# Where Good Ideas Come From - Steven Johnson Created: [[2023_12_02]] 15:55 Tags: "Where Good Ideas Come From" by Steven Johnson can be summarized in several key points, highlighting the main ideas of the book: 1. **The Adjacent Possible**: This concept suggests that at any given moment, the range of what's possible is limited to the ideas and innovations that have already been discovered. Each new innovation expands the boundaries of this 'possible', leading to new ideas and inventions. 2. **Liquid Networks**: Johnson emphasizes the importance of fluid, open networks where ideas can freely mix and collide. Such environments, often found in large, connected, and diverse cities or the Internet, are hotbeds for innovation. 3. [[The Slow Hunch]]: Contrary to the myth of the eureka moment, Johnson argues that most great ideas evolve over time as slow hunches. These hunches require time and nurturing to develop and often combine with other ideas to form groundbreaking innovations. 4. **Serendipity**: The role of chance encounters and unexpected discoveries is crucial in the development of new ideas. Creating environments where individuals can stumble upon unexpected information and ideas can foster innovation. 5. **Error**: Mistakes and failures often lead to important breakthroughs. Johnson argues that embracing error and understanding its role in the creative process is essential for innovation. 6. **Exaptation**: This refers to the process of reusing existing ideas or products for new purposes, which has been a common pattern in the history of innovation. 7. **Platforms**: Building platforms upon which further layers of innovation can occur is a critical aspect of idea development. Platforms provide the infrastructure that allows more complex ideas to evolve. ## References - [[highlights/Where Good Ideas Come From - Steven Johnson|Where Good Ideas Come From - Steven Johnson]] - [[The Slow Hunch]] - Liquid Networks [[The Formula The Universal Laws of Success - Albert-László Barabási|The Formula]] - The networks you have allow for the connections you need to collaborate on ideas