Is there a time when innovation is foolish? It's an odd question, and it's been on my mind for the past few days.
Once, I heard about the OceanGate submarine Titan going missing and the story behind Stockton Rush, OceanGate's CEO and the Titan's last operator. It dawned on me how it can be easy to get caught in a cliche mindset that seems inspirational and cheerful but can become drastic in the long run.
As some of you know, the Titan was lost when exploring the Titanic wreck.
How this disaster came to be is an unfortunate tale. Stockton Rush was a deep-sea enthusiast who wanted to push the boundaries. And he designed an experimental submarine using different materials and designs of a traditional deep-sea submarine.
Usually, this type of behaviour is celebrated and encouraged. However, this wasn't the case. The regulatory bodies that certify whether these types of submarines are safe did not give their approval. And in fact, they warned Stockton of a possible disaster.
Yet, he ignored their warnings and saw it as stagnating the innovation he was pushing for. He was confident in himself and his designs.
And for a while, it seemed like he was right. Every deep sea dive proved successful. Taking people down to see the Titanic. And getting the reputation and profits from his hard work.
Until it all vanished when his submarine imploded, killing all five people on board.
The lesson from this is that we must be mindful of the areas in which we are innovating and experimenting. We must ensure that we are not testing in places where mistakes are drastic or fatal.
Thank goodness this is only a few areas. Yet, we need to be aware of this. It's okay to make mistakes and experiment. And I implore you to. Just understand which areas to be conservative.
When it comes to being social, no mistake can be drastic. But when you're investing all your life savings in crypto, that can be drastic.
Life is all about responsibility. So don't be afraid to push the envelope and evolve as a person. Just be responsible enough to know when and where you can or cannot.
Tragically, five people lost their lives due to one person not understanding the extent of where they should innovate or be conservative.
Hopefully, you will not be put in such a situation. But at least we can learn from this tragic story.
Until next time,
Bulcha The Charismatic Nerd
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