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The nihilistic vocation of innovation | Runi Hammer | TEDxOdense


I’m a rebel not that there’s anything

I’m a rebel not that there’s anything special about rebels we’ve always had

special about rebels we’ve always had

special about rebels we’ve always had rebels misfits risk-takers dreamers

rebels misfits risk-takers dreamers

rebels misfits risk-takers dreamers visionaries people trying to undermine

visionaries people trying to undermine

visionaries people trying to undermine the structures of our society and

the structures of our society and

the structures of our society and throughout history we have given these

throughout history we have given these

throughout history we have given these people many names and today we might

people many names and today we might

people many names and today we might call them entrepreneurs really when you

call them entrepreneurs really when you

call them entrepreneurs really when you think of it that’s what entrepreneurs do

think of it that’s what entrepreneurs do

think of it that’s what entrepreneurs do they undermine the structures that

they undermine the structures that

they undermine the structures that dominates certain markets and like being

dominates certain markets and like being

dominates certain markets and like being a rebel being an entrepreneur is not a

a rebel being an entrepreneur is not a

a rebel being an entrepreneur is not a job it’s a calling however in my

job it’s a calling however in my

job it’s a calling however in my particular case I was originally

particular case I was originally

particular case I was originally compelled by a very different calling

compelled by a very different calling

compelled by a very different calling I’ve studied theology I wanted to become

I’ve studied theology I wanted to become

I’ve studied theology I wanted to become a priest that was my calling

a priest that was my calling

a priest that was my calling tragically my wife was diagnosed with

tragically my wife was diagnosed with

tragically my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer and she died only 28 years

