At about the middle of the 19th century, something very interesting happened: the burden of scientific, artistic, musical, and intellectual advancement shifted from a rather exclusive aristocracy to a slightly privileged section of the common folk. This opened up new avenues for expansion which ultimately led to an explosion of growth and progress during the 20th century. What we think of as an exponential advance is in no small part fueled by the fact that more and more people are participating in intellectual activities.

By earlier standards, the rate of progress is staggering, but we can do better still. There are many with multiple talents or other disparities with the expectations of our currently hyperspecialized society that could change the world if they could find the training necessary to achieve their full potential. Because these individuals are at odds with society’s views, however, unnecessary obstacles and roadblocks form in their path at every turn. Rather than raising them, society discards them.

But even among those not so culled, luck and social construction plays a large part in who receives training, who is exposed to ideas, who has the opportunity to contribute ideas back, and even who is allowed to have their contributions recognized.

We are not yet done, and with an open-minded approach that emphasizes the pursuit of new thought and creativity rather than skepticism and doubt, we can draw in the rest of the population and send society through an advance as monumental as that of the Romantic period. But how do you convince a generation raised on American Idol that it’s better to sing than to judge other singers, irrespective of skill?