The Future Belongs to the Scenius

Although many have tried many times, it is not really possible to command scenius into being... The best you can do is NOT KILL IT. When it pops up, don’t crush it. When it starts rolling, don’t formalize it. When it sparks, fan it. But don’t move the scenius to better quarters. Try to keep accountants and architects and police and do-gooders away

As our science and technology develop further, individual achievements may become increasingly rare as distributed groups become necessary to bring together all the knowledge required to solve hard problems.

The great music scenes of our time had this ecology of talent. Motown, Seattle, Los Angeles, the list goes on. Creative competitiveness, imitation, idea expansion and support are key drivers in the advancement of a music scene. In Show your Work, Austin Kleon writes

“Scenius doesn’t take away from the achievements of those great individuals; i

These burgeoning efforts offer hope that scenius can indeed be created online, but must also be strengthened and punctuated by real-world interaction; that competition will always drive humans to push themselves further, but that competition need not be zero-sum; that the scale of the internet can mean bolder, more ambitious missions.  

Even with a catastrophic catalyzing event, just the right amount of internal and external competition, and a place in which to collaborate, scenius will not take root without a diverse group of people who are willing to offer differing thoughts and experiences. It’s at their intersection that new ideas form. Scenius is a remix, a riff off of what h

Sceniuses balance the free flow of ideas with strict cultural norms. Members are competitive enough to motivate each other but cooperative enough to find joy in their success. They meet often enough to share ideas but work independently enough to develop their own voice. Though they are willing to adapt to changing circumstances, they root themselv