Sci-fi for a startup: how technological entrepreneurship and science fiction are connected
In modern society, attitudes toward science fiction are still ambiguous: on the one hand, there are recognized masters of the genre, on the other - lovers of sci-fi are still perceived as “dreamers divorced from reality”, and science fiction itself is now and again recorded in “frivolous reading” .
Or, as venture capitalist Ben Narasin put it in his column on TechCrunch, "Sci-fi is divided into three types: garbage, sequel and truly scientific science fiction." Attitude to this or that book is, of course, a matter of taste. Another thing - fiction as a genre. Today we will try to understand why Clark, Asimov, Heinlein, Strugatsky (and many other science fiction writers) are no less important for an entrepreneur-innovator than the concept of a lean start-up.
Photo by JD Hancock CC-BY
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At first glance, science fiction is not the most useful reading material for an entrepreneur creating a technological project. Stories about aliens abducting people, the post-apocalyptic decline of the human race and the conquest of distant star systems have little in common with how to develop a minimally viable product, assemble a team, attract investments and start production.
Nevertheless, many well-known entrepreneurs, especially those who are connected with new technologies, read science fiction at least - and sometimes more often - than business literature. For example, Ilon Musk notes among his favorite books the works of science fiction masters Azimov and Heinlein, as well as Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (“one of the greatest contemporary philosophers” by Mask), as well as the anthologies of Star Wars and Star Trek.
When creating the Kindle, Jeff Bezos and his team were inspired by the work of another science fiction writer, Neil Stevenson - and even wanted to call the tablet “Fiona” in honor of the heroine of the “Diamond Age”. Such stories about entrepreneurs, inspired (or inspired by reading) science fiction, abound.
Of course, it is impossible to draw a causal link between the love of sci-fi and success in technology entrepreneurship: there are many successful startups in the world who like detective stories, poetry, or generally prefer Twitter. However, science fiction has a number of curious features, and they cannot escape a curious reader.
This is the most obvious "bonus" of science fiction as a genre - especially for those associated with technology, science and development. While reading about the new technology project, we continually stumble upon a phrase about “the future that has already arrived” and “... as Philip Dick / Lem / Bradbury predicted”, as well as on cases like the story with Jeff Bezos and Kindle, when an entrepreneur or The development team was directly inspired by the image of an object or phenomenon from a science fiction saga.
On the one hand, sci-fi works offer the reader really attractive prospects - and for many visionary entrepreneurs, the childish desire to translate something from reading into reality becomes a real business project. On the other hand, often science-fiction writers have broad knowledge of the current state of science and technology - which helps them, if not predict the future, then at least bring their fantasies under a competent theoretical basis.
For example, Ben Narasin notes the winner of the Hugo and Locus awards, Charles Strauss (by the way, in the vulgar programmer) and calls his ideas about the development of gamification, AR and VR, more convincing than most startup pitches. The Diamond Age, he calls the source of one of the most advanced concepts in the field of edtech, and in his book The Mother of the Storms , John Barnes sees predictions about the development of citizen journalism, patent trolling and the launch of private satellites.
Speaking of predictions that have come true: a lot of examples can be attributed to the “classic” - from automatic doors (HG Wells, 1899) to satellite communications, which Arthur Clarke wrote back in 1945 (a good selection of such predictions was made by BBC News, focusing on Isaac Azimov).
Of course, not all of the assumptions come true - despite the fact that many science fiction writers of the twentieth century quite accurately predicted, for example, the development of telecommunication technologies, our cars still do not fly, we did not colonize the Moon, and soaring hoverboard and self-tied running shoes, regardless of All the efforts of the “Back to the Future” lovers have not yet received mass distribution. Moreover, even Ursula Le Guin expressed doubts about the predictive power of science fiction - according to her, this genre tells readers about the present day, his fears and fears are no less, and even more than about a possible future.
That is why the novel “1984” Orwell was so relevant in the late forties, and the themes themselves, which are raised by science fiction, resonate more with current fears and fears than with predictions. So, science fiction created during the Cold War, often appealed to the ideas of the post-apocalyptic future, and modern books raise questions about the problems of genetic engineering and the threats of complete virtualization of reality.
