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It wasn’t only the Lorites who said that is not a new…

“It wasn’t only the Lorites who said that is not a new result. People re-invented the wheel all the time. There was nothing shameful in it. If the rest of us oohed and aahed and said, “Gosh, a wheel, no one’s ever thought of that before,” just to make that person feel good, nothing would ever get…” quote by Neal Stephenson
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““It wasn’t only the Lorites who said that is not a new result. People re-invented the wheel all the time. There was nothing shameful in it. If the rest of us oohed and aahed and said, “Gosh, a wheel, no one’s ever thought of that before,” just to make that person feel good, nothing would ever get done.””

Neal Stephenson

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Repeating old ideas isn’t shameful; it’s progress when it leads to new insights.

In simple terms: Repeating old ideas can spark innovation.

Key Takeaway

Embrace iteration to advance knowledge.

Themes

innovation iteration progress

Mood

curious optimistic

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

  • research
  • technology
  • creative work

Key Concepts

learning creativity

Questions to Reflect On

  • When is repetition valuable?
  • How do you add value to old concepts?
A Different Perspective

Blindly repeating without improvement stalls growth.

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