How the Linear Mindset Limits Human Progress

 I was going through some material on digital transformation and the instructor mentioned that human intuition is linear, but technological growth in the digital world is exponential. 

Then something jumped at me. The possibilities before the human race is immense. But because we think and organize in a linear manner, we can't take advantage of these things at the scale we should. 

A linear mentality will basically see one through, then move on to the next. 

This is why I support all the technologies that will improve human life with unfathomable means,  without second thought , even the one that has potential to  prolong human life and reprogram our body cells. 

This linear tendency is the reason why we resist change so much that we limit the progress of the human race. It is also this same mindset that has made Bill Gates one of the most disliked persons in the world. Even his ex-wife confessed that she does not want to be inside his brain. That it is definitely a chaotic place. 

For the human race to survive, we must increase our speed of innovation in critical areas such as health, agriculture and climate. Thank God we have technologies that will make this happen. 

And I must say that this linear assertion stuck easily because it is similar to a point Peter Drucker raised in his book. The point was that new knowledge usually suffered a lag between when it is created to when it goes mainstream. 

For instance Paul Ehrlich in 1910 developed the Theory of Chemotherapy which is the use of chemical compounds in control of bacterial microorganisms.  But it took another 25 years that is till 1936,  for his innovation to enter the market because of approvals and skepticism. 

The Diesel engine was conceptualized in 1897, but didn't get mainstream till 1935. That is 48 years later. 

The computer was was conceptualized in 1890, but we didn't get the first computer till 1946. That is 56 years later. 

The point here is that the cure for many diseases is around us. But our linear mindset, rule based scientific processes and all other derivatives if this linear mindset is holding us back. It is the reason a good number of us have a closed mind and limit change. 

I took a liking to organizational development, a part of HR, where organisational dynamics are considered in planning change. It fascinated me because as someone who has worked as a strategist, I know that the greatest obstacle to growth is people. 

Just imagine a cure for Cancer amongst other diseases. Imagine the prospect of this being limited because of dogma in methods and knowledge. I just hope the cure of Cancer ad many other dangerous dieseases will come soon. 

I don't know the solution to this linear mindset. Perhaps, computers, particularly machine learning can solve a lot of problems for the human race.

This issue also has implications for organisations, where their business development grows in a linear fashion, while technology is growing exponentially. The will soon be chased out of the market. You can ask Kodak, Blockbuster and Nokia. Then also compare the thinking of a Steve Jobs to Nokia. The success of Microsoft today is due to the breaking of the linear mindset by Satya Nadella. 

I am placing a big bet on machine learning, unconventional innovation activities and computing to help get around this human problem.

 It will good to get around this problem. A lot of wealth will be unlocked for the human race. Even poverty can be eliminated.

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