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We hosted the last Curiouser of 2019, coming together as a cozy group of colleagues and friends. As the weather gets colder, our excitement for learning and innovation has only warmed. We sowed our curiosity, waiting for it to sprout in the new year.
The Event
The event brings together people from all walks of life. We talk about our ideas, developing them into powerful insights. Even though all Curiouser events are unique, this event was special for multiple reasons. A smaller group of 8 enabled us to dive deeper — we increased speaking time from 3 minutes to 5 minutes per each attendee. This enabled us to explore ideas at a richer level.
What We Discovered
Eduardo Pujol shared an emotionally charged video entitled MENstruation. The short clip, produced by the Thinx company, imagined that all humans had periods–thus destigmatizing them.
Amanda Lewis shared a graciously written note on how communal spaces revitalize communities and integrates people. She specifically discussed the need for public pools in the town of Winchester. As she explained, the absence of public pools stems from discrimination and desegregation.
Hadi Medeiros shared his experience with celebratory gunfire in Lebanon. He warned people to be aware of their surroundings and to quickly seek shelter case if they hear gunshot noises. Hadi also showed off the Hopper app. The A.I. powered platform remembers past trends for domestic and international travel prices, allowing one to book flights accordingly.
Curtis Cook shared the advice he received from his coach: “never be satisfied”. But he isn’t satisfied with the quote either. We discussed balancing the never-ending pursuit for greater accomplishment and self-contentment (which, we clarified, is not complacency) and whether humans can ever achieve a sense of satisfaction.
Johnathan Nichols Based on his travel observations, Johnathan highlighted the need for confessional-like booths at airports and other travel terminals. These would help us deal with the hustle and bustle of daily life.
Ameenah Rashid Shared a short and sweet quip on her journey down the post-apocalyptic “Ok Boomer” meme and the birth of the intergenerational hostilities. We also discussed frictions between generations, and what this means for the future. All of course in good humor, of course. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/29/style/ok-boomer.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/29/style/ok-boomer.html
Ole Bondevik showed us one of his favorite advertisements stemming from a Norwegian campaign that encourages people to use seatbelts. He explained that Norway has successfully reduced the number of preventable injuries by promoting seat belts. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=quqlIPZrdz8 (warning: sensitive content).
Arsalan Akhter introduced us to the realm of Vehicle Routing. He explained the traveling salesman’s problem and the use of artificial intelligence to regulate traffic patterns. Check these out:
TL;DR
Our discussion covered everything from technology to work-life balance. As usual, after everyone shared their ideas we voted for the idea we wanted to hear more about. Unlike previous events, we ended up with a tie between two ideas. We really liked our discussion of vehicle routing, and how this presents challenges and opportunities in A.I. We teased out the work-life complexities of a common but inspiring phrase: “Never be satisfied.” In our discussion, we clearly took this advice to heart.
An Invitation
Did any inspiration strike? Do you have any curious ideas that you want to share? If you are interested in attending our future “Curiouser & Curiouser” events, check out our page to stay in the loop. This was the Curiouser for November 2019, but we’re looking forward to connecting at more Curiouser events in early 2020. Send us a message at hello@refineandfocus.com to keep in touch.
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Cover image by Clay Banks
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