b e f o r e a n e m p t y s c r e e n o r p a g e t o t h e n h a v in g s o m e t h in g o n it
t h a t ’ s m e a n in g f u l a n d t h a t c a n b e e la b o r a t e d u p o n ? I d o n ’t t h in k
t h a t p r o c e s s is u n d e r s t o o d c o m p l e t e l y . A n d s o m e t im e s a n id e a
c o m e s o u t o f n o w h e r e a n d y o u w i s h y o u h a d s o m e s u r f a c e t o
c a p t u r e i t o n .
S R
So it is like leaping into the void.
H P
I a lm o s t t h in k o f i t a s a le a p
from
t h e v o id . T h e r e is a n in t u -
i t io n t h a t w h a t y o u a r e c r e a t in g o r d o in g is w o r t h w h i l e . B u t a t t h e
s a m e t im e , in o r d e r t o b e a s u c c e s s fu l e n g in e e r o r a r t is t , t h e r e h a s
t o b e a w illin g n e s s t o k e e p t a k in g t h e s e c h a n c e s a n d le a p s , k n o w in g
t h a t e v e r y t h in g m ig h t n o t p a n o u t . Y o u c a n n o t b e c o m e im m o b iliz e d
b e c a u s e o f t h is . I f y o u a r e t o o w o r r i e d a b o u t m a k in g a m is t a k e ,
y o u m ig h t n e v e r p u t a n y t h in g d o w n o r e v e n g e t s t a r t e d .
S R
‘You have rejected the common notion that necessity is the mother
o f invention. Instead, you hold that want or luxury begets invention.
So i f we are driven by a perpetual quest for new and improved things,
are we doomed to permanent dissatisfaction ?
H P
W e l l , v e r y f e w p e o p le a r e s a t is fie d w i t h t h e la t e s t g a d g e t s
a n d c r e a t io n s . T h e y v e r y s o o n r e c o g n iz e t h e ir lim it a t io n s a n d r e a l-
i z e t h a t a n e w t h in g w o u l d b e b e t t e r w i t h t h is o r t h a t f e a t u r e .
O r , s o m e t i m e s , f e w e r f e a t u r e s b e c a u s e t h e n i t w o u l d b e s im p le r
t o o p e r a t e . T h i s is t h e b a s is o f m y t h e o r y t h a t f a ilu r e is th e d r iv in g
f o r c e b e h in d a ll in v e n t io n ; fo r m s e v o l v e b a s e d o n t h e s h o r t c o m in g s
w e p e r c e i v e in t h e p e r f o r m a n c e o f t h e i r a n t e c e d e n t s . A n d w e
in v e n t n e w f o r m s t o a c c o m m o d a t e s u c h f a ilu r e s in f u n c t io n . B u t
w e d o n o t a b s o lu t e ly n e e d t h e s e n e w fo r m s ; w e w a n t t h e m b e c a u s e
w e s e e th e m a s im p r o v e m e n t s .
S R
Based on your theory, I would guess that the discontented make
the best inventors.
H P
I n v e n t o r s a r e n o t t h e m s e lv e s n e c e s s a r ily d is c o n t e n t e d .
A l o t o f i n v e n t o r s g e t id e a s f r o m d i s c o n t e n t e d p e o p l e , h o w e v e r .
I n v e n t o r s j u s t lis t e n t o w h o is c o m p la in in g a b o u t w h a t , a n d t h e y
fin d a n o p e n in g in w h ic h t h e y c a n i n v e n t s o m e t h in g . I t b e c o m e s
a c h a lle n g e t o t h e m . O f c o u r s e , t h e y m ig h t a ls o b e m o t i v a t e d b y
a n o p p o r t u n i t y t o m a k e m o n e y . B u t t h e n , n o t a ll i n v e n t i o n s p a n
o u t . F o r i n v e n t o r s , li k e a r t is t s , n o t e v e r y p ie c e is a m a s t e r p ie c e .
S R
You’ve quoted Edison as saying: “Show me a satisfied man and
I will show you a failure. “ Given that dissatisfaction greases the wheels
o f invention, I wonder i f there’s a way to cultivate andfoster invention,
or to produce more inventors ?
