Simple Innovative Ideas

Throughout history, some of the most innovative technologies came from very simple ideas from supposedly simple people. Take the internet for example; currently, the internet is so vast and complex that no single person could ever view the entire internet in their lifetime. They simply do not have enough time. In fact, three-hundred hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute! At that rate, nobody could ever watch all the videos on YouTube, and that's just YouTube; there are hundreds of millions more websites on the internet. If you would like to see more crazy YouTube stats, go to this website.

Surprisingly, the internet started out with a very simple idea. In 1962, J. C. R. Licklider first presented the idea of a global network of computers, describing the idea as a galactic network of computers. Such a simple idea, yet that idea led to the one of the greatest enabling tools of all time. 

Although an innovative idea may be simple, the process of creating and pursuing an idea is often quite complex. The daunting complexity and amount of work needed to make an innovation a reality are the main roadblocks to innovation. Innovation includes an idea and then acting on that idea to make it a reality. Let us, the innovators of the world, not allow fear to stop further innovation in our world; even if our original idea may seem surprisingly simple.

Free Market's Key Role in Innovation

Free markets are essential in accelerating innovation. Free markets oftentimes cause companies in similar markets to compete with each other. This fierce competition provides an incentive for businesses to innovate with the intent to hopefully steal a portion of their competitor's market share. 

As each business continues to innovate and find new ways to improve their product or service, the average quality of that product or service increases. Thus causing improvements in efficiency, durability, performance, and many other aspects of products and services. The overall average increase in business quality leads to a higher standard of living among the people and a more efficient society.

Businesses that maintain a monopoly rarely innovate or improve their product or service, because they do not need to compete with other businesses for customers. A wonderful example of a lack of innovation is Comcast. Comcast may continue to innovate their products and services, but they feel no need to improve their customer service. In fact, Comcast is known throughout the United States for its less than exceptional customer service. If the world is to continue to innovate at its currently astounding rate, markets must remain free. 

Innovation and Industrialization

Throughout time, humans have continually changed the landscape of earth. In the beginning, humans lived in a way that minimally impacted the environment. People migrated with animal herds and sought out shelter in naturally occurring caverns and overhangs. This all changed when humans began to domesticate animals and plants, demonstrating human's ability to innovate and improve their surroundings. As people continued to innovate, societies and written languages were created; people began to communicate and trade with others living in distant lands through innovative transportation technology.
The new innovations in technology and communication allowed large numbers of people to engage in business. People would specialize in trades and then sell their service or product for capital; they would then use their capital to buy other services and products. With numerous people focusing on just one trade, the entire human population was able to innovate and grow at remarkable rates. Huge advances in science and medicine were made, consequently improving the living standards of many people.
The industrial revolution was a time period in which many innovations in agriculture, transportation, and the textile industry were made. Steam engines were created and mass production became a more common practice. Huge population centers began to pop up in large transportation hubs and the human landscape quickly became more urbanized.
Despite the negative consequences of the industrial revolution, it opened the door to further development in many Western countries. Electrical power and gasoline engines soon became commonplace. Eventually, the internet was created and human productivity increased dramatically, therefore further advancing innovation.
Basically, the story of the human world is the story of innovation. All improvements and advances in society came from someone with innovative thinking and the drive to make that innovative idea a reality. Let us all continue to innovate and, in doing so, write human history.