"With freedom and heterogeneity come many problems, but it is the resolution of these problems that yield great dividends"

Actually, I don't think that you even need to resolve the problems to achieve great dividends. American music benefitted greatly from the oppression of African Americans over the years and I think it's clear that this has been quite helpful in the success of American culture overseas. Not that I support oppression by any stretch of the imagination, but stirring things up in a culture can create fringe movements that benefit the mainstream in the long run. Perhaps Einstein's creativity was somehow related to the oppression he received as a German Jew. I don't know enough history or sociology to say for sure.

"I suspect that there are mathematical reasons why freedom and heterogeneity yield these results"

Perhaps, though it may be a very chaotic system. Human beings are notoriously difficult to describe mathematically. If we only had an equation to describe Mike, this forum might be a more pleasant place to be.

• More cliche' opinions ight from a book? Can you think? - carefuluniverse - November 8, 2002 - 02:32 UTC