personal computer of this

era was operated with switches and if

you flipped them in the right order

you got to see blinking lights the alto

was way ahead of its time

eventually Apple got a low to the alto

and later released not one but two

computers with graphical interfaces that

Lisa and its more successful follow-up

the Macintosh the alto was never a

commercial product but Xerox did release

a system based on it in 1981 the star 80

10 two years before the Lisa three years

before the Mac it was the star on the

alto that served as the foundation for

the Macintosh the Xerox star used a

desktop metaphor with icons for

documents and folders it had a pointer

scroll bars and pop-up menus these were

huge innovations and the Mac copied

every one of them but it was the first

combination it incorporated that set the

Mac on a path towards long-term success

Apple aimed to merge the computer with

the household appliance the Mac was to

be a simple device like a TV or a stereo

this was unlike the star which was

intended for professional use and vastly

different from the cumbersome command

based systems that dominated the era the

Mac was for the home and this produced a

cascade of transformations firstly Apple

removed one of the buttons on the mouse

to make its novel pointing device less

confusing then they added the

double-click for opening files the star

used a separate key to open files the

Mac also let you drag icons around and

move and resize windows the star didn't

have drag-and-drop you moved and copied

files by selecting an icon pressing a

key then clicking a location and you're

resized windows with a menu the star on

the alto both featured pop-up menus

but because the location of these would

move around the screen the user had to

continually reorient that Mac introduced

the menu bar which stayed in the same

place no matter what you were doing and

the Mac out of the trash can to make the

leading files more intuitive and less

nerve-wracking

and lastly through compromise and clever

engineering Apple managed to pair the

Mac's price down to $2,500 still pretty

expensive but much cheaper than the

$10,000 Lisa or the $17,000 star but

what started it all was the graphical

interface merged with the idea of the

computer as household appliance the Mac

is a demonstration of the explosive

potential of combinations the star in

the alto on the other hand are the

products of years of elite research and

development they're a testament to the

slow power of transformation but of

course de to contain the work of others

the alto and the star our evolutionary

branches that lead back to the nls

system which introduced Windows and the

mouse to sketchpad the first interactive

drawing application and even back to the

Memex a concept resembling the modern PC

decades before it was possible

the interdependence of our creativity

has been obscured by powerful cultural

ideas but technology is now exposing

this connectedness we're struggling

legally ethically and artistically to

deal with these implications and that's

our final episode part 4

[Music]

you

[Music]

what if Xerox never decided to pursue

the graphical interface or Thomas Edison

found a different trade what if Tim

berners-lee never got the funding to

develop the world wide web would our

world be different would we be further

behind history seems to tell us things

wouldn't be so different whenever

there's a major breakthrough there's

usually others on the same path maybe a

bit behind

maybe not behind at all Isaac Newton and

Gottfried Leibniz both invented calculus

around 1680 for Charles Darwin proposed

the theory of evolution by natural

selection but Alfred Russel Wallace had

pretty much the same idea at pretty much

the same time and Alexander Graham Bell

and Elisha gray filed patents for the

telephone on the same day we call this a

multiple discovery the same innovation

emerging from different places science

and invention is riddled with it but it

can also happen in the arts and film for

instance we had three Coco Chanel movies

released within nine months of each

other around 1999 we had a quartet of

sci-fi movies about artificial reality

even Charlie Kaufman's unusually

original film

Synecdoche New York bears an uncanny

resemblance to Tom McCarthy's novel

remainder both of the stories of men who

suddenly become wealthy and start

recreating moments of their lives even

going so far as to recreate the recreate

and actually this the video you're

watching was written just before the New

Yorker published a Malcolm Gladwell

story about Apple Xerox and the nature

of innovation we're all building with

the same materials sometimes by

coincidence we get similar results but

sometimes innovations just seem

inevitable

[Music]

hi there I'm Kirby I'm the creator of

everything as a remix and thank you so

much once again for watching I'd like to

take a quick moment to thank the folks

who contributed work to this episode as

well as my followers on Twitter who

helped out with research occasionally

for the last time financial donations

are very much appreciated welcome they

really do help make this work so if

you're in a position to donate please

visit the donate page of the website and

contribute whatever the series is worth

for you also consider visiting the

sources and references pages of the

website and buy some of the books and

music and movies that are there that's

the work that I'm building upon in this

series and those folks could certainly

use your support as well lastly come see

me live I have speaking engagements

coming up check out the website for

details if you'd like to book me for a

speaking engagement email me at talks at

everything is a remix dot info that's it

tune in next time for the exciting

conclusion of everything is a remix and

also an exciting announcement alright

take care folks bye-bye