breast cancer and she died only 28 years

breast cancer and she died only 28 years old I buried her myself

old I buried her myself

old I buried her myself and then I was alone with our four year

and then I was alone with our four year

and then I was alone with our four year old daughter I really needed to do

old daughter I really needed to do

old daughter I really needed to do something entirely different with my

something entirely different with my

something entirely different with my life so I literally asked myself what is

life so I literally asked myself what is

life so I literally asked myself what is the exact opposite of theology you know

the exact opposite of theology you know

the exact opposite of theology you know this hippie kind of role where you’re

this hippie kind of role where you’re

this hippie kind of role where you’re trying to do what’s right and have no

trying to do what’s right and have no

trying to do what’s right and have no ego and live a life in humble servitude

ego and live a life in humble servitude

ego and live a life in humble servitude I needed to find the opposite something

I needed to find the opposite something

I needed to find the opposite something selfish something ego driven something

selfish something ego driven something

selfish something ego driven something ruthless ingredie almost devilish and

ruthless ingredie almost devilish and

ruthless ingredie almost devilish and the answer was obvious I should go into

the answer was obvious I should go into

the answer was obvious I should go into business

business

business well it turned out that businesspeople

well it turned out that businesspeople

well it turned out that businesspeople are just as kind and helpful as

are just as kind and helpful as

are just as kind and helpful as everybody else

everybody else

everybody else in fact the worlds of business and

in fact the worlds of business and

in fact the worlds of business and theology are not as far apart as we tend

theology are not as far apart as we tend

theology are not as far apart as we tend to think maybe that’s why I always seem

to think maybe that’s why I always seem

to think maybe that’s why I always seem to get the same question from people

to get the same question from people

to get the same question from people what are the similarities between

what are the similarities between

what are the similarities between business and theology and as I started

business and theology and as I started

business and theology and as I started reflecting over the question a pattern

reflecting over the question a pattern

reflecting over the question a pattern emerged you see back when I was studying

emerged you see back when I was studying

emerged you see back when I was studying theology I was very much inspired by a

theology I was very much inspired by a

theology I was very much inspired by a contemporary Italian philosopher called

contemporary Italian philosopher called

contemporary Italian philosopher called Gianni VAT emo who claimed that being

Gianni VAT emo who claimed that being

Gianni VAT emo who claimed that being which is just a word for everything

which is just a word for everything

which is just a word for everything there is has what he calls a nihilistic

there is has what he calls a nihilistic

there is has what he calls a nihilistic vocation it presents itself in weaker

vocation it presents itself in weaker

vocation it presents itself in weaker and weaker forms and he based his

and weaker forms and he based his

and weaker forms and he based his thoughts and his readings of heated and

thoughts and his readings of heated and

thoughts and his readings of heated and itchy and Heidegger and these are

itchy and Heidegger and these are

itchy and Heidegger and these are probably some of the most difficult

probably some of the most difficult

probably some of the most difficult books to read in the entire world so

books to read in the entire world so

books to read in the entire world so I’ll try to explain this as simple and

I’ll try to explain this as simple and

I’ll try to explain this as simple and down-to-earth as possible you see the

down-to-earth as possible you see the

down-to-earth as possible you see the weakening of being is present in the

weakening of being is present in the

weakening of being is present in the concept of the Christian God first you

concept of the Christian God first you

concept of the Christian God first you have God the Father and Almighty God the

have God the Father and Almighty God the

have God the Father and Almighty God the creator of everything a Supreme Being

creator of everything a Supreme Being

creator of everything a Supreme Being eternal all-knowing this is an extremely

eternal all-knowing this is an extremely

eternal all-knowing this is an extremely strong structure then God incarnated

strong structure then God incarnated

strong structure then God incarnated himself in Jesus God the Son this is God

himself in Jesus God the Son this is God

himself in Jesus God the Son this is God in human form with all the attributes

in human form with all the attributes

in human form with all the attributes that characterizes us as humans doubt

that characterizes us as humans doubt

that characterizes us as humans doubt and pain and ultimately mortality this

and pain and ultimately mortality this

and pain and ultimately mortality this is a much much weaker form of God a much

is a much much weaker form of God a much

is a much much weaker form of God a much much weaker concept and finally you have

much weaker concept and finally you have

much weaker concept and finally you have the holy spirit this is the history of a

