There's little doubt Greensboro is having a tough time so with the help of some friends over at NC A&T University I took a little trip back in time to interview one of the greatest minds in the history of the world and get his input on what we can do to make Greensboro a thriving economic powerhouse even in these tough economic times. Here are Albert Einstein's actual replies to my questions.
Hello Doctor Einstein, what do you believe is the most common mistake being made by Greensboro's elected leaders, City staff and non profit economic development agencies?
"We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them."
That seems pretty straightforward and simple.
"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler."
Well yeah, that's just common sense.
"Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen."
How come Greensboro's leaders don't get it? What is interfering with their understanding of the problems we face? Why can't they learn?
"The only thing that interferes with my learning is my education."
Well at least Albert Einstein understands it to be true. Our "leaders" with all those letters at the ends of their names are too stupid to understand what happened to them. And most of them went to school longer than Einstein. So Albert, what do you think of Greensboro's efforts to pursue science and technology as a means to economic development?
"Science is a wonderful thing if one does not have to earn one's living at it."
Would you be referring to building an economy based on information and knowledge alone?
"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited."
I see what you mean. These days even apes possess knowledge.
"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination."
How much imagination did it take to dream up a performing arts center when there are literally hundreds of performing arts centers losing money in cities all across America?
"Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new."
Okay, I'll give Mayor Perkins that much but let's get back to his push to use technology to drive Greensboro's economy when every single city in America and the free world is trying to do the same. Aren't we just setting ourselves up for more incentives to major corporations?
"Technological progress is like an axe in the hands of a pathological criminal."
So you've met our Mayor. So where do we draw the line?
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe."
Albert, Dude, you slay me! Getting back to the topic at hand, I've been trying for a very long time to get Greensboro's leaders to open their eyes to new ideas but they just want to keep on doing as they've always done-- why?
"Great spirits have always found violent opposition from mediocrities. The latter cannot understand it when a man does not thoughtlessly submit to hereditary prejudices but honestly and courageously uses his intelligence."
Well that explains why they won't listen to me. I just thought it was because they were all as dumb as a mud fence. Any advise?
"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius -- and a lot of courage -- to move in the opposite direction."
Sounds like it's going to take a long time to find the right answers.
"The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing."
And to think, our "leaders" still object to answering our public information requests...
"Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts."
So Albert, what do you recommend we do to get Greensboro back on track?
"People love chopping wood. In this activity one immediately sees results."
In other words, you're saying our leaders need to be doing things that produce results right now, ASAP, not years in the future, if they ever do produce results-- right?
"We shall require a substantially new manner of thinking if mankind is to survive."
On a different note, we've had fifty years of economic failure in Greensboro and yet the same institutions and families remain entrenched. How is it that is possible?
"Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth."
So when our local media failed to tell us about our current Mayor's many financial, business and marriage issues until after he was elected to office...
"Whoever is careless with the truth in small matters cannot be trusted with important matters."
Really? Even the little things?
"In matters of truth and justice, there is no difference between large and small problems, for issues concerning the treatment of people are all the same."
In wrapping things up, what would you say is the biggest problem Greensboro needs to deal with right now?
"Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."
And in case you've ever wondered how I find out so many secrets about our local elitist bastards before it comes out in the local media or if I really made this journey through time? Albert said, "There comes a time when the mind takes a higher plane of knowledge but can never prove how it got there."
