For forty years, innovation has dominated the business landscape, but what if its benefits have been overstated? This manifesto critiques our obsession with newness, suggesting it distracts from essential work. Today, nearly every product is marketed as disruptive, yet historians of technology Lee Vinsel and Andrew Russell argue that this fixation has made us poorer, less safe, and ironically, less innovative. Their research reveals how this obsession has negatively impacted the economy. Corporations invest millions in chief innovation officers while neglecting their core operations. Computer science programs prioritize programming over the majority of IT maintenance jobs. Suburban sprawl has burdened cities with costly infrastructure and deferred maintenance. Tragically, innovation can even lead to disaster, as seen in the 2018 Miami bridge collapse that resulted in six fatalities. Vinsel and Russell highlight the humorous yet alarming consequences of undervaluing essential work, which has harmed our economy and left public infrastructure in disrepair, enriching consultants driven by Silicon Valley ego and Wall Street greed. They propose a compelling shift in focus from relentless growth to valuing the people and technologies that sustain modern life. This re-evaluation is crucial for anyone concerned about the deteriorating state of our roads, bridges, and airports, and the future of our economy.
