More resistance to innovation

Back in the 1970s, there was a small group of people who thought they had an alternative to the status quo. These innovators believed they could do a certain job by building new infrastructure based on a wholly different concept.

Defenders of the conventional wisdom (the "experts") told the innovators it wouldn't work. They said the changes were stupid, irresponsible and unnecessary. They even said the users could get hurt in various ways.

Now, who were these crazy dreamers, and what were the proven, accepted methods they were trying to overthrow? Were they early gadgetbahners, proto-PRTistas attacking rail and bus systems? Was it Jerry Schneider and Emory Bundy? Nope. I refer to none other than the story of the creation of the modern world's first naturalistic zoo exhibit, the Western Lowland Gorilla habitat at Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle.

Start listening to the report by NPR's Robert Krulwich at :03:20 -- and keep this in mind the next time the Minnesota anti-PRT propagandist attacks innovation.




gPRT
Ken Avidor In The Mist