A Library of Current Knowledge:

Human beings have incredible potential.  In turn, we each have dreams, aspirations, talents, skills, and unique knowledge that allow us to live out that potential. However, what do we do if we are missing one component to make our dreams fulfilled?

 
I have sat through countless meetings where the decision made is not always the best.  In no way is the chosen path malicious, but the path does not maximize the potential of the company, project, or team.  Why?  We don’t have all of the information necessary to make adequate decisions.

We all have gone through different experiences, had different emotions, learned different life lessons, and walked completely different paths (both literally and figuratively).  Therefore, when we hear the words “work hard” or “do it right,” we don’t have the same definition. When we talk about “beauty” or “love” we don’t realize what each of those words mean.

When I was watching the movie “The Circle,” they talked about the power of complete transparency. Granted, the movie was a dystopian byproduct focused on the need for privacy; however, the idea of full transparency would allow for the sharing of ideas and knowledge necessary to solve some of life’s biggest puzzles.  Imagine if the cure for cancer was only small modification away; however, two researchers have each figured out half of the modification.  Rather than realizing how close they are at achieving greatness, they are withering away in their respective labs trying to do what the other has already done.

Imagine if we could find a way to set aside ego and unite the missing puzzle pieces to help solve some of the biggest global dilemmas. Now, my idealism is surely leaking through the pages as I write in the sense that ego will certainly stand in the way.  But what if ego wasn’t an obstacle?  What if, we opened sourced knowledge?

Books can be borrowed from the library to be temporarily housed in homes without paying the royalty fees so long as you return the book on time.  We could open source research articles, data, and analyses that could allow for temporary looks into the minds of some of the world’s greatest minds.  We could look at how models are built and proteins are synthesized.  We could better predict hurricanes, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. Our only obstacle is our lack of transparency.

There comes a time when a project or idea takes on a bigger form than the individual.  For example, relativity has far outlived Einstein, the lightbulb has surpassed the final breath of Edison, and the iPhone has certainly exploded compared to the mind of Jobs.  By finding a way to create a library of current, non-published, non-peer reviewed knowledge, we could find a way to help expedite the creation ofour generations lightbulb, iPhone, or even physics theory.