When ideas have sex
Arlen Meyers, MD, MBA
President and CEO, Society of Physician Entrepreneurs, another lousy golfer, terrible cook
Human sexual activity affects cognitive function, health, happiness and overall quality of life—and, yes, there is also the matter of reproduction. The huge range of benefits is one reason researchers have become alarmed at declines in sexual activity around the world, from Japan to Europe to Australia. A recent study evaluating what is happening in the U.S. has added to the pile of evidence, showing declines from 2009 to 2018 in all forms of partnered sexual activity, including penile-vaginal intercourse, anal sex and partnered masturbation. The findings show that adolescents report less solo masturbation as well.
Fortunately, the same cannot be said about ideas having sex.
Velveeta nail polish? McDonald's Crocs? Unlikely brand partnerships are gaining traction, Adweek reports, as a way for companies to stand out in the fight for consumer attention. Unique collaborations — like Scrub Daddy sponges that resemble Dunkin' doughnuts — can not only boost visibility and drive sales but also help brands connect with new audiences, particularly younger consumers on social media. Companies including Kraft Heinz and Chipotle report expanding their customer bases through co-branded products. One creative director says a successful collab has to "make a certain level of sense" but also deliver some "shock value."
As health care costs continue to skyrocket, Americans aren’t getting healthier. Fragmented, fee-for-service models are not the solution. These figures, all of them unimaginable just a generation ago, set the stage for a financial reckoning in 2023 and beyond. We need innovative ideas to transform sick care into accessible, appropriate, and affordable health care.
As you look forward working under VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous conditions), keep in mind:
Maybe that one-night stand was not such a good idea. But you did it again. There are many reasons why people don't learn from their mistakes including doctors and entrepreneurs.
CEOs are requiring their employees to return to the office full time because, they say, it's a much better way to encourage ideas to have sex. Don't be surprised, though, when the CEO misread the memo. McDonald’s ousted its CEO over a consensual relationship with an employee, just a week after U.S. Rep. Katie Hill stepped down due to a similar allegation.
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Artificial intelligence too is struggling to figure out how to have sex with other ideas. Tech companies are rushing AI-powered products to launch, despite extensive evidence that they are hard to control and often behave in unpredictable ways. This weird behavior happens because nobody knows exactly how—or why—deep learning, the fundamental technology behind today’s AI boom, works. It’s one of the biggest puzzles in AI. Will Douglas Heaven just?published a piece?where he dives into it.?
Ecosystems are designed to be idea sex parlors but the results depend on information rheology exchange and fertilization, not sperm and egg.
Are you an innovation porn addict, watching how other ideas are having sex or are you more active? How you answer describes your innovation mindset.
Innovation depends on cross fertilization, so don't wear a condom when you do it. There are ways to practice safe coboting.
Arlen Meyers, MD, MBA is the President and CEO of the Society of Physician Entrepreneurs on Substack