I recently became one of the last people in America to acquire a portable radio/headphone set. This delay was out of character—normally I ride the crest of every trend. But in this case I sensed a certain dangerous potential. So I put off the purchase for ages, feeling wary of such an inviting distraction. Too much headphone time, I worried, could easily impair my business performance, if not ruin my way of life completely. As it turns out, my concerns were right on target. The problem isn"t the expense, or the constant exposure to musical drivel, or even the endangerment of my hearing—and I do like to keep the volume set on "blast". No, the problem is more subtle and insidious. It"s simply that, once I was fully plugged in, things stopped occurring to me. I get excited about good ideas. Especially my own. I used to have lists of them in all my regularhaunts. My office desk, kitchen, car and even my gym bag were littered with bits of paper. Ideas ranging from a terrific brochure headline or a pitch to a new client for my public-relations agency to finding a new route to avoid the morning rush—each notion began as an unsummoned thought, mulled over and jotted down. The old story has it that Isaac Newton identified the concept and presence of gravity while sitting under an apple tree. One fruit fell and science gained new dimension. While there may be some historic license in that tale, it"s easy to see that if Newton had been wearing his Walkman, he probably would have overlooked the real impact of the apple"s fall. This is the problematic side of technological evolution. As tools become more compact, portable and inescapable, they begin to take away something they cannot replace. The car phone, battery-powered TV, portable fax and notepad-size computer do everything for accessibility. They make it easy to be in touch, to be productive, to avoid the tragedy of a wasted second. But there are worse things than empty time. A calendar packed to the max makes it easy to overlook what"s missing. A dearth of good ideas isn"t something that strikes like a lightning bolt. It"s a far more gradual dawning, like the slow unwelcome recognition that one"s memory has become less sharp. If that dawning is slow, it"s because our minds are fully occupied. It now takes an unprecedented depth of knowledge to stay on top of basic matters, from choosing sensible investments to purchasing the healthiest food. There is literally no end to the information that has become essential. When there is a chance to relax, we don"t stop the input; we change channels. With earphones on our heads or televisions in our faces, we lock in to a steady barrage of news, views and videos that eliminate likelihood of any spontaneous thought. Still, we are not totally oblivious. We work hard to counter the mind-numbing impact of the river of information we are forced to absorb. There is a deliberate emphasis on the importance of creative thought as a daily factor. From seminars to smart drinks, from computer programs to yoga postures, there"s no end to the strategies and products that claim to enhance creativity. It would be unfair to say that all of these methods are without value. But beyond a certain point they are, at best, superfluous. Trying too hard to reach for high-quality insight can thwart the process in the worst way. The best ideas occur to me when my mind is otherwise unchallenged and there is no pressure to create. I have mentally composed whole articles while jogging, flashed upon the solution to a software dilemma while sitting in the steam room, come up with just the right opening line for a client"s speech while pushing a vacuum. These were not problems I had set out to address at those particular times. Inventiveness came to my uncluttered mind in a random, unfocused moment. Certainly not every idea that pops up during a quiet time is a winner. But a surprising number do set me on the path to fresh solutions. And I have found that a free flow of ideas builds its own momentum, leapfrogging me along to answer that work. The simple fact is that time spent lost in thought isn"t really lost at all. That"s why" unplugged time "is vital. It"s when new directions, different approaches and exciting solutions emerge from a place that can"t be tapped at will. It is unwise to take this resource for granted. Better to recognize it, understand something about where it resides and thereby ensure it is not lost. Clearly, this is far easier said than done. Technology is seductive. It chases us down, grabs hold and will not let us go. Nor do we want it to. The challenge is to keep it in its place and to remember that time spent unplugged brings unique rewards. This doesn"t mean I will abandon my new radio headset toy. But I will take the precaution of leaving it in my dresser drawer on a regular basis. Otherwise, unlike wise old Newton, I may see the fall but never grasp its meaning.
A．scientists should stay close to nature to grasp the meaning of natural lawB．a creative scientist can change the course of historyC．a good idea is something that strikes like a lightning boltD．innovative ideas usually originate in times when the mind ranges freely
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