July 5, 2010

  Gamamusa, for the first time in a while, gathered his students in a warehouse for a practical session. True to his role as a Food and Nutrition professor, he led them to a stockpile warehouse. The students were puzzled by the location. He dramatically pulled a cloth off a corner, revealing grass grinders and plastic containers. They stared, confused.

  “This is my invention, something I’ve been saving to show you,” Gamamusa said, patting a grinder. “I plan to start a company with this. If you’re jobless, I’ll hire you. How’s that?” The students were skeptical. Jung Sun-beom shot up his hand. “If you’re making inventions, I’ll be the first to join!” Gamamusa clapped. “Great, a fine comrade! Don’t worry, others—this isn’t some pyramid scheme.” His corny joke chilled the room. He pivoted.

  “…Ahem, anyway. This is crucial for Food and Nutrition. It converts grass fiber into carbohydrates.” The students leaned in. Gamamusa scanned them. “…Let me ask: what’s the biggest obstacle to inventions?” Jung Sun-beom raised his hand. “I read about a Bronze Age inventor creating movable type, called the ‘Phaistos Disc.’ In Roman times, there was a steam engine toy, the ‘Aeolipile.’ Both failed due to their era’s limitations.” The students applauded. Gamamusa nodded.

  “Inventions depend on their era. The Phaistos Disc was useless when writing was on clay tablets, not paper. Romans had slaves, so no need for steam engines. Inventions also need refinement. The Phaistos Disc and Aeolipile were toys. Korea’s metal type and Gutenberg’s press evolved from woodblock and clay printing. Steam engines were perfected by James Watt, improving inefficient predecessors.” He slapped the grinder. “…But above all, inventors need investment to turn things like the Phaistos Disc or Aeolipile into real innovations.”

  He grabbed a plastic chair, sat in the warehouse’s center, and motioned for students to do the same. Crossing his legs, he looked up. “…Gutenberg’s press and Watt’s engine share two traits. Know what they are?” Jung Sun-beom raised his hand. “Both came from modern Europe.” Gamamusa stroked his chin. “…Jung Sun-beom’s on fire lately. You’re getting an A+.” The students clapped, hyping him up. As the applause faded, Gamamusa continued.

  “As you know, equal nations fight fiercely. Weak nations often submit to strong ones. If no other enemies exist, a strong nation might scale down to match a weak one, or a weak nation could win. But in raw power, strong nations dominate.” The students found this tangent odd.

  He pressed on. “Investment in inventions thrives in national competition. During the Cold War, the U.S. developed rockets and satellites to outpace the Soviets in space and moon exploration. They also advanced computers and AI. But the Soviets, weaker economically and militarily, collapsed. The U.S., unchallenged, halted moon missions and paused AI and fifth-generation computer research in the 1990s. When China rose to rival them, the U.S. revived space and AI through SpaceX and OpenAI.”

  The students nodded. Gamamusa continued. “In ancient China, the powerful Song Dynasty faced the weaker Mongols. Like the U.S. to the Soviets, the Song invented gunpowder, compasses, and printing to compete. But after the Mongols conquered them, forming the Yuan Dynasty, China stalled innovation.” He sipped water. “In Japan’s Sengoku period, they imported Portuguese muskets, refining them endlessly, even invading Korea. After unification and the Imjin War, Japan abandoned musket advancements, reverting to swords.”

  Jung Sun-beom raised a concern. “…So, technological progress stalls and surges repeatedly?” Gamamusa shook his head. “…Not in Europe. Unlike China or the U.S., Europe’s southern peninsulas and northern plains fostered constant rivalry among equal nations. Innovation never stopped. When gunpowder arrived from China, Europeans developed cannons, guns, machine guns, bombs, and tanks over centuries. Printing spread books to the masses. Meanwhile, China and Korea, who invented gunpowder and metal type, barely made guns and limited books to elites.” He cleared his throat. “Technological progress needs the right era and region. Inventions only thrive where competition is fierce.”

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