First Ideas

FIRST IDEAS

"If at first the idea is not absurd, then there is no hope for it." - Albert Einstein 

As we were growing up, we always read about scientists, researchers & other personalities how they were the first one to accomplish some thing they did. The "World's First" are always historic. 

- The first man ever to live(at least it's believed): Adam

- First man to step on moon - Armstrong

- First American president of African origin - Obama

- First work of fiction - George Elliot who's real name was: Mary Anne Evans

- World's first completely computer generated feature film - Toy Story

and many others..

In the 90's sitcom, Seinfeld, Jerry Seinfeld takes a gig at being the 'first' at something. He goes, "The only thing about being first was being there before anyone else". Federer becomes the first tennis player to win 16 Grand-Slam titles but what about Pete Sampras who held the record until last year? The fact is people always know and want to know about the first's. For the people the list starts somewhere down the line & ends on the first. 

"Ideas are like wandering sons, they show up when least expected" - Bern Williams

CREATIVE FIRST's

Somehow, in some people - this hunger for being "first" at something leads them to explore & walk on the less travelled roads where, some of them succeed. Ray Dolby created the sound system - Dolby Labs but few years later Jon Kirtchner came up with DTS & Sony with SDDS in the field of Cinema Sound. The key to success is not being the "first" one to be there but to keep up with the changing times. Of course, being first at anything tests the creativity of people but it also nurtures it. Human mind craves for new ideas. Most old ideas in human mind are treated just as the body treats any new protein - it rejects it. Emil von Behring developed an antitoxin to treat diphtheria, that cost many thousand's lives, was rewarded with the First Nobel Prize in Physiology & Medicine category. Jacobus Van't Hoff was honored in return of his contribution in Chemical Thermodynamics - being the first laureate in the Chemistry. 

"Nothing is more dangerous than an idea when it is the only one you have. " - Emile Chartier

DESTRUCTIVE FIRST's

There've not always been good firsts in the human world. World War - One took off in 1914 & lasted till 1918. We all know what happened henceforth. Successful assassination's of Ehud, Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley, Kennedy & Benazir Bhutto and the attempted killings of Andrew Jackson, Guy Fawkes & Pope John Paul II have painted the history books in red. Richard Nixon - the president facing impeachment resigned at the right time to avoid the uncomfortable circumstances(later Nixon was pardoned by his successor Gerald Ford). The 9/11 of US, 7/7 of Britain, 26/11 of India etc are few other examples of the destructive first's of the world. Not all people share same interests thus difference's of opinions is valid. Some people believe, or are forced to believe, that they are an important asset in the revolutionary fight for their community. As a group, people have to share the ideology of the group whereas the individual's are in bleak contrast. The list of Destructive First's dwarfed the Creative First's. It's hard to concentrate at the white piece of cloth when the eyes notice a spot! 

AN IDEA FOR AN IDEA

Nevertheless, whether creative or destructive - the First Ideas are always spoken of & hence remembered. They're looked up as milestones which linger's those on the verge of those waiting to add their names in the list or creating a new category..! Ideas come & go, it's the approach towards that idea that make people who they are. A wise knows the destructive consequences of his actions, the fool only knows it after getting listed in the local newspaper. But regardless of being wise/fool - it's always a history in the making because first's always lasts.

"An idea isn't responsible for the people who believe it" - Don Marquis