Are Asian Inventors and Inventions Really Lacking in Creativity?

[mrjeffy321]

Hello,
The other day in class my teacher mentioned something about how when she used to teach in [South] Korea, she was astonished at the kids' lack of crativity and original though, sure they are smart because they can memorize facts and recite them on tests, but they can't do very much original thinking because for all of their lives they have been pressured into only being able to take a test well, know what is in the book, and then give it back on a test so that you get good grades and get into good schools (and learn something along the way if you can too). She made the comment that theyre arent (m)any Asian Inventors due to their lack of original thinking, sure they can take what other people invent (the westerner's) and make it smaller, faster, cheaper, ..., but they don't have many new ideas on their own.

I just can't accept that there is such a lack of inventors/inventions comming out of that part of the world, does anyone else know of any (in recent times that is, gun powder doesn't count, in the past 50 years or so). I can't find any truly asian inventors, I can find some that are asian born and then emmigrated to another country (which then they get creativitly encouraged), but few that are without that extra (foreign) encouragment. and by asia, I mean countries like, but not limited to, China, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, ...

 

[ConcealedDreamer]

Asian..does Russian's Automat Kalashnikov 47 count? Haha..Russia is part Asia. =]

Well, I'm Chinese myself, and I am interested in knowing as well.

 

[Moonbear]

I wouldn't know specific inventors or inventions, but considering that the patent firm my friend works for has an entire division devoted entirely to Japanese clients, there must be quite a few inventions being patented. Of course, it's hard to think of any inventions nowadays, from anywhere, that aren't all along the lines of "smaller, cheaper, faster" versions of something else already out there. Your teacher sounds a bit biased.

 

[mrjeffy321]

Your teacher sounds a bit biased.

Yes, she is very opinionated, and that is why I would take great pleasure at walking in and giving some miraculous achievment that she could not refute, but this seems to be a harder task than I originally though it would be.


Although technically, the Russian AK 47 might count, it might be said that it is just another modification to an already existing invention of the gun/machine gun, but then if you think that way, you eliminate quite a few things from the table as far as inventions go.

 

[Curious3141]

The sound card that you use in your PC was invented by a Singaporean, Sim Wong Hoo, founder of Creative Technologies.

 

[gravenewworld]

asians made spaghetti

 

[Moonbear]

http://feer.com/articles/2004/0410_14/free/p040innov.html

You might find this article interesting and relevant.

 

[tribdog]

Are you talking about people from Asia or of Asian decent? Michio Kaku seems pretty creative. And weren't some of the neutrino experiments Japanese?
How about things like Digi-pets. those were huge a few years ago and very novel ideas.
Most inventions since the wheel have just been modifications of it. If situations were reversed and Japan invented the car and we came up with improvements to it your teacher would be saying that all the Japanese can do it is invent something, it takes American creativity and genius to take that rough idea and really make it shine. your teacher is a bigot, and probably doesn't even realize it.

 

[mrjeffy321]

Most inventions since the wheel have just been modifications of it. If situations were reversed and Japan invented the car and we came up with improvements to it your teacher would be saying that all the Japanese can do it is invent something, it takes American creativity and genius to take that rough idea and really make it shine. your teacher is a bigot, and probably doesn't even realize it.

you make a very good point, I think we can all agree that this teacher doesn't really know what she is talking about.


EDIT:
more on Sim Wong Hoo
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2004-06-28-sim_x.htm

 

[tribdog]

you make a very good point

whoops, sorry. didn't mean to do that. It won't happen again.

 

[Smurf]

Anyone who knows anything about Japanese culture will refute this easily, ever heard of Chindogu?

 

[gravenewworld]

all awesome video games also basically come from japan

 

[Smurf]

Bah, I hate japanese video games, all the best video games come from Canada.

 

[tribdog]

Bah, I hate japanese video games, all the best video games come from Canada.

I shouldn't know this, but I actually know a Canadian game I think. Prince of Persia's from Canada right? Speaking of Canada, have they invented anything? They don't even make improvements on our inventions.
Tell your teacher to focus her bigotry someplace more deserving. down with Canada.

 

[mattmns]

Canadian video games? I probably consider video games American based (American being the US and Canada), or Japanese based. Mainly because I think the big cities in Canada have EA offices, and other big vid corp offices, so they probably create them together. Unless there are French video games created in Canada and then ported to English.

 

[Moonbear]

I shouldn't know this, but I actually know a Canadian game I think. Prince of Persia's from Canada right? Speaking of Canada, have they invented anything? They don't even make improvements on our inventions.
Tell your teacher to focus her bigotry someplace more deserving. down with Canada.

Smurf, I'll be over here reading this book really studiously. I will be so focused on my reading, that I probably wouldn't even see it if tribdog just, y'know, "accidentally fell" into some numchucks. I mean, nobody would think that was unusual, and I'm sure I wouldn't even bother to look up to see anything.

 

[gerben]

Bah, I hate japanese video games, all the best video games come from Canada.

you just cannot mean that...Smurf, which Canadian games do you mean?

At least the most famous and creative ones come from Asia. Who could refute the enormous creativity of the series of Mario games, of Zelda, or of Final Fantasy?

 

[tribdog]

all of which are variations of the original game, invented in america, pong.

 

[FulhamFan3]

you just cannot mean that...Smurf, which Canadian games do you mean?

At least the most famous and creative ones come from Asia. Who could refute the enormous creativity of the series of Mario games, of Zelda, or of Final Fantasy?

