Not for sale

May 8, 2019

By Krista Ashmen

In reading about the quick and slow ways of assessing ideas, I realize how much I depend on my “gut feeling”. It was quite unsettling. When I went through and assessed the ideas in the idea generator, I certainly had my favorites and even some gag reflex when reading others. I remembered reading Chesbrough and identifying myself as “an innovation missionary”. When I take that into account I recognize that I am very interested in moving society towards a “greater good” than generating new income. Evidenced by my role as a low paid teacher. When I think about the challenge presented it sparked a fire in me because it fits perfectly with my desire to improve society and help others to think about what they are exposed to. When I rated the ideas I was repulsed that what I considered to be the very worse ideas ever, where possibly the only ones that would generate an income. Is there a limit to what people (or governments) would pay to get on the board who decides what is true and what is not? There isn’t an unbiased soul (or government!!!) in existence. 

Quite honestly, some services should not be based upon their ability to generate income. Should a homeless shelter be closed down because the tenants can’t pay? Should the right to an education be revoked because a child will never be able to become a working citizen of the country due to a deformity? Should a God believing person be deprived of going to services due to societal shame or the threat of physical harm? Should the public be deprived of knowing the truth because the liars have so much money? Honestly, this missionary heart gets so tired of the bottom line. Who said profitability is the highest good??!! When will our profitability be enough? Or has our cozy soffas, coffee and Candy Crush sucked the care out of our souls?

O.K. Rant over. I hope not to offend but to provoke genuine passionate thinking. 

My personal conclusion is that this “innovation missionary” will make both quick and slow assessments in a very biased, not for profit first based manner.