Scott Berkun
Describe your latest project.
The Myths of Innovation is a book that uses the past to explain how innovation happens today. By weaving together myth debunking with an analysis of tactics used by famous innovators, readers get an entertaining and inspiring primer on how innovation actually happens and how they can apply creative thinking to their own lives right now.
What inspires you to sit down and write?
The 90-pound Rotweiller I've trained to attack if I don't hand him 1,000 words a day.
Describe your favorite childhood teacher and how that teacher influenced you.
Mr. Reinstein, Bayside High School, Queens NY. He was the first light of crazy wisdom I'd seen.
Have you ever taken the Geek Test? How did you rate?
Never heard of it. Does that mean I'm not a geek?
Chess or video games?
Video games.
What do you do for relaxation?
Relaxation? What's that?
What's your favorite Blog right now?
Metafilter rocks.
Douglas Adams or Scott Adams?
Douglas all the way.
What was your favorite book as a kid?
Green Eggs and Ham. It's still my favorite, Sam I am.
What new technology do you think may actually have the potential for making people's lives better?
I think it's the wrong question. I don't think most of our real problems are technological at all.
If you could be reincarnated for one day to live the life of any scientist or writer, who would you choose and why?
I've read too many biographies: most of these folks seemed pretty miserable. But Richard Feynman scores high for knowing how to have fun with life, so he's the first that comes to mind.
What was your best subject in high school? Your worst?
I was a mediocre student at best — Math and English were my best, Spanish was by far the worst.
What are some of the things you'd like your computer to do that it cannot now do?
Silence annoying people on command, train my dog to do my taxes, and teleport me to Hawaii once or twice a week.
Describe the best museum of science and/or industry you've ever visited and what made it great.
The Exploratorium in San Francisco is very hard to beat.
By the end of your life, where do you think humankind will be in terms of new science and technological advancement?
I hope we're not as confused about what matters and what doesn't, but I'm not optomistic on that count.
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