I I P
I a m n o t a w a r e o f a s c h o o l f o r in v e n t o r s . P e o p l e in e n g in e e r -
in g s c h o o ls a r e a lw a y s t a lk in g a b o u t t e a c h in g d e s ig n , w h ic h is lik e
i n v e n t io n . B u t i t r e m a in s a n e t e r n a ll y u n r e s o lv e d is s u e . I k n o w t h a t
s o m e c u lt u r e s , lik e t h e J a p a n e s e a n d t h e K o r e a n , a r e n o t s a t is fie d
w i t h t h e r a te a t w h i c h t h e y in v e n t . T h e y b o t h w o u ld lik e t o e m u la te
t h e A m e r ic a n s , w h o m t h e y s e e a s v e r y c r e a t iv e . A lt h o u g h t h e J a p a -
n e s e a n d K o r e a n s a r e g o o d a t a d a p t in g o t h e r c u l t u r e s ’ i n v e n t i o n s ,
t h e y a r e n o t r e a lly k n o w n f o r d e v e lo p i n g n e w t h in g s , a t le a s t in
t e r m s o f m o d e r n t e c h n o lo g y .
S o h o w d o y o u i d e n t i f y in n o v a t iv e o r c r e a t i v e p e o p l e ? T h a t
is a n o n g o in g p r o b le m . I r e m e m b e r in c o ll e g e t h a t w e r e a d a b o o k
o n c r e a t i v i t y , a n d I fo u n d it v e r y c o n f u s in g . I t w a s a c o ll e c t io n
o f e s s a y s o n t h e s u b je c t a n d n o b o d y h a d a n a n s w e r . T h e y w e r e
a ll b a t t in g a t t h e q u e s t i o n f r o m d i f f e r e n t d ir e c t io n s . T h e is s u e
o f c r e a t i v i t y a n d i n v e n t io n is t im e le s s ; n o b o d y h a s r e a lly g o t t e n
t o t h e h e a r t o f i t . A n d y e t w e c o n t in u e t o p r o d u c e in v e n t o r s .
S R
Since this issue o f American Craft is devoted to tools,
I ’m
curious
to know what you consider to be the first tool invented by humans ?
H P
I t d e p e n d s o n w h a t y o u w o u ld c a ll a t o o l. T h e g e n e r a l u n d e r -
s t a n d in g is t h a t a t o o l is n o t p a r t o f y o u r o w n b o d y . I t is u s u a lly
s o m e t h in g t h a t is a c t u a l l y f a b r i c a t e d o r fa s h io n e d . I t e n d t o t h in k
o f t o o ls a s s o m e th in g p o r t a b le , r a t h e r th a n m o r e p e r m a n e n t s t r u c -
t u r e s . A s s u c h , I w o u ld s a y t h e t o o t h p i c k is p r o b a b l y t h e fir s t t o o l.
I r e a d a n a n t h r o p o lo g ic a l s t u d y a r g u in g t h a t t h e o ld e s t h u m a n h a b it
is t o o t h - p i c k in g . I ’ m in c lin e d t o a g r e e w i t h t h a t , b e c a u s e n o t h in g
c a n b e m o r e ir r it a t in g t h a n h a v i n g s o m e t h in g s t u c k in y o u r t e e t h .
S R
And what tool seems to be the most common worldwide ? Is there
one implement that all cultures can’t seem to live without ?
H P
O f f t h e t o p o f m y h e a d I w o u l d s a y t h e h a m m e r , o r s o m e k in d
o f p o u n d in g d e v i c e . I t is h a r d t o im a g in e t h is k in d o f im p le m e n t
n o t b e in g in e v e r y o n e ’s t o o l k i t in o n e f o r m o r a n o t h e r . W e u s u a lly
t h in k o f a h a m m e r a s b e in g a s s o c ia t e d w i t h a n a il, b u t t h e r e a r e lo t s
m o r e k in d s o f h a m m e r s . A r o c k is a h a m m e r , f o r in s t a n c e . T h e r e
a r e c o u n t le s s v a r i a t i o n s in m a t e r ia l a n d s h a p e , b u t t h e y a ll s t a r t
fr o m th is b a s ic id e a o f a p o u n d in g t o o l o r im p le m e n t .
048 american craft apr/mayio
