Reinventing the Wheel

When I hear the phrase "Why reinvent the wheel?" it's often used to end discussion. It is the gavel that closes a hearing, a metaphor that has become a foregone conclusion implying that what has been done before should continue to be done, lest we waste valuable time and energy attempting to create something that is new, but inferior compared with the original.

And while people may take a solution that is tried and true, then build upon this foundation to make something better, my concern is that this phrase is too often used as a device to deny creative pursuits.

Yes, there is expedience and often sound judgment in relying on the wheel and not having to remake it, but tradition should not stand in the way of adaptation when situations warrant. Technology has changed so much of how we engage in daily activities, while shaping the routines and perspectives of our children, that it stands to reason that so many of the wheels in our lives are now being reinvented because new creative and functional solutions are within reach.

Today's children must be challenged to innovate and find imaginative solutions to problems in school and out. The time has come to create a generation of problem solvers who strive to think differently.

It has been more than 5,000 years since the wheel was first used on Mesopatamian chariots and about 40 years since the Flintstones left prime time. Shouldn't we be ready to reinvent a few wheels in our lives by now?

So from here on, when I hear the phrase "Why reinvent the wheel?" I propose "Why drive, when you can fly?"