I caught Made in China on Sundance over the weekend. It was all about the pursuit of an inventor and the trials & tribulations he faced thrown into a new land. It even won several awards. Good film, recommended watch.
It reminded me of my childhood. My job description for the future? I always said I would be a scientist. I always liked building things, from the time I was a kid. When people got toys when they were three years old, I got extension wires. I got my first computer when I was five years old (a family unit no less). This was in 1989. I built computers, soldered circuit boards, basically made things – invention was fun, as were trips to the then Radio Shack in Bangsar, and Pasar Road when I grew a little older.
Building things seems to be coming back with the Maker movement. Many people are inventing the web as we can see. Many people are also copying such inventions. This happens in software as much as it does in the physical world.
Somewhere along the way, I think I’ve lost my way towards invention. Deals. Financing. Chasing the next big thing. News rot. Running the rat race. I think many people are in the same predicament.
For me, it is a great time to reflect. I’ve had a bumper year, I’m spending some time off, and I want to get back into creation. Invention. Some call this maker time/shifting to maker mode.
Sometimes it pays to step back, look at things from a macro perspective, plot, then execute.