Unlearning 101

Unlearning the Grid

I'm in Eugene, Oregon today to give the keynote presentation at the conference celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Eugene Water and Electricity Board. The gist of my message is that as impressive as progress has been in the past century it will pale in comparison to what is coming in the next two decades.

One of the big challenges facing the utility industry is the idea that they will need to unlearn their ideas of what the utility grid of the future looks like as well as the role their customers will play in the creation of energy in the near future.

To this end, take a look at the image above. It is the "microgrid dream house." This vision hasn't yet been achieved but if you study emerging technologies as I do, it is clear solar cells, micro wind turbines, fuel cells, insulation, batteries and smart meters are all going to continue to improve. 

Personally, I believe they are going to continue to improve to the point where many people will opt to disconnect from the grid because they can safely, cheaply and sustainably produce and store their own electricity.

Do You Live in (a) Detroit?

I don't mean do you physically live in Detroit. Instead, I mean do you and your business live in an environment where you're surrounded by like-minded individuals. Living with -- and around -- people who think the same as you can be comforting but it can also be very dangerous. The fact that the "Big 3" automotive manufacturers all resided in Detroit contributed to their inability to spot emerging trends in the automotive market.

The question I now ask you is this: Might the same might be true of you? Are you living in the equivalent of a Detroit for your business or industry? If so, get out -- now. Alternatively, if that isn't an option and in order to expose yourself to new ideas, start traveling more or inviting more outsiders in.

Dead Men Don't Unlearn

I know a few people who don't wear seat belts. Normally, as someone with libertarian leanings, I wouldn't have a problem with this. (This would almost certainly be the case if society weren't also required to pay for their treatment after they have been in an accident)

My problem stems from those individuals who cite, as a rationale for their decision, stories of people who have lived after being thrown through a windshield. Their conclusion is that a seat belt might somehow similarly prevent them from escaping death after a bad accident. In short, they use the stories of these survivors as justification for their decision.

I will admit that, while rare, such events do occur and people can occasionally be saved by being thrown through a windshield. What my friends who espouse this line of thinking miss is that there are literally thousands of people who died precisely because they were thrown into or through a windshield. 

Dead men don't talk so it is only natural that we will only hear the stories of those rare few who were fortunate enough to survive.

An element of unlearning us to see what we can't see and hear what we can't hear. This is hard to do but if you listen closely you might just hear the lesson of unlearning in the whispers of the thousands who didn't live to tell the tale of their encounter with the windshield.

If I haven't been clear enough, I encourage you to buckle up. If you need a little inspiration, just watch this short but powerful video.

Stop, Yield & Unlearn

Recently, I posted an unlearning strategy which I entitled Engage in Some Situational Unawareness Training. To
make my point, I started with a little quiz about the color of the yield sign. In this spirit, I'd like to share with you this short and informative TED presentation from Gary Lauder who proposes an innovative idea for a new street sign which merges elements of the stop sign and the yield sign and, for good measure, throws in a dash of common sense (and politeness). Enjoy!

When Data and Decisions Collide: Unlearning Needs to Result

Fellow blogger and change agent, Seth Godin, has an excellent post today entitled "When data and decisions collide." In it, he recounts numerous examples of people ignoring data because it doesn't line up with their "hunches" -- or what people think they know but "just ain't so."

Godin is pessimistic about the time it will take most people to "get their arms around this avalanche of insight," but he is spot on in his assessment that those who do will have a huge advantage.

Of course, the first thing to do is to simply acknowledge that our hunches may be wrong. This simple, albeit difficult, act is the first step about the path of unlearning. As Godin points it can be the difference between getting into an accident while texting -- or not; saving $80 on a bottle of a wine; or even saving thousands of dollars on your kid's college education.

So there you have it, folks: Unlearning can save your life and save you money! I've got the data to prove it.

Unlearning the Escalator

Unlearning is simple. Sometimes, as this hilarious video demonstrates, it is as easy as walking. Other times, however, it requires a little more creativity. For a wonderful example of how society might want to unlearn our heavy reliance on the escalator, I invite you to watch this short video:

Unlearning Traffic and Roads

I pride myself on being open-minded. Nevertheless, I am constantly surprised at how often I find myself saying "I had never thought of that." To this end, a friend of mine recently introduced me to the concept of "shared space." In it's simplest form, the concept questions society's over-reliance on traffic rules and laws. 

This article in Salon provides an excellent overview of the idea. (If you don't have time to read it, however, ask yourself this question: How is it that a city in China with a population of 2.2 million thrives with virtual no traffic signs or lights?) For a slightly more in-depth understanding of the concept, I have posted an 8-minute video on Shared Space below. 

       

Related Posts

Unlearning Your Daily Commute

Unlearning New Road Construction

Are We Unlearning Wisdom

Unlearning the Importance of Car Seats

BMW Unlearns

The German automaker BMW, in introducing its "Light Visionary Model" prototype automobile -- which it dubs GINA (Geometry and Functions in "N" Adaption), writes this: "The key to affecting the development of tomorrow's mobility lies in our readiness to challenge what is established and in the ability to present new options." In short, BMW is unlearning.

I encourage you to watch the short video below. If you notice how doors and hoods no longer open so rigidly -- they gently fold and zip open instead -- or how the lights do open but they "blink" open (much like human eyes) instead, I think you'll agree that the benefits of unlearning could give BMW a very distinct competitive advantage in the near future. I particularly like Chris Bangle's quote at the end of the video: "Context over dogma." Words to live by!

 

The German automaker BMW, in introducing its "Light Visionary Model" prototype automobile -- which it dubs GINA (Geometry and Functions in "N" Adaption), writes this: "The key to affecting the development of tomorrow's mobility lies in our readiness to challenge what is established and in the ability to present new options." In short, BMW is unlearning.

I encourage you to watch the short video below. If you notice how doors and hoods no longer open so rigidly -- they gently fold and zip open instead -- or how the lights do open but they "blink" open (much like human eyes) instead, I think you'll agree that the benefits of unlearning could give BMW a very distinct competitive advantage in the near future. I particularly like Chris Bangle's quote at the end of the video: "Context over dogma." Words to live by!

New Voice Recognition Technology Mandates Unlearning

Late yesterday, Google released a very cool new mobile application which employs voice recognition technology. The question is not so much what the technology can do today, the question is what will the technology be able to do in the near future—and how might it require professionals in the education, health care, and a host of other businesses to unlearn?

I’d love to hear your thoughts on how this technology could unfold and how it might alter people’s behavior. Below are my initial thoughts from my other website: www.jumpthecurve.net:

Unlearning New Road Construction

About the only thing I hate more than being stuck in traffic is being cut off by some idiotic driver who is yakking away on his or her cellphone and, thus, isn’t paying attention to the road. It might then surprise you to know that I’d actually like to see more cellphones being used by drivers, in part, because they might lead to the need for states to build fewer roads. (Yes, you heard me right, fewer roads.)

To understand this counter-intuitive logic, I’d refer you to this article in today’s Technology Review entitled ”Tracking Traffic with Cell Phones.” It explains how data from cellphones can be retrieved from people’s cellphones (in a manner which doesn’t violate their privacy) but can then be used to provide real-time traffic data.

If drivers can then use this real-time data to adjust their driving habits it is entirely possible that traffic congestion will be lessened and states won’t need to build more roads. Instead they only need to unlearn their dependence on new road construction and figure out how to use existing roads more efficiently.