Returning to Ilon Mask: the book “Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy” also highlights it because its author, according to Mask, postulates a thesis that is important for an entrepreneur: “The question is more important than the answer.” “The questions we ask are inseparable from our own attachments and prejudices. In fact, you should always think: “Am I asking the right question?” The answer is not so simple. ”
The same can be read in the business literature: a lot has been written about how important it is to ask important questions to yourself and those around you and to separate “your own passions and prejudices” from facts. But these books are hardly as exciting as the Douglas Adams series.
Of course, in the literature of other genres there are also quite important conclusions and illustrative examples useful for businessmen and business people, but few other genres are able to arouse such interest in visionary work and the search for non-standard solutions, like science fiction.
In fact, the practice of answering such inconvenient questions allows us to develop the visionary potential that is necessary for any entrepreneur launching a new product on the market, and at the same time provide for possible bottlenecks, opportunities and problems associated with its creation and use. In fact, scientific fiction writers are engaged in the same thing: in their works they not only describe possible options for the development of the future (the past and alternative universes), but also talk about the consequences, possible problems and difficulties of their systems created by their imagination.
By the way, it is this technique - the transfer of complex concepts (in the “what if” format) to other complex concepts - that is actively practiced by entrepreneurs who like fiction. All the same Ben Narasin says that Peter Thiel in the process of creating PayPal was inspired by the " Avalanche " Neil Stevenson. And Narasin himself in this book hooked the metaphor of "virtual geography." As a result, he came to the idea of ​​"portals" - objects on the Internet, in which useful information is concentrated. In the mid-nineties, when the Internet was thought of as a new egalitarian community, where everyone has equal access to information and everyone is exactly one click away from any data, this approach seemed to be truly revolutionary. And helped his creator make a lot of money.
Another "ace" in the sleeve of science fiction lovers. Actually, all that was discussed above: the ability to predict the ascent of a technological trend, the ability to ask yourself uncomfortable questions and find unusual answers to them, a tendency to visionary and the ability to shift science fiction concepts to objects of the real world are, in fact, elements budget prototyping.
This opinion is shared by Sophia Brueckner and Dan Novy, instructors at the MIT media lab and leading the course from Science Fiction to Science Fabrication. In this course, the authors, in their own words, teach students to create fictional prototypes, either entirely on the basis of devices from science fiction books, or on the basis of students' own developments, filed in a “fantastic” way. In particular, the basis for the discussion and inspiration within the course is often the content of the novel “Do Androids Dream of Electricians?” By Philip Dick (he formed the basis of the film “Blade Runner”).
In fact, as part of the course, the authors develop the idea of ​​“prototyping on a napkin” - during the classes, students conduct an impressive mental experiment, thinking through the details of their “invention”, scenarios of its use, complexity, threats and opportunities to bring it to market, as well as such an object can change society as a whole. As a result, students, “trained” on complex science fiction concepts, it is not so difficult to apply their skills in real business.
But how can all these thought experiments benefit us? Dan Novi answers this question as follows: it’s all about storytelling. Storytelling as such is not necessarily related to books or fiction - in fact, this is the way we comprehend reality, comparing what a person feels at the moment, with the stories that he got (or learned about) before.
In other words, our subconscious does not always distinguish between the experience that we acquired independently, and the experience that we gained while reading about someone or watching someone — this, according to Novi, is the special power of fiction. In order to develop any concept, a mental experiment is enough - the same one that science fiction writers carry out. And their legacy allows in such experiments to remove a lot of limitations that objective reality imposes on the future inventor - and thus realize the notorious postulate think outside of the box.
In the end, as Ben Narasin rightly points out: “Sci-fi, fantasy, D & D [the universe of Dungeons and Dragons], comics equally excite and enthrall the founders [of start-ups] and investors. And these are things that we cannot afford to lose interest in. They give us visions of the future that we would like to create and in which we would like to invest. ”
Or, as venture capitalist Ben Narasin put it in his column on TechCrunch, "Sci-fi is divided into three types: garbage, sequel and truly scientific science fiction." Attitude to this or that book is, of course, a matter of taste. Another thing - fiction as a genre. Today we will try to understand why Clark, Asimov, Heinlein, Strugatsky (and many other science fiction writers) are no less important for an entrepreneur-innovator than the concept of a lean start-up.
