Lee Vinsel will be discussing his newest book, The Innovation Delusion, in which he argues that, over the past fifty years, our culture has become obsessed with a wrong-headed idea of "innovation." He claims that our delusions have several costs. One of them is that our quest for the shiny and new leads us to neglect maintaining, repairing, and generally taking care of what we already have, including ourselves. In this talk, he will reflect on how these thoughts relate to Virginia Tech and the New River Valley, both of which, explicitly or implicitly, feature in the book. 

Praise for The Innovation Delusion:

 "The most important book I've read in a long time. It explains so much about what is wrong with our technology, our economy, and the world, and gives a simple recipe for how to fix it: Focus on understanding what it takes for your products and services to last." —Tim O’Reilly, founder of O’Reilly Media

“The authors’ most emphatic recommendations involve talent—and our perception of it. When we overvalue innovation, they say, we forget that the vast majority of engineers will wind up maintaining existing systems, not coming up with the next Facebook. [The] authors’ emphasis on maintenance resonates, and their take-down of innovation theater feels well-deserved.”—The Wall Street Journal