http://www.lonegunman.co.uk/2009/04/06/making-a-significant-contribution/ Mon, 19 Dec 2011 14:29:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www.lonegunman.co.uk/2009/04/06/making-a-significant-contribution/comment-page-1/#comment-1412 Pete Griffiths Mon, 06 Apr 2009 17:36:38 +0000 http://www.lonegunman.co.uk/?p=2582#comment-1412 Starting out to do significant things is important. My experience is that the difficulties are immense! In many areas the people in charge do not want their staff to do important things, they want them to do what they are told. I do not think it is any coincidence that many of the main scientists of the past who came up with significant discoveries were men of independent means. Would Darwin have been able to do what he did if he did not come from a wealthy family? Reading the brilliant book 'Quantum' ( Manjit Kumar) recently I was struck how many of the main figures had very privileged backgrounds (yes i know there is always Einstein, but then...) Starting out to do significant things is important. My experience is that the difficulties are immense! In many areas the people in charge do not want their staff to do important things, they want them to do what they are told.
I do not think it is any coincidence that many of the main scientists of the past who came up with significant discoveries were men of independent means. Would Darwin have been able to do what he did if he did not come from a wealthy family?
Reading the brilliant book ‘Quantum’ ( Manjit Kumar) recently I was struck how many of the main figures had very privileged backgrounds (yes i know there is always Einstein, but then…)

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