Where Good Ideas Come From by Steven Johnson
Where Good Ideas Come From by Steven Johnson is like that person at a party who can’t stop telling you how fascinating their latest factoid is—except, in this case, they really are fascinating, but they also don’t quite know when to stop. The book promises a grand tour of innovation, from Darwin to Google, tracing how environments and networks foster those elusive “Eureka!” moments. Johnson is essentially debunking the myth of the lone genius by presenting innovation as a product of slow, incremental processes rather than sudden flashes of brilliance.
The central premise is that good ideas emerge from “liquid networks”—places where thoughts, people, and disciplines collide. Johnson identifies seven patterns of innovation, like “The Adjacent Possible” (the idea that new ideas are built off the current ones, much like evolution) and “Exaptation” (when an idea evolves beyond its original purpose). These patterns are interesting enough to fuel watercooler conversation for days, but there’s a bit of déjà vu in the air. After all, how many more ways can we rephrase “two heads are better than one”?
Stylistically, Johnson channels his inner pop-sci storyteller, weaving together eclectic stories from biology, technology, and history. It’s fun at first, but if you’re not careful, you might drown in the sea of anecdotes. The chapters leap from the invention of the printing press to the evolution of coral reefs with such agility that you might wonder if the real innovation here is Johnson’s ability to connect dots that no one asked to be connected.
Thematically, the book sits in that cozy space between Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers and a TED Talk. Johnson’s thesis—that innovation thrives in environments where ideas can intermingle—feels both insightful and slightly obvious. Yes, it’s compelling that many of history’s big breakthroughs came from collaborative efforts, but after 300 pages of reinforcing this, the novelty starts to wear thin.
Impact-wise, this is a book best suited for anyone in the creative or tech industries who’s interested in replicating the conditions that make innovation possible. It’s practically begging to be cited in a PowerPoint at your next corporate retreat. For the casual reader, though, the book might feel a bit repetitive by the end, like attending one too many brainstorming sessions.
In short, Where Good Ideas Come From is a well-structured, cleverly written exploration of creativity that may leave you inspired—or at least mildly impressed with Johnson’s intellectual gymnastics. But be warned, by the time you reach the final chapter, you might feel as though you’ve heard the same story seven times, just in different outfits.