I think Rockstar Games(Grand Theft Auto) is in Canada. As for the original post I would say the CD player and the blue laser. Also any asian nobel prize winners are probably very original. However when is something considered original and when is it an improvement?

 

[gerben]

all of which are variations of the original game, invented in america, pong.

good example! how creative is pong? and then look at what the asians made!

Let me add some other early games from Asia:
Space invaders, Pacman, Donkey Kong

 

[tribdog]

I think Asians are very creative when it comes to food. Chinese food was invented in Laos. and I'm pretty sure that the Japanese invented fish.

 

[Smurf]

I shouldn't know this, but I actually know a Canadian game I think. Prince of Persia's from Canada right? Speaking of Canada, have they invented anything? They don't even make improvements on our inventions.
Tell your teacher to focus her bigotry someplace more deserving. down with Canada.

Canada? Invented anything!? Gawd, now I have to post a list:

Canadians have invented:
Hockey
Basketball
5 Pin Bowling
Goalie Mask
Helicopter Trap
Kerosene
Tracer Bullets
Walkie-Talkie
Insulin
Time Zones
Electric Wheelchair
the list goes on...

bite me

 

[Smurf]

you just cannot mean that...Smurf, which Canadian games do you mean?

At least the most famous and creative ones come from Asia. Who could refute the enormous creativity of the series of Mario games, of Zelda, or of Final Fantasy?

All my favourite games come from Bioware corp. which is located in Edmonton. NWN, Baldur's Gate, KOTOR, MDK2, ect.

 

[gerben]

All my favourite games come from Bioware corp. which is located in Edmonton. NWN, Baldur's Gate, KOTOR, MDK2, ect.

Although they might be very nice games they are not really creative, they are variations on existing themes. Perhaps MDK can be said to have some originality but that was by Shiny which is an american company. MDK2, although it is a great game, is just a sequel.

 

[tribdog]

Canada? Invented anything!? Gawd, now I have to post a list:

Canadians have invented:
Hockey
Basketball
5 Pin Bowling
Goalie Mask
Helicopter Trap
Kerosene
Tracer Bullets
Walkie-Talkie
Insulin
Time Zones
Electric Wheelchair
the list goes on...

bite me

you forgot some other Canadian inventions:
yogurt
bovine contact lenses
automatic foghorn
rehab
grizzly bear protection suit
Frankenberry cereal
how to fart with your armpit
spam
circumcision
reusable condoms
the number 3
velcro combination locks
indoor plumbing
rock paper scissors
instant mashed potatoes
rubber baby buggy bumpers
boredom
to name a few more

three of those are true, which three?

 

[poolwin2001]

VINOD DHAM. Co-inventor of Pentium Chip, CEO of Silicon Spice Inc. ...

 

[ElectroPhysics]

Because of a limited no. of research organizations and lack of resources it is very difficult for us to invent something reasonable. Only when we, here, started thinking scientificaly can accomplish a lot of goals.

 

[cepheid]

Canada? Invented anything!? Gawd, now I have to post a list:

Canadians have invented:
Hockey
Basketball
5 Pin Bowling
Goalie Mask
Helicopter Trap
Kerosene
Tracer Bullets
Walkie-Talkie
Insulin
Time Zones
Electric Wheelchair
the list goes on...

bite me

Wow, I didn't know about many of those. I'd also add,
Canadarm
Peacekeeping

But this thread is about Asian inventions EH? Whoops...

you forgot some other Canadian inventions:
yogurt
bovine contact lenses
automatic foghorn
rehab
grizzly bear protection suit
Frankenberry cereal
how to fart with your armpit
spam
circumcision
reusable condoms
the number 3
velcro combination locks
indoor plumbing
rock paper scissors
instant mashed potatoes
rubber baby buggy bumpers
boredom
to name a few more

three of those are true, which three?

That's hilarious! I have no idea which three though...

 

[chound]

Probably becoz of improper edjukayshun system the creativity of students is lost.

 

[darkar]

I wonder someday if we met aliens, we will say, they invented so many things and yet we are just...haha,i think we human just like to show others that we are greater which i think is truly pathetic.

Well, so what's wrong with improving something that invented?
If we don't improve the car, we might still going like 10 m/h~

Invention without improvement is not a good thing, isn't it?

 

[Icebreaker]

Bah, I hate japanese video games, all the best video games come from Canada.

Don't forget Homeworld 1 and 2. My favorite strategy games of all time. And Splinter Cell 1 and 3 are made right here in Montréal.

 

[juvenal]

Pokemon
Hello Kitty

 

[kaos]

What?? u guys forgot bukake form japan, yechhhh...

 

[kaos]

Seriously though, the Indians are not that uncreative, in fact they developed a lot of things (such as the first com virus AFAIK) in science and tech.The rest of us just plain sux.

 

[darkar]

Umm, how bout marital arts?

 

[Gonzolo]

The invention of these have been subject of disputes between Canada and US :

- The telephone (A. G. Bell lived in both Canada, and the US)
- The Blackberry (Electronic agenda/cell phone)

The line is often quite fine when it comes to intellectual property. Though there is no debate concerning :

- the snowmobile
- the "poutine quebecoise" (food)

As for Asians, many martial arts of course (esp. Judo, Aikido, Kendo, and Sumo). They also have Sushi. And Japan probably has many patents related to automobile production and home electronics.

 

[brewnog]

Well, considering China is the nation which invented fireworks, umbrellas, gunpowder, paper, wheelbarrows, casting, blast furnaces, the abacus, the rudder, kites, magnetic compasses and cannons, I think they must still be pretty primitive to use sticks to eat.


I will now remove my tongue from my cheek.