Photo by JD Hancock CC-BY')
Entrepreneurs who read fiction
At first glance, science fiction is not the most useful reading material for an entrepreneur creating a technological project. Stories about aliens abducting people, the post-apocalyptic decline of the human race and the conquest of distant star systems have little in common with how to develop a minimally viable product, assemble a team, attract investments and start production.
Nevertheless, many well-known entrepreneurs, especially those who are connected with new technologies, read science fiction at least - and sometimes more often - than business literature. For example, Ilon Musk notes among his favorite books the works of science fiction masters Azimov and Heinlein, as well as Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (“one of the greatest contemporary philosophers” by Mask), as well as the anthologies of Star Wars and Star Trek.
When creating the Kindle, Jeff Bezos and his team were inspired by the work of another science fiction writer, Neil Stevenson - and even wanted to call the tablet “Fiona” in honor of the heroine of the “Diamond Age”. Such stories about entrepreneurs, inspired (or inspired by reading) science fiction, abound.
Of course, it is impossible to draw a causal link between the love of sci-fi and success in technology entrepreneurship: there are many successful startups in the world who like detective stories, poetry, or generally prefer Twitter. However, science fiction has a number of curious features, and they cannot escape a curious reader.
Science fiction helps to “predict” the future
This is the most obvious "bonus" of science fiction as a genre - especially for those associated with technology, science and development. While reading about the new technology project, we continually stumble upon a phrase about “the future that has already arrived” and “... as Philip Dick / Lem / Bradbury predicted”, as well as on cases like the story with Jeff Bezos and Kindle, when an entrepreneur or The development team was directly inspired by the image of an object or phenomenon from a science fiction saga.
On the one hand, sci-fi works offer the reader really attractive prospects - and for many visionary entrepreneurs, the childish desire to translate something from reading into reality becomes a real business project. On the other hand, often science-fiction writers have broad knowledge of the current state of science and technology - which helps them, if not predict the future, then at least bring their fantasies under a competent theoretical basis.
For example, Ben Narasin notes the winner of the Hugo and Locus awards, Charles Strauss (by the way, in the vulgar programmer) and calls his ideas about the development of gamification, AR and VR, more convincing than most startup pitches. The Diamond Age, he calls the source of one of the most advanced concepts in the field of edtech, and in his book The Mother of the Storms , John Barnes sees predictions about the development of citizen journalism, patent trolling and the launch of private satellites.
Speaking of predictions that have come true: a lot of examples can be attributed to the “classic” - from automatic doors (HG Wells, 1899) to satellite communications, which Arthur Clarke wrote back in 1945 (a good selection of such predictions was made by BBC News, focusing on Isaac Azimov).
Of course, not all of the assumptions come true - despite the fact that many science fiction writers of the twentieth century quite accurately predicted, for example, the development of telecommunication technologies, our cars still do not fly, we did not colonize the Moon, and soaring hoverboard and self-tied running shoes, regardless of All the efforts of the “Back to the Future” lovers have not yet received mass distribution. Moreover, even Ursula Le Guin expressed doubts about the predictive power of science fiction - according to her, this genre tells readers about the present day, his fears and fears are no less, and even more than about a possible future.
That is why the novel “1984” Orwell was so relevant in the late forties, and the themes themselves, which are raised by science fiction, resonate more with current fears and fears than with predictions. So, science fiction created during the Cold War, often appealed to the ideas of the post-apocalyptic future, and modern books raise questions about the problems of genetic engineering and the threats of complete virtualization of reality.
Sci-fi have a lot to learn
Returning to Ilon Mask: the book “Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy” also highlights it because its author, according to Mask, postulates a thesis that is important for an entrepreneur: “The question is more important than the answer.” “The questions we ask are inseparable from our own attachments and prejudices. In fact, you should always think: “Am I asking the right question?” The answer is not so simple. ”
The same can be read in the business literature: a lot has been written about how important it is to ask important questions to yourself and those around you and to separate “your own passions and prejudices” from facts. But these books are hardly as exciting as the Douglas Adams series.
Of course, in the literature of other genres there are also quite important conclusions and illustrative examples useful for businessmen and business people, but few other genres are able to arouse such interest in visionary work and the search for non-standard solutions, like science fiction.
“What will people do with a device that allows you to change your mood?” “How can humankind survive on a planet where there is almost no water?” “What would happen if we could go back and change it?”
In fact, the practice of answering such inconvenient questions allows us to develop the visionary potential that is necessary for any entrepreneur launching a new product on the market, and at the same time provide for possible bottlenecks, opportunities and problems associated with its creation and use. In fact, scientific fiction writers are engaged in the same thing: in their works they not only describe possible options for the development of the future (the past and alternative universes), but also talk about the consequences, possible problems and difficulties of their systems created by their imagination.
By the way, it is this technique - the transfer of complex concepts (in the “what if” format) to other complex concepts - that is actively practiced by entrepreneurs who like fiction. All the same Ben Narasin says that Peter Thiel in the process of creating PayPal was inspired by the " Avalanche " Neil Stevenson. And Narasin himself in this book hooked the metaphor of "virtual geography." As a result, he came to the idea of ​​"portals" - objects on the Internet, in which useful information is concentrated. In the mid-nineties, when the Internet was thought of as a new egalitarian community, where everyone has equal access to information and everyone is exactly one click away from any data, this approach seemed to be truly revolutionary. And helped his creator make a lot of money.
Sci-fi hobby helps to prototype cheap
Another "ace" in the sleeve of science fiction lovers. Actually, all that was discussed above: the ability to predict the ascent of a technological trend, the ability to ask yourself uncomfortable questions and find unusual answers to them, a tendency to visionary and the ability to shift science fiction concepts to objects of the real world are, in fact, elements budget prototyping.
This opinion is shared by Sophia Brueckner and Dan Novy, instructors at the MIT media lab and leading the course from Science Fiction to Science Fabrication. In this course, the authors, in their own words, teach students to create fictional prototypes, either entirely on the basis of devices from science fiction books, or on the basis of students' own developments, filed in a “fantastic” way. In particular, the basis for the discussion and inspiration within the course is often the content of the novel “Do Androids Dream of Electricians?” By Philip Dick (he formed the basis of the film “Blade Runner”).
In fact, as part of the course, the authors develop the idea of ​​“prototyping on a napkin” - during the classes, students conduct an impressive mental experiment, thinking through the details of their “invention”, scenarios of its use, complexity, threats and opportunities to bring it to market, as well as such an object can change society as a whole. As a result, students, “trained” on complex science fiction concepts, it is not so difficult to apply their skills in real business.
Why does it all work
But how can all these thought experiments benefit us? Dan Novi answers this question as follows: it’s all about storytelling. Storytelling as such is not necessarily related to books or fiction - in fact, this is the way we comprehend reality, comparing what a person feels at the moment, with the stories that he got (or learned about) before.
In other words, our subconscious does not always distinguish between the experience that we acquired independently, and the experience that we gained while reading about someone or watching someone — this, according to Novi, is the special power of fiction. In order to develop any concept, a mental experiment is enough - the same one that science fiction writers carry out. And their legacy allows in such experiments to remove a lot of limitations that objective reality imposes on the future inventor - and thus realize the notorious postulate think outside of the box.
In the end, as Ben Narasin rightly points out: “Sci-fi, fantasy, D & D [the universe of Dungeons and Dragons], comics equally excite and enthrall the founders [of start-ups] and investors. And these are things that we cannot afford to lose interest in. They give us visions of the future that we would like to create and in which we would like to invest. ”
Additional materials on the topic:
- How to read scientific articles: advice from scientists
- Speed ​​reading materials cycle: Part 1 , Part 2 and Part 3
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/337996/
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