"門番を変えなければならない"
Quote meaning
The idea here is pretty straightforward – the people who hold the power to decide what gets through and what doesn't need to be different. Think of it like this: if the same group of people always gets to decide what movies get made, what books get published, or what news stories get told, we end up with a very limited perspective. It's like eating the same meal every day; it gets boring and doesn't give you all the nutrients you need.
Historically, this has come up a lot. In the past, gatekeepers in media, education, and other fields were often a small, homogenous group. Think about Hollywood in the 1950s – most of the decision-makers were white men. Unsurprisingly, the movies that got made reflected their worldviews and experiences. Fast forward to today, and there's a big push for diversity. People are realizing that when the gatekeepers are more diverse, the content that gets produced is richer and more varied.
Let's look at a specific example – the tech industry. For years, it was dominated by a very narrow group of people. But then, companies began to realize that to innovate, they needed diverse perspectives. Take Google, for instance. They've made a concerted effort to bring in people from different backgrounds. As a result, their products have become more inclusive. Think about the improvements in Google’s speech recognition software – it now understands a variety of accents and dialects much better than it used to. That’s because they've brought in linguists and experts from all over the world to refine it.
So, how can you apply this wisdom in your own life? First, be aware of who the gatekeepers are in your world. Are they diverse? If not, can you do something about it? Maybe you’re part of a hiring committee – push for a wider range of candidates. Or perhaps you’re in a book club – suggest reading authors from different backgrounds.
Here's a story to bring it home. Imagine you’re part of a startup, and you're trying to come up with the next big app. Your team is great, but everyone has a similar background – same schools, same neighborhoods, even similar hobbies. You brainstorm for weeks, but nothing feels groundbreaking. Then, you bring in a new team member, someone with a completely different perspective. They start throwing out ideas that you’d never considered. Suddenly, you’re seeing things in a new light, and before you know it, you’ve got an idea that’s genuinely innovative.
The moral of the story? Change those gatekeepers. When you bring new voices into the decision-making process, you open the door to possibilities you’d never imagined. It might be a bit uncomfortable at first – change usually is – but the payoff is worth it. You get richer, more varied input, and ultimately, better outcomes. So, don’t just stick with the same old crowd. Mix it up. You never know what amazing things could happen.
Historically, this has come up a lot. In the past, gatekeepers in media, education, and other fields were often a small, homogenous group. Think about Hollywood in the 1950s – most of the decision-makers were white men. Unsurprisingly, the movies that got made reflected their worldviews and experiences. Fast forward to today, and there's a big push for diversity. People are realizing that when the gatekeepers are more diverse, the content that gets produced is richer and more varied.
Let's look at a specific example – the tech industry. For years, it was dominated by a very narrow group of people. But then, companies began to realize that to innovate, they needed diverse perspectives. Take Google, for instance. They've made a concerted effort to bring in people from different backgrounds. As a result, their products have become more inclusive. Think about the improvements in Google’s speech recognition software – it now understands a variety of accents and dialects much better than it used to. That’s because they've brought in linguists and experts from all over the world to refine it.
So, how can you apply this wisdom in your own life? First, be aware of who the gatekeepers are in your world. Are they diverse? If not, can you do something about it? Maybe you’re part of a hiring committee – push for a wider range of candidates. Or perhaps you’re in a book club – suggest reading authors from different backgrounds.
Here's a story to bring it home. Imagine you’re part of a startup, and you're trying to come up with the next big app. Your team is great, but everyone has a similar background – same schools, same neighborhoods, even similar hobbies. You brainstorm for weeks, but nothing feels groundbreaking. Then, you bring in a new team member, someone with a completely different perspective. They start throwing out ideas that you’d never considered. Suddenly, you’re seeing things in a new light, and before you know it, you’ve got an idea that’s genuinely innovative.
The moral of the story? Change those gatekeepers. When you bring new voices into the decision-making process, you open the door to possibilities you’d never imagined. It might be a bit uncomfortable at first – change usually is – but the payoff is worth it. You get richer, more varied input, and ultimately, better outcomes. So, don’t just stick with the same old crowd. Mix it up. You never know what amazing things could happen.
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