the holy spirit this is the history of a

the holy spirit this is the history of a church this is the history of salvation

church this is the history of salvation

church this is the history of salvation this is an even weaker concept of God

this is an even weaker concept of God

this is an even weaker concept of God so throughout Christianity the concept

so throughout Christianity the concept

so throughout Christianity the concept of God the idea of God undergoes a

of God the idea of God undergoes a

of God the idea of God undergoes a process of weakening from a very very

process of weakening from a very very

process of weakening from a very very strong structure God the Father

strong structure God the Father

strong structure God the Father two-weeker structure god the son to an

two-weeker structure god the son to an

two-weeker structure god the son to an even weaker

even weaker

even weaker the Holy Spirit now in the world of

the Holy Spirit now in the world of

the Holy Spirit now in the world of philosophy the same pattern can be

philosophy the same pattern can be

philosophy the same pattern can be observed in Plato for instance truth is

observed in Plato for instance truth is

observed in Plato for instance truth is seen as something above and beyond its

seen as something above and beyond its

seen as something above and beyond its absolute it’s eternal it’s a very very

absolute it’s eternal it’s a very very

absolute it’s eternal it’s a very very strong structure much like out the

strong structure much like out the

strong structure much like out the father later in the history of

father later in the history of

father later in the history of philosophy the concept of truth

philosophy the concept of truth

philosophy the concept of truth undergoes a process of weakening with

undergoes a process of weakening with

undergoes a process of weakening with the Immanuel Kant for instance truth is

the Immanuel Kant for instance truth is

the Immanuel Kant for instance truth is literally incarnated into human form we

literally incarnated into human form we

literally incarnated into human form we realize that we cannot speak about truth

realize that we cannot speak about truth

realize that we cannot speak about truth without taking our human existence into

without taking our human existence into

without taking our human existence into consideration how we understand the

consideration how we understand the

consideration how we understand the world depends on how we perceive the

world depends on how we perceive the

world depends on how we perceive the world today in post modernity there are

world today in post modernity there are

world today in post modernity there are no truth only interpretations and mean

no truth only interpretations and mean

no truth only interpretations and mean that that’s no truth that’s just an

that that’s no truth that’s just an

that that’s no truth that’s just an interpretation this is an even bigger

interpretation this is an even bigger

interpretation this is an even bigger form of truth now the interesting part

form of truth now the interesting part

form of truth now the interesting part is that this exact same pattern can be

is that this exact same pattern can be

is that this exact same pattern can be observed in the world of business for

observed in the world of business for

observed in the world of business for strong structures dominating markets are

strong structures dominating markets are

strong structures dominating markets are being challenged or replaced by weaker

being challenged or replaced by weaker

being challenged or replaced by weaker structures look at the telecom industry

structures look at the telecom industry

structures look at the telecom industry for instance it’s dominated by large

for instance it’s dominated by large

for instance it’s dominated by large telcos running massive infrastructures

telcos running massive infrastructures

telcos running massive infrastructures this is a very very strong structure

this is a very very strong structure

this is a very very strong structure then companies like Skype and Viper in

then companies like Skype and Viper in

then companies like Skype and Viper in my own company bug stream came along and

my own company bug stream came along and

my own company bug stream came along and enabled people to call each other for

enabled people to call each other for

enabled people to call each other for free bypassing the telecoms altogether

free bypassing the telecoms altogether

free bypassing the telecoms altogether this is a weakening of the structures

this is a weakening of the structures

this is a weakening of the structures defining the telecom industry and it is

defining the telecom industry and it is

defining the telecom industry and it is important this development cannot solely

important this development cannot solely

important this development cannot solely be contributed to the technological

be contributed to the technological

be contributed to the technological progress in fact the technology behind

progress in fact the technology behind

progress in fact the technology behind Skype is a lot lot simpler than the

Skype is a lot lot simpler than the

Skype is a lot lot simpler than the technology running the great telcos so

technology running the great telcos so

technology running the great telcos so something else is at stake here namely

something else is at stake here namely

something else is at stake here namely the weakening of being and when you

the weakening of being and when you

the weakening of being and when you think of it there are numerous of

think of it there are numerous of

think of it there are numerous of examples take the whole industry

examples take the whole industry

examples take the whole industry revolving investments in companies

revolving investments in companies

revolving investments in companies it has undergone a process of booting so

it has undergone a process of booting so

it has undergone a process of booting so that we now have concepts like

that we now have concepts like

that we now have concepts like crowdfunding look at the hotel industry

crowdfunding look at the hotel industry

crowdfunding look at the hotel industry we now have Airbnb look at the taxi

we now have Airbnb look at the taxi

we now have Airbnb look at the taxi industry we now have uber and yes we

industry we now have uber and yes we

industry we now have uber and yes we still have over they’ll be back look at

still have over they’ll be back look at

still have over they’ll be back look at the banking industry banks are an

the banking industry banks are an

the banking industry banks are an extremely strong structure it’s a highly

extremely strong structure it’s a highly

extremely strong structure it’s a highly regulated market it is undergone a

regulated market it is undergone a

regulated market it is undergone a process of weakening so that we now have

process of weakening so that we now have

process of weakening so that we now have concepts like bitcoins where people can

concepts like bitcoins where people can

concepts like bitcoins where people can transfer money directly to each other

transfer money directly to each other

transfer money directly to each other bypassing the banks altogether now the

bypassing the banks altogether now the

bypassing the banks altogether now the million-dollar question remains how do

million-dollar question remains how do

million-dollar question remains how do you use this knowledge as a tool of

you use this knowledge as a tool of

you use this knowledge as a tool of innovation is there a nihilistic

innovation is there a nihilistic

innovation is there a nihilistic vocation to innovation and I believe it

vocation to innovation and I believe it

vocation to innovation and I believe it is

is

is if being has a building tendency of

if being has a building tendency of

if being has a building tendency of presenting yourself in weaker and weaker

presenting yourself in weaker and weaker

presenting yourself in weaker and weaker forms then we can become entrepreneurs

forms then we can become entrepreneurs

forms then we can become entrepreneurs that look to markets that are dominated

that look to markets that are dominated

that look to markets that are dominated by strong structures and introduce new

by strong structures and introduce new

by strong structures and introduce new products and new business models that

products and new business models that

products and new business models that helps beginning the structures of those

helps beginning the structures of those

helps beginning the structures of those markets then we will not be working

markets then we will not be working

markets then we will not be working against the history of being but kind of

against the history of being but kind of

against the history of being but kind of like riding the wave and as we undermine

like riding the wave and as we undermine

like riding the wave and as we undermine the structures that dominates businesses

the structures that dominates businesses

the structures that dominates businesses industries markets and ultimately

industries markets and ultimately

industries markets and ultimately society we can free the world from the

society we can free the world from the

society we can free the world from the dominance and violence of strong

dominance and violence of strong

dominance and violence of strong structures large structures are getting

structures large structures are getting

structures large structures are getting weaker day by day but this does not lead

weaker day by day but this does not lead

weaker day by day but this does not lead to destruction but opportunity as

to destruction but opportunity as

to destruction but opportunity as structures collapse rebels will rise I’m

structures collapse rebels will rise I’m

structures collapse rebels will rise I’m a rebel are you thank you

a rebel are you thank you

a rebel are you thank you [Applause]

Oh

Oh [Applause]

[Applause]

[Applause] [Music